Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary

by Charles W. Draper (Editor), Chad Brand (Editor), Archie England (Editor)

Revised and expanded, this best-selling study tool is better than ever! It features 700 color photos, 80 color maps, a pronounciation guide, the latest archaeological excavation information, time lines, extensive cross-referencing, unique scale drawings, and much more.

Genres: Reference, Christian, Religion, Christianity, Theology, Dictionaries, Nonfiction

1704 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Rama Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concordance to the Bible

I was researching on the topic of abortion and slavery in the Old and New Testaments. Then, I came across this book in the local library which helped me immensely in my research. It provided useful information, and extensive cross-referencing on the topics I searched. I recommend this book to students, scholars, and any reader interested in studying the Bible.

[Devin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource to have around for anyone intent on studying the Bible. This dictionary offers not only definitions but also much historical context surrounding the definitions which give many biblical terms their unique and specific meanings. If you have trouble wrapping your mind around exactly what biblical authors are getting at, this resource may help a little bit.

[Mike Nencetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a typical dictionary. Many authors. Good reference book.

[Will Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the best Bible dictionary that I've found. It's a must have in any library. Buy it...you want regret it. The pictures are amazing. It gives great visuals and really makes it come alive.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a writer and editor for a Christian media company, I find myself in constant need for a dependable, conservative biblical reference guide anytime I have a question about what I’m writing or editing. My go-to Bible dictionary is the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (especially Chad Brand’s revised and expanded edition of 2015). It’s an absolute brick of a reference book, with over 6,500 articles and over 700 color photos, dozens of translations, hundreds of primary sources, and a truly impressive array of experts from every field of biblical scholarship.

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is as detailed and thorough a companion tool as you will find. It covers everything from books of the Bible, biblical figures, and ancient customs to unconventional vocabulary words, historical contexts, and hot-button modern issues. The articles are detailed, well-researched, and scholarly while remaining accessible to the general reader. Reading the entries is even entertaining, especially because the language is consistent and concise from beginning to end. This dictionary is incredibly well-produced and laid out in a logical, organized manner. Colored page numbers complement the alphabetized structure, and the dictionary is brimming with full-color maps, timelines, illustrations, photographs, charts, and reference sheets. You can find a plethora of information on translations, document preservation, historical customs, and even things like the Jewish calendar and religious hierarchies. All the information is easy to find, extensively cross-referenced, and clearly summarized, perfect for pastors, teachers, students, professors, and writers.

One thing that impressed me the most about the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is how comprehensive its content is — I’d call it more of an encyclopedia than a dictionary. This book contains the work of over 350 professors, pastors, and experts in every field from Old Testament interpretation to botanical gardens (including a few from my own alma mater!). Many Bible dictionaries deal exclusively with the words, people, and events recorded in the Bible itself, but this volume expands to incorporate practically anything related to Biblical scholarship. The articles tackle issues like abortion, homosexuality, and capital punishment from a conservative evangelical Christian perspective, and they include commentary and application on various perspectives on eschatology and Scripture interpretation. In instances of things that simply cannot be known for certain (the complexities of the Trinity, exact dates for some historical events, etc.), the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is appropriately vague and discerning, providing logical suppositions without being authoritative.

It’s important to remember that we are separated from the original documents of the Bible by several thousand years, which makes it extremely important to have references that bridge that linguistic, literary, geographical, historical, and cultural gap. The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary includes tons of information on those topics, as well as a host of cross-references, respellings, phonetics, and transliterations to get you as close to the original language as possible without exercises in Hebrew and Greek. My copy, which is the third edition of the revised and expanded version, incorporates information on recent archaeological findings and biblical scholarship but does not overturn any long-held truths about the Bible in favor of new findings. The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary has helped me connect the dots and contextualize things that sometimes feel fragmented, like the timeline of books of the Bible. My favorite feature is the “At a Glance” section for each book of the Bible, which provides key historical and literary information that is often lost on the average reader.

In my line of work, nothing replaces a good, solid Bible reference, one that you know you can trust to be aligned with your principles. The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is my go-to anytime I have a question about history, culture, or scholarship related to the Bible. Of course there are plenty of other great Bible dictionaries (and this doesn’t replace a solid set of specific Bible commentaries), but I’ve found this one to be the most comprehensive, concise, and navigable.

[Talia · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first heard about the concept of a "Bible dictionary," I did not understand the concept at all. I thought: isn't that what a normal dictionary is for? But after flipping through the pages of this one, I finally got it. This is more than a dictionary. I almost want to call it an encyclopedia because of how much information there is in here. It's not just defining the words, but it is also adding context, color, and depth to the words that we read in the English language.

One of the coolest things about this book is that is includes several major translations in its definitions list: HCSB (aka CSB more recently), NIV, KJV, NKJV, RSV, NRSV, REB, NASB, ESV, NLT, AND TEV. This is great because translations often use different words to communicate the same concept.

For me, since I did not grow up necessarily reading KJV, I struggle with this translation. Let's say I'm reading Job 18:9 KJV and the word "gin" is used in this verse. For my modern, American English trained brain, all that comes to mind at first glance is an alcohol. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense: "The gin shall take him by the heel, And the robber shall prevail against him." If I flip to "Gin" in this dictionary, it notes that this phrase is used in the KJV only. And it tells me that a gin is actually a trap or a snare, and in fact, not the alcoholic drink I was thinking of.

I also love the history explained in certain entries and the explanation of certain cultural norms for the places and peoples mentioned in the Bible. There are some things we just don't get because we are so removed from biblical times and cultures. And I think this dictionary adds a lot of clarity. It even describes furniture and places, illnesses and medicine, colors, gemstones, food, etc. Theological concepts are briefly broken down and books are summarized and categorized to better help the reader understand the point of each book in the Bible. They have a Jewish calendar, explaining feasts and times of the years, the weather and how all of that aligns with "English months."

There are timelines, some of which are particularly fascinating because they compare biblical history with world history — so like, this person was alive during the middle bronze ages and while this king was alive, etc. There are also entries on the manuscripts and articles found that make up our modern-day Bible, like the Targum and Dead Sea Scrolls.

There is so much information in here that I cannot even summarize it all for this review! A YouTube video or something similar would be needed to fully capture how many different areas this book covers.

I think this is a great Bible study tool for someone who is perhaps trying to learn more about the Bible and understand what they are reading. The Bible can be difficult to parce through sometimes, and it's easy to get lost in the weeds. I've been reading the Bible for a while but I feel like there is still so much I don't understand. This book has been one that I have been so excited to open and dig into, and I have learned so much already. I am already thinking of people in my life that I think would also get a lot out of this book—it's just that helpful!

(This review is for the 2015 version).

5 stars.

[Book Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good reference to use for biblical terms.

[John Kight · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is a time-tested Bible reference resource that has now been further revised, updated, and expanded for the contemporary reader. It’s not often that a dictionary remains at the top of the best-sellers list, but for the last twenty-five years The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary has been the go-to resource for teachers, pastors, and Bible students around the English-speaking world. With nearly 400 contributors, more than 6,500 articles, and over 1,700 pages, The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is both comprehensive, concise, and clear. Each article begins with a concise definition followed with a more developed treatment of the topic. Moreover, The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary boasts roughly 700 beautiful full-color photos, maps, charts, and reconstructions that help illuminate the biblical world like never before.

The scope of The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is quite impressive and the articles are consistently well-written and thorough. This completely revised third edition of the best-selling dictionary brings up-to-date archeological information, theological conversation, and more. The usefulness of this resource cannot be overstated, but for the sake of space a few highlights are worth mentioning. First and foremost, each biblical book has an “at a glance” section that allows the reader to quickly capture necessary information related to any of the sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testament. This section includes author, date, setting, genre, and major themes. Second, the articles are consistently written from a conservative evangelical perspective and unashamedly seek to tackle related issues from within that framework. Third, the articles are broad and reach into other related disciplines outside the narrower confines of many Bible dictionaries, such as the inclusion of articles on Flavius Josephus, Textus Receptus, and even includes an article on the Weather. Lastly, a pronunciation guide is provided for all proper nouns and other hard-to-pronounce words. This is a helpful feature that displays well the detailed thought that went into the production of The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary has been updated once again. Now packaged between an all new contemporary designed hardcover, The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary has received a much-needed facelift. But the cover isn’t the only thing that changed. The content has been finely combed and updated to reflect the most accurate and up-to-date archeological information and theological conversations. The format has been revised and additional and updated illustrations have been utilized. In short, if you are looking for an up-to-date one-volume Bible dictionary, then few resources available are going to compare to the usefulness of The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. It’s the first off my shelf when I need a quick answer to an imminent question and the last to be closed at the end of a study. It comes highly recommended.

I received a review copy of these books in exchange for and honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In-depth, conservative, attractive, scholarly, accessible–this is the best single-volume Bible Dictionary we have today. Revised and expanded from its popular previous edition, it covers just about anything you could think of researching.

You get the typical person, place, and thing common to Bible Dictionaries. Then you theological ideas and introductions to books of the Bible. There are helpful charts in places. For example, the chart beginning on page 1359 “Millennial Perspectives on Revelation” covers 5 pages and includes an incredible amount of helpful information.

The book is appealing to the eye as well. Choice pictures are found on almost every page. The maps are high quality and very helpful. You might read an entry and want more, but this the greatest amount of information that you can get in one volume. It comes in at around 1700 pages and you would have to go to an expensive, multi-volume Bible Encyclopedia to get more.

This dictionary is perfect for pastors, Sunday School teachers, or any serious Bible student. I give it the highest recommendation!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Chris Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I write on Christian topics and outside of a detailed study Bible there is no more valuable resource than this book. What makes it special is its strong content expressed concisely. You are never given too much and rarely left wanting. I've used it for years and have rarely been disappointed.

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well done dictionary. Comprehensive yet concise. Offers good illustrations and maps.

[Lisa Woodward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuous