The Cambridge Companion to the Bible provides, in a single volume, in-depth information about the changing historical, social and cultural contexts in which the biblical writers and their original readers lived. The authors of the Companion were chosen for their internationally recognised expertise in their respective fields: the history and literature of Israel; post-biblical Judaism; biblical archaeology; and the origins and early literature of Christianity. The Companion deals not only with the canonical writings, but also with the apocryphal works produced by Jewish and Christian writers. The historical setting for the entire range of these biblical writings is depicted and analysed in this volume, with abundant illustrations and maps to assist the reader in visualising the world of the Bible.