Surveys are books that cover a number of Bible books. It is common to divide survey books into Old Testament and New Testament volumes. Survey books provide overviews of the books, some commentary, and often historical, political, economic, and cultural information that helps us understand the scripture from the viewpoint of the author.
A Survey of the Old Testament
Published by Zondervan and written by Andrew Hill and John Walton. This is an excellent desk reference to have handy whenever you are reading and studying the Old Testament. This volume is pretty comprehensive in covering social, political, economic, and historical events that occurred during the Old Testament times.
A Survey of the New Testament
Published by Zondervan and written by Robert Gundry. This is an excellent desk reference to have handy whenever you are reading and studying the New Testament. This volume is pretty comprehensive in covering social, political, economic, and historical events that occurred during the New Testament times.
New Testament Survey
Published by Eerdmans, written by Merrill Tenney, and revised by Walter Dunnett. Smaller than the Gundry volume, this is an excellent resource that is written in a non-technical style. It integrates the New Testament with a survey of the overall social, political, and economic conditions of the day.
