Austen K. deBlois Library
Reference Materials
Introduction to the Library: Module I
Library Reference Materials: Module II
Library Non-Reference Materials: Module III
Library Research Strategies: Module IV
Quicklinks:
Bible Dictionaries
Bible Concordances
Encyclopedias
Bible Commentaries
Bible Lexicons
Bible Atlases
Reference materials
Non-circulating materials used for research such as:
- Dictionaries
- Encyclopedias
- Commentaries
- Concordances, etc. - They are only for library use.
Bible Dictionaries
- Provide brief definitions and descriptions of biblical words.
Examples:
- Anchor Bible Dictionary
- Dictionary of Bible and Religion
- A Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation
Bible Concordances
- Provides all biblical passages that contain a specific key word such as: woman, Jesus, gospel, leper, etc.
Examples:
- New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
- The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
Encyclopedias
- Provide an introduction to a topic and a general understanding of it.
Can be field specific (Encyclopedia of World History), or general ( Encyclopedia Britannica). - Field specific encyclopedias provide more in-depth and greater coverage of a topic.
- Example:
- New Catholic Encyclopedia
Bible Commentaries
- Provide more in-depth "comments" on a specific biblical passage to give reader a greater understanding of its context and meaning.
- Are usually written by experts in the field of biblical studies.
- May cover a specific book of the Bible (1 or 2 volumes), or include the entire Bible (usually composed of several volumes).
Examples :
- Word Biblical Commentary
- New Century Bible Commentary
Bible Lexicons
- Provide a list arranged alphabetically or in another systematic form of the words used in a biblical language, their definition, and their use in biblical times.
- Two common lexicons for biblical studies are the Greek and Hebrew.
- Greater in thoroughness than a dictionary.
Example:
- Greek & English Lexicon of the New Testament
Bible Atlases
- Provide a definition of territorial boundaries between different states, countries, and regions at specific times in biblical history.
- Regions included in Bible atlases are considered of particular importance to the understanding of the biblical history.
Example:
- Barrington Atlas of the Greek & Roman World
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