"John Walton has been writing insightfully about the book of Genesis for over twenty-five years. His important reminder that the books of the Bible were not written 'to us' but rather 'for us' underscores the importance of reading the books of the Old Testament in their ancient Near Eastern context. John has helped us do just that for years, and in this new book, he revisits the topics that he has treated earlier on the book of Genesis to give us his most recent and best thinking on that foundational book. I recommend New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis for all readers of the Bible."

-Tremper Longman III, distinguished scholar and professor emeritus of biblical studies at Westmont College and author of How to Read the Psalms

"John Walton, who has significantly shaped discussions on the early chapters of Genesis, continues to advance and enrich these conversations with his latest book. Drawing from a wealth of knowledge acquired over decades of research, John again provides insightful analysis of some of the Old Testament's most debated chapters with the clarity and expertise of a master teacher. His characteristic erudition and creativity are on display throughout, making this book an essential and engaging resource for students of Scripture interested in exploring the theology of the early chapters of Genesis."

-Adam E. Miglio, professor of Old Testament and archaeology at Wheaton College and author of The Gilgamesh Epic in Genesis 1-11: Peering into the Deep

"We still need Walton's Lost World series. This is true for several reasons, but most of all because we still have readers in the church who continue to misappropriate Genesis simplistically by assuming that our cultural context today is sufficient as background for interpreting the book. And yet, if one considers the distance between Shakespeare (for example) and our own post-industrial and post-modernist context, it seems obvious that reading the Bard demands quite a lot of us if we are to understand him properly. How much more so the distance between us and the world of Genesis? Walton's agenda in the series has been to illumine the cultural river of the ancient world (to borrow his metaphor), among whose currents swirl Israel's ideas and ways of thinking. In this latest volume of the series, Walton (with the help of son J. Harvey Walton) has once again shown himself to be a dependable guide to exploring the currents of thought that informed Israel's Scriptures. As with other volumes in the series, the reader will benefit greatly by learning the currents flowing through ancient culture, which are so very different from the currents in which we swim in today's cultural river. All readers today will benefit from this latest contribution from the Waltons."

-Bill T. Arnold, Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary

"John Walton is a master teacher. Here he makes his approach to Genesis 1-3 crystal clear, explaining advances in his thinking about both method and substance since his previous Lost World books. Careful attention to this book will make scholars better communicators and lay Christians much better readers of the Bible."

-J. Richard Middleton, professor emeritus of Biblical worldview and exegesis at Northeastern Seminary, Roberts Wesleyan University

"Fifteen years ago, John Walton taught us that the Bible was written for us but not to us. His Lost World books open our eyes to the ancient cultures of the Old Testament, with a wealth of new insights that deepen our understanding of God's word while upholding scriptural authority. For those who know Walton, this book compiles his latest thinking and shows a humble scholar at work. Much of the book is responses to common questions, a friendly dialogue format accessible for first-time readers."

-Deborah Haarsma, president of BioLogos

"In this thought-provoking book, the author critically examines his understandings of the Genesis texts published over the past decades, greatly assisted by contributions from his son and coauthor. As a result, some perspectives are further nuanced, whereas in one case there is a radical re-interpretation. Whatever conclusions the reader comes to themselves, they will be challenged to grapple with the texts afresh in their ancient Near East contexts, a valuable exercise for anyone interested in Biblical hermeneutics."

-Denis Alexander, emeritus director for the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge, United Kingdom

"As one who is a church leader and also involved in academics, I can say that reading New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis is, without exaggeration, a mind-blowing, heart-expanding, Scripture-focused adventure. This book causes you to grow incredibly more excited about studying the early chapters of Genesis, with so many insights into what was happening in that ancient world to bring fuller color and more clarity to understanding what is there. I highly, highly, highly suggest anyone studying the early chapters of Genesis to include this in your studies."

-Dan Kimball, author of How (Not) to Read the Bible, vice president of Western Seminary, and founder of Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California

"Mention Genesis and biologists flee. This book should bring them to a screeching halt. John Walton reveals how God determines the foundations of order, and in doing so, he radically reshapes the many topics—not least Adam and Eve, the fall, and the seven days—that will provoke any Christian to fresh insights. But scientists need this book as well, both to reset their often simplistic assumptions and to ponder that as God's agents, even as products of evolution, we have a unique role."

-Simon Conway Morris, professor of evolutionary paleobiology at the University of Cambridge and author of From Extraterrestrials to Animal Minds