I finished the New Testament a month or two ago.  Well, I stopped.  I’ve always had trouble with Revelations and The Archaeological Study Bible didn’t solve that problem.  I tried several times and just couldn’t plow through it, so I moved on the Genesis and found I was getting more out of the various inserts than the actual text. 

I’ve read all of Genesis several times and just didn’t feel “called” to read it again.  I did, however, devour the sidebars that are included all through the text of this Bible:

• Ancient Texts and Artifacts
• Ancient Peoples, Lands, and Rulers
• The Reliability of the Bible
• Ancient Voices (texts from sources other than the Bible)
• Archaeological Sites
• Cultural and Historical Notes

Along with the Introduction to each book, these inserts expand and explain the Biblical texts.  Together they help me to understand the familiar texts on a deeper level. Instead of reviewing the texts I felt I knew well, I read through the notes on Genesis and Exodus.  I tried to read Numbers since I’ve never made it all the way through, but the inserts seemed more informative and interesting, so I continued to concentrate on those.  They are all tied into the actual scriptures and, occasionally, I’d be inspired to go look at them as well.  

I am currently working on Deuteronomy. I’ve never read all the way through it either and, as I read the notes, I’m thinking I’ll go back to chapter 1 and have another try at it. 

Overall, I’m finding my Archaeological Bible to be the equivalent of a self-guided historical Holy Lands course.  I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in going beyond the basic scriptures.