Sidnie White Crawford
— University of Nebraska-Lincoln
"Magness's latest work is a superb handbook on Jewish daily life in the late Second Temple period. She demonstrates how texts and archaeology, with careful scholarship, can mutually illuminate each other. This book will be valuable for undergraduates, graduate students, and all scholars of the period for a long time to come."
Lawrence H. Schiffman
— New York University
"Bringing together archaeological evidence, Second Temple period sources including the Dead Sea Scrolls, and early Christian literature, Jodi Magness illuminates numerous aspects of the daily life of Second Temple Jews. Her originality and mastery of the sources makes this a major contribution to our field."
Fergus Millar
— Oriental Institute, Oxford University
"Jodi Magness brings the literary evidence from both Jewish and New Testament writings together with the extensive archaeological material to produce a literally 'down to earth' picture of the conditions and customs of daily life in the late Second Temple period which will be essential reading for all who are interested in the period."
Exploring Our Matrix
"For anyone interested in the New Testament or its historical and cultural context, this is an important and very useful volume."
Religious Studies Review
"Strikes the right balance to be useful both to student and scholarly audiences. . . . This volume is highly recommended."
Review of Biblical Literature
"A lively, informed, and personal view of the issues that are often taboo. . . . Magness is to be thanked for bringing her knowledge and experience of the little people, whose detritus is so important to her profession as a field archaeologist, to our attention and making it available in such an attractive and accessible manner."
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
"This book provides an engaging discussion of Jewish daily life in the time of Jesus. . . . An enlightening and enjoyable read."
Bible Today
"A wonderful book. . . . The facets covered are wide-ranging, from issue of purification and diet to articles of clothing, toilet habits, and burial customs. There is material here that will interest and inform both the scholar and the literate lay reader of the Bible."
Biblical Archaeology Review
"This is a useful book. It is well-written, accessible and informative - the work of a fine scholar who knows ancient Jewish archaeology. . . . Magness is always interesting and worth reading."
Biblical Archaeology Review
"This is a useful book. It is well-written, accessible and informative — the work of a fine scholar who knows ancient Jewish archaeology. . . . Magness is always interesting and worth reading."
Choice (American Library Association)
"This volume is a must read for scholars of Judaic and biblical studies. . . . Highly recommended."