No, that is not the purpose for this book. The purpose for this publication is to help you to acquire insight on the Scriptures. How is it done?

By bringing together from all parts of the Bible the details that relate to subjects being discussed.

By drawing attention to original-language words and their literal meaning.

By considering related information from secular history, archaeological research, and other fields of science and evaluating this in the light of the Bible.

By providing visual aids.

By helping you to discern the value of acting in harmony with what the Bible says.

The Bible tells about the dealings of Jehovah God with mankind, and it does so in a context that convincingly reflects real life. It names people and places, refers to contemporary nations and rulers, and mentions specific types of plants and animals. Background knowledge can help you to benefit more fully from Bible references to such people and things. To assist you, Insight on the Scriptures contains informative articles about more than 3,000 persons named in the Scriptures as well as facts concerning 97 nations, tribes, and peoples. There are over 1,000 articles discussing specific geographic places, 96 about various plants, and 106 that deal with birds and animals. Besides these, there are articles on many other vital Scriptural subjects.

Each book of the Bible is given special attention. An outline of each one of the books draws attention to the principal ideas that are developed by the writer, and it does so in a form that is easy to read and remember. Unless otherwise indicated, the Bible translation quoted in this reference work is the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures​—With References, 1984 Edition, although over 40 other translations are also cited and quoted.

Visual aids include scores of maps, many of which isolate key locations on the basis of historical time periods. There are also a large number of pictures to help you to visualize the Bible lands and events that took place there. A few are artists’ portrayals of important historical events. Many more are photographs of specific locations and of museum displays that relate to the Bible record. Acknowledgments for pictures from museum displays and for other pictures are shown in Volume 2, on page 1276.

In-depth articles discuss Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic​—the languages in which the Bible was originally written. Articles are developed in line with the meaning of relevant expressions in the original languages, not simply the way those terms are understood in other tongues popularly used today. Meanings of Bible names in this publication are based on the way the original-language components of the names are actually used elsewhere in the Bible.

How can you find answers to your Bible questions? (1) Is it the meaning of a particular Bible expression that you want? Is your question about a person, a place, or perhaps a quality? Keep in mind that all the articles are arranged alphabetically and that Bible names and expressions are according to the rendering of the New World Translation. Turn to the article that has as its heading the name or subject that you have in mind. If you do not readily find what you need, try the Subject Index in the back of Volume 2; it pinpoints valuable material that may be in an unexpected place. (2) If you need the explanation of a specific scripture, turn directly to the Scripture Index in Volume 2.

It is our earnest desire that this publication will deepen your appreciation for the Bible’s Author, Jehovah God, and give you greater insight as to the meaning of his Word, and that it will move you to apply its contents more fully in your own life and to share its vital truths with others.