The first two things a Bible Dictionary needs to be are informative and exhaustive, and this large volume, nicely presented with clear text, well-placed white space, headings that are easy to find, and good cross-references, fits the bill. It covers everything from Old and New Testament references to the Son of God, to the definitions of cherubim and seraphim, with excellent articles on the history of Babylon, locations of towns, relationships of people, and more. It answers questions, encourages thought, and just might leave you with more questions built on what you've learned.

I’ve used the dictionary to look up Jesus' disciples, in hopes of learning where they came from, where they went and how they died. And I've found information drawn together from many traditions and nicely laid out. Of course, this being a Catholic dictionary, the dates of feast days are given too, adding immediate interest.

Deuterocanonical books are included in the articles, making this an excellent resource to learn, for example, about the “missing” years of the Maccabees in Jewish history. But apocryphal stories are left out--it's a Bible dictionary after all.

The Bible’s various versions are nicely described under V, and the different types of war and warfare under W, including details of weapons used in different eras. Whatever you're looking for, if it's vaguely Biblical, you'll find it here. (But I couldn't look up food, which was a shame. I had to find it in posts about other cultures and lives.)

In all, this is a valuable resource, easy to use, pleasing to the eye, and filled with fascinating details; highly recommended.

Disclosure: This book was provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Catholic Bible Dictionary by Scott Hahn
What a amazing addition to my Bible Study tools. I found this Dictionary to be a great study tool. It was easy to use and very informative. I would say it would be a benefit to anyone, no matter their religion’s belief’s. The dictionary is in alphabetical order defined according to the New Testament and Old Testament meaning, with reference to the Scripture passages. This book covers people of the Bible, places and a wide variety of other topics. It also explains the books of the Bible, giving the author, date written, content, and purpose. I can not wait to show others in our Bible study class this book. I give the Catholic Bible Dictionary 5 stars.
I want to give a high-five to Scott Hahn and publisher Doubleday Religion for providing me with a well researched, easy to understand study tool. Blogging for Books provided me with this book in exchange for my honest review and I am so grateful for their, the authors and publishers generosity. ( )