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The New Unger's Bible Dictionary
Unger’s Bible Dictionary has been one of the bestselling Bible dictionaries on the market since its introduction in 1957. Now this time-honored classic is more valuable than ever. Updated and expanded by respected Bible authorities including R.K. Harrison, Howard F. Vos, and Cyril J. Barber, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary is packed with the most current scholarship. More than 67,000 entries are supplemented with detailed essays, colorful photography and maps, and dozens of charts and illustrations to enhance your understanding of God’s Word. Although this volume is based on the New American Standard , extensive cross-referencing makes it useful with all major Bible translations, including the New International, King James, and New King James versions.
1408 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
About the author
Merrill F. Unger
82 books19 followersMerrill Frederick Unger, author of Demons in the World Today, earned his A.B and Ph.D. degrees at Dallas Theological Seminary. He held pastorates in New York, Texas, and Maryland. He taught at Gordon College and Gordon Divinity School, and from 1948 to 1967 he was professor of Old Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 27, 2025
This is a resource I will reach for year after year, thankful each time for the way it supports my love for God’s Word and my desire to understand it more faithfully.
Originally introduced in 1957 and now refined through decades of scholarship, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary contains more than 67,000 entries that illuminate the people, places, events, customs, doctrines, and objects of Scripture with clarity and precision. Updated by respected Bible authorities including Merrill F. Unger and editor R. K. Harrison, the dictionary stands as both a historical milestone and a living resource for today’s believer.
What makes this edition especially remarkable is its invitation to see the biblical world. Full-color photographs, detailed maps, charts, and illustrations draw the reader into the geography and culture of Scripture in a way that transforms study from abstract to tangible. Whether tracing the journeys of the apostles, understanding ancient practices, or exploring the origins of key theological terms, the reader is given tools for depth without distraction.
Though rooted in the New American Standard Bible, the dictionary’s extensive cross-referencing makes it richly usable alongside all major Bible translations, including the King James, New King James, and New International Versions. It is not confined to one stream of translation but serves the full body of Christ with thoughtful accessibility.
What I treasure most about this volume is its tactile and spiritual permanence. This is not a digital tool to be replaced by the next update. It is a lasting companion—a book that will bear the marks of years of study, margin notes, bookmarks, and prayerful pauses. It has already become a steady presence in my daily devotional and study rhythm, gently supporting my pursuit of understanding Jesus Christ and the Christian life with greater clarity and devotion.
This volume is preserved and renewed, anchored and freshly illuminated. At the same time, Scripture itself calls us to discernment. Every faithful student of the Word remembers that man is fallible, and every reference work—no matter how esteemed—must always be measured against the never-changing Word of God. This is not a weakness of the book, but a strength of biblical study. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary does not replace Scripture; it serves Scripture. It strengthens understanding while pointing the reader back to the authority of God’s truth.
This daily companion belongs in the hands of the lifelong student of God’s Word, the new believer seeking clarity, the teacher preparing lessons, the pastor researching deeper context, the curious reader desiring to understand what they read, and the family building a Christ-centered home library.
This full-color Bible dictionary is scholarly, accessible, beautiful, substantive, deep, and clear—a rare balance few reference works achieve with such grace and longevity.
I am genuinely grateful and deeply honored to be a member of the Moody Publishers Influencer Review Program, and to steward a resource of this caliber. The care, theological integrity, and excellence embodied in this work reflect the heart of Moody’s mission itself: to glorify God through the faithful handling of His Word.
I received a hardback edition of this resource from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review or paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. My review focuses on biblical faithfulness, clarity of message, and the ability of this work to offer insight into Scripture with accuracy and affection for Christ, ensuring transparency and a trustworthy reflection of its spiritual depth and value.
Originally introduced in 1957 and now refined through decades of scholarship, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary contains more than 67,000 entries that illuminate the people, places, events, customs, doctrines, and objects of Scripture with clarity and precision. Updated by respected Bible authorities including Merrill F. Unger and editor R. K. Harrison, the dictionary stands as both a historical milestone and a living resource for today’s believer.
What makes this edition especially remarkable is its invitation to see the biblical world. Full-color photographs, detailed maps, charts, and illustrations draw the reader into the geography and culture of Scripture in a way that transforms study from abstract to tangible. Whether tracing the journeys of the apostles, understanding ancient practices, or exploring the origins of key theological terms, the reader is given tools for depth without distraction.
Though rooted in the New American Standard Bible, the dictionary’s extensive cross-referencing makes it richly usable alongside all major Bible translations, including the King James, New King James, and New International Versions. It is not confined to one stream of translation but serves the full body of Christ with thoughtful accessibility.
What I treasure most about this volume is its tactile and spiritual permanence. This is not a digital tool to be replaced by the next update. It is a lasting companion—a book that will bear the marks of years of study, margin notes, bookmarks, and prayerful pauses. It has already become a steady presence in my daily devotional and study rhythm, gently supporting my pursuit of understanding Jesus Christ and the Christian life with greater clarity and devotion.
This volume is preserved and renewed, anchored and freshly illuminated. At the same time, Scripture itself calls us to discernment. Every faithful student of the Word remembers that man is fallible, and every reference work—no matter how esteemed—must always be measured against the never-changing Word of God. This is not a weakness of the book, but a strength of biblical study. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary does not replace Scripture; it serves Scripture. It strengthens understanding while pointing the reader back to the authority of God’s truth.
This daily companion belongs in the hands of the lifelong student of God’s Word, the new believer seeking clarity, the teacher preparing lessons, the pastor researching deeper context, the curious reader desiring to understand what they read, and the family building a Christ-centered home library.
This full-color Bible dictionary is scholarly, accessible, beautiful, substantive, deep, and clear—a rare balance few reference works achieve with such grace and longevity.
I am genuinely grateful and deeply honored to be a member of the Moody Publishers Influencer Review Program, and to steward a resource of this caliber. The care, theological integrity, and excellence embodied in this work reflect the heart of Moody’s mission itself: to glorify God through the faithful handling of His Word.
I received a hardback edition of this resource from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review or paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. My review focuses on biblical faithfulness, clarity of message, and the ability of this work to offer insight into Scripture with accuracy and affection for Christ, ensuring transparency and a trustworthy reflection of its spiritual depth and value.
March 26, 2020
Every household needs a Bible dictionary, and in my opinion, this one is the one to have. It's thick, and has articles for virtually everything in the Bible. Helpful for scholars are the resource lists that follow some of the articles. It gives history and backgrounds, discussions on topics like canonicity, and is an essential resource.
August 21, 2017
If I were to buy a bible dictionary today, this will be it.
January 14, 2023
A good Bible dictionary that has stood the test of time
March 28, 2018
A go-to book
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews