Holman Illustrated Pocket Bible Handbook

In their groundbreaking book, 7 Keys to Comprehension, Susan Zimmerman and Chryse Hutchins cite background knowledge as one of the seven essentials to understanding what one reads. Background knowledge is like Velcro. It helps new information adhere. The more background knowledge you develop and use, the more you can make sense of and remember new information. Truth be told, a lot of Bible reading fails to adhere. One of the factors in this failure to comprehend and remember is lack of background knowledge.

Bible handbooks are a good source of background information that helps the reader to connect with the biblical text in a memorable and life-transforming way. The Holman Illustrated Pocket Bible Handbook is an ideal companion for the person who's just beginning to read and study the Bible. Too much background information can be overwhelming. But the right amount of information in an attractive format can begin building Bible comprehension in the same way a manageable weight load can build muscle.

Here is a Bible reference book that can be easily carried along with one's Bible to class, to Sunday School, and to weekday Bible studies and provide on-the-spot background information that will illuminate the Bible passage under discussion.