It is not the purpose of this "outline" to talk "about" the Old Testament, but to bring to the fore what the Old Testament itself has to say. It is therefore crucially important that those who use this book keep an open Old Testament handy, read for themselves the texts under discussion, compare the texts (cited very selectively) originating elsewhere in the ancient Near East, and if possible make use of a Hebrew lexicon as well. The reader is presumed to be familiar with the problems dealt with in introductory studies and in the history of Israel, since these disciplines are dealt with in other volumes of the series in which this work was originally published. - Preface.