Biblical Studies

Find useful Biblical studies reference books available at the Zondervan Library. If there are no print options shown for this subject be sure to search the online collections below.

Handbooks

Handbooks highlight biblical text through short Bible commentaries, maps, historical backgrounds, archeological background, tables of weights, lists of kings, and much more.  Bible handbooks are often located in the Main Collection (Upper level) and offer a variety of perspectives on biblical topics. On the Handbooks page are a few worth highlighting, though we have many more. Their call numbers will vary, as they are shelved according to their overall subject matter.

Commentaries

Zondervan Library has over 2,500 Bible commentaries that you can use for your assignments.  Commentaries can cover one book of the Bible or several books or all books of the Bible in one volume or set.  Some commentaries focus on one or two individual books of the Bible, but there are several key commentary sets that have volumes covering each book in turn. 

These can be found in the call number area of 220.7 in the Main Collection on Upper level.

Concordances

Concordances list words used in the Bible and give references to the instances they are used throughout entire biblical text.  You can find several Bible concordances in the Main Collection on the Upper level of the Library in call number area 220.523.

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Dictionaries and encyclopedias offer entries relating to people, places, customs, doctrine and biblical criticism. Entries can vary in length from very brief to in-depth studies that are multiple pages.

Find most Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias in the 220.3 area of the Main Collection on the Upper level.

Word Studies

Word studies can be found in study Bibles and on their own. They examine specific words, meanings and nuances in the Bible.

STEPBible: Scripture Tools for Every Person

The "STEP" in STEP Bible stands for Scripture Tools for Every Person. This free online resource containing Bibles and commentaries. Tyndale House provides oversight of STEP Bible, with Crosswire serving as a partner for software and Bible translations.