Frankly, the early part of this book was not particularly interesting because the authors used too many ancient references instead of just telling the reader what they meant. They probably did this because there is a dearth of original sources for the history they are trying to share. However, the copious use of ancient texts made understanding harder.

Thanks to reading this book, I now understand that there were 6 different Herods in the New Testament. Amazingly, these Herods ruled as Jews but came from the Edomite culture. Now when the authors got to the Herods, they were quite clear. That story is fascinating. They also explain that the viciousness of the Herods and the difficulties with the Roman overlords was the backdrop of Jewish life at the time of Jesus Christ. It explains why Herod was so worried about a 'King of the Jews.' He'd murdered countless people, even family members, to keep his throne for over 30 years and he wasn't about to lose it to some interloper.

In other words, this whole book explains the political situation that affected the actions in the Bible. It explains the conflicts and tensions in the region before, during, and after the birth of Christ.

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