Book Review: Nelson's Biblical Cyclopedic Index

I chose to review this book, Nelson's Biblical Cyclopedic Index, because it looked like a good reference book for bible study. The back cover states that this book "offers more word listings than any other Bible resource available." It is described as a Bible dictionary, concordance, and topical Bible all rolled into one book.

The title, Biblical Cyclopedic Index, could be a little confusing to the average person. They might decide not to look further. That would be a shame, because this book packs a powerful punch. If there is a topic that you are considering for a lecture or bible study group, it's in this book. If you are looking for a good subject for a sermon, it is in this book. If there is a biblical word that you can't figure out, it's in this book.

Look up a word or a person or a place and in the Biblical Cyclopedic Index you will find all the bible verses, in order of appearance, which use or refer to that word, person, or place. I think that is pretty awesome. Someone spent a lot of time on this book. I am used to just opening the Bible and reading random passages or reading an entire book from start to finish, but using the Biblical Cyclopedic Index is a bit more systematic. The end result is a richer, more consistent approach to any topic which gives the reader more to discuss in a group or to just ponder on their own.

In addition, the Biblical Cyclopedic Index includes word studies, where they take a word such as 'trouble' and give you the word as it was in the Bible, how it was pronounced, and how that word might have been originally used at the time that the Bible was being written. I love to look up words in the dictionary and see where they originated, so I was very fascinated by the word studies in this book. The Biblical Cyclopedic Index is very definitely "a house with many rooms" that will give even a beginner much to explore and enjoy.


**I received this book from the publisher through booksneeze.com for the purpose of review. I was not told what to say or how to say it, so any dangling participles are strictly my fault.