Old Testaments Books

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] masterful piece of scholarship. . . . Baden’s accessible prose will make this exceptional work appeal to scholars and general readers alike." * Publishers Weekly *"Baden’s clear, insightful, and fascinating overview of Exodus demonstrates how powerful and inspiring this biblical narrative has been throughout history in religious, political, and social settings."---Mark Scarlata, Church Times"Assman brings forth an intense interpretation. . . . this book is clearly a product of meticulous work and a life-long experience and must be read by graduate theology students, in particular the ones who study Jewish identity and religion."---Dr Hafize Zor, Rest Journal

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Book SynopsisDon Collett, an experienced Old Testament scholar, offers an account of Old Testament interpretation that capitalizes on recent research in figural exegesis. Collett examines the tension between figural and literal modes of exegesis as they developed in Christian thought, introduces ongoing debates and discussions concerning figural readings of Scripture, and offers theological readings of several significant Old Testament passages. This book will work well as a primer on figural exegesis for seminarians or as a capstone seminary text that ties together themes from courses in Bible, exegesis, and theology.Table of ContentsContents Introduction A World Well Lost: The Eclipse of Old Testament Consciousness Part 1: Frameworks 1. Biblical Models for Figural Reading 2. Figural Reading and Scripture's Literal Sense Part 2: Exegesis 3. Figural Reading, Metaphor, and Theological Exegesis Part 3: Assessment 4. Figural Reading and Modernity 5. Epilogue Indexes

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Book SynopsisDo you know the character of our God--do you know who God is? What does it mean to say that God is love, light, life, and spirit? In Who God Is, world-renowned New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III explores the nature and character of the God of the Bible by focusing specifically on the nouns used to describe who God is. This rich exploration has its foundation in a deep reading of the biblical text. Reflecting on these descriptions of God gives us a fresh understanding of the beauty and uniqueness of the character of our God.

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Book SynopsisThis classic Biblical commentary from Derek Kidner explores the theology and text of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

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Book SynopsisDr Israel Drazin reveals fascinating information about Elijah. Among much else, he reveals that the Bible depicts him as being overzealous, hardly ever showing an interest in helping people, and totally different than the Elijah who appears in the legends of post-biblical literature. In these he is kind, and generally very friendly to people. God was not satisfied with the biblical Elijah and God criticised and punished him. Were the fifteen events in which Elijah was involved miracles or natural events? Most are easy to explain as natural events; some are more difficult to do so. Did God order Elijah to perform the acts? The Bible does not say so. The only times that Elijah was ordered by an angel or God to do something was when he was told to go somewhere, and these instructions could be understood as Elijah having the idea. Nearly all Elijahs acts were done because of his overzealous love of God and his abhorrence of idol worship, and apparently show no warm feelings toward people. Yet, the Biblical book Malachi is held by many to prophesy the coming of the prophet Elijah centuries after his death or ascension to heaven. This, despite the fact, as Dr Drazin shows, Malachis prophecy does not seem to deal with the messianic age, but with a resolution of the problems caused by intermarriage. Malachi states, Behold, I will send to you Eliyah the prophet before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the heart of fathers to children, and the heart of children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction. These words have nothing to do with a messianic age and the legendary Elijah who generally helps people in distress is totally different from the overzealous biblical Elijah with whom God was displeased.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the 2013 Cover/Jacket Merit Award in the Professional, Scholarly Series category, New York Book Show"

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisTucked away at the end of the Minor Prophets, the Books of Haggai and Zechariah offer messages of challenge and hope to residents of the small district of Yehud in the Persian Empire in the generations after the return from Babylonian exile. In this volume, Robert Foster focuses on the distinct theological message of each book. The Book of Haggai uses Israel''s foundational event - God''s salvation of Israel from Egypt - to exhort the people to finish building the Second Temple. The Book of Zechariah argues that the hopes the people had in the prophet Zechariah''s days did not come true because the people failed to keep God''s long-standing demand for justice, though hope still lies in the future because of God''s character. Each chapter in this book closes with a substantive reflection of the ethics of the major sections of the Books of Haggai and Zechariah and their implications for contemporary readers.Trade Review'Foster majors on these minor prophets, often ignored as a theological resource for contemporary communities of faith. His accessible interpretations arise from careful exegesis rooted in the texts' original contexts. But he never stops with exegesis, always engaging these texts for theological and especially ethical purposes as he provides provocative and relevant connections to the burning issues of our day.' Mark J. Boda, Ph.D. (Cantab.), Professor of Old Testament, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada'His book is an addition to a larger series of Old Testament Theology … has written a book that has potential for wide use in both church and academy. It is written in a manner that can be engaged by non specialists as well as professional Bible students. It is both informative and provoking of sustained reflection and ecclesiastical action.' Warner M. Bailey, Horizons in Biblical Theory'This is a very good book for clergy seeking to preach on these relatively unknown books in the OT …' Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, Journal for the Study of the Old TestamentTable of Contents1. Prophets to a remnant; 2. I am with you: The Book of Haggai; 3. Return to YHWH: the introduction to The Book of Zechariah; 4. YHWH has returned to you: Zechariah's vision; 5. Love truth and peace; 6. Victory for the house of Judah, salvation for the house of Joseph; 7. Woe to the worthless shepherd; 8. On that day; 9. The theology of the books of Haggai and Zechariah within the Old Testament.

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Book SynopsisThis classic introduction to Old Testament textual criticism helps students understand the discipline and begin thinking through complex issues for themselves. Now expanded and updated.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. Writing in the Ancient Near East2. A Brief Overview of the Transmission of the Old Testament Text3. Hebrew Texts of the Old Testament4. Ancient Translations of the Old Testament5. Critical Editions of the Old Testament Text6. Scribal Changes in the Old Testament Text7. Principles and Practice of Textual Criticism8. Textual Commentary on the Book of RuthConclusionAppendix A: An English Key to BHSAppendix B: What Text(s) Are We Attempting to Reconstruct?GlossaryIndexes

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Book SynopsisThe Book of Psalms is perhaps the most cherished book in the Old Testament. In this lively volume, two experienced teachers invite students to read and explore the Psalter and roam widely among its poems. The book introduces the dynamics of the biblical text, helping students become careful and attentive readers. It covers how to read Hebrew poetry, the Psalter''s basic genres, the idea of 'the psalmist,' the metaphorical world of the Psalms, and the theology of the Psalms. Sidebars, discussion questions, and plenty of examples enhance the reading experience. This clear and concise guide is accessible to all serious students of the Bible.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. Why Is My Bible Repeating Itself? Learning to Understand Hebrew Poetry2. What Is a Psalm? Learning to Understand Different Psalm Genres--Part 13. What Is a Psalm? Learning to Understand Different Psalm Genres--Part 24. What Is a Psalmist? Learning to Understand the Voice and Life Situations of the Psalms5. Is God a Rock, a Light, or a Shepherd? Learning to Understand Metaphors, Imagery, and Symbolism in the Psalms6. "Who Is the King of Glory?" Learning to Understand the Theology of the PsalmsIndexes

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Book SynopsisThe Book of Proverbs'' frequent use of binary oppositions - righteous and wicked, wise and foolish - has led many to assume that its vision of the moral world is relatively simplistic. This study demonstrates that Proverbs in fact presents a remarkably sophisticated response to ethical questions of profound concern to the Israelite sages who crafted the book: what motivates human beings? How do they learn? How does the power of desire shape human characters? Anne W. Stewart analyzes Proverbs'' multifaceted collection of images and metaphors to reveal their complex understanding of the development of the moral self, which suggests that character formation requires educating all of the senses and not simply the cognitive faculties. One of few works to make explicit connections between the poetic form of Proverbs and its pedagogical function, Poetic Ethics in Proverbs will appeal to all those interested in literary approaches to the Bible.Trade Review'Throughout, the discussion is well-rooted not only in the regular debates and literature of biblical scholarship, but also in the debates and literature of moral philosophy as well as of the general study of literature. A recurrent emphasis is the limitations of those treatments of Proverbs that see the book as essentially a collection of simplistic and/or dogmatic perspectives; [Stewart] argues that this fails to do justice to the sophisticated understanding of the complexities of the human person and human motivations that she finds to be consistently present … This is one of the best books on Proverbs that I have read.' Walter Moberly, Journal for the Study of the Old TestamentTable of Contents1. Poetry, pedagogy, and ethos; Part I. Character and Poetry: 2. Character ethics and the shaping of the self; 3. Form criticism and the way of poetry in Proverbs; Part II. Models of Mûsār: 4. The model of rebuke; 5. The model of motivation; 6. The model of desire; 7. The model of imagination; Part III. Narrative, Poetry, and Personhood: 8. Narrative, poetry, and personhood.

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Book Synopsis1 and 2 Kings unfolds an epic narrative that concludes the long story of Israel''s experience with institutional monarchy, a sequence of events that begins with the accession of Solomon and the establishment of the Jerusalem temple, moves through the partition into north and south, and leads inexorably toward the nation''s destruction and the passage to exile in Babylon. Keith Bodner''s The Theology of the Book of Kings provides a reading of the narrative attentive to its literary sophistication and theological subtleties, as the cast of characters - from the royal courts to the rural fields - are variously challenged to resist the tempting pathway of political and spiritual accommodations and instead maintain allegiance to their covenant with God. In dialogue with a range of contemporary interpreters, this study is a preliminary exploration of some theological questions that arise from the Kings narrative, while inviting contemporary communities of faith into deeper engagement with thTable of Contents1. Towards the theology of the Book of Kings; 2. Dynasty and succession; 3. Palace and temple; 4. Kingdom and division; 5. Prophets and apostasy; 6. Upheaval and reprieve; 7. Demolition and exile; 8. The theology of kings past and present.

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Book SynopsisA political crisis erupts when the Persian government falls to fanatics, and a Jewish insider goes rogue, determined to save her people at all costs. God and Politics in Esther explores politics and faith. It is about an era in which the prophets have been silenced and miracles have ceased, and Jewish politics has come to depend not on commands from on high, but on the boldness and belief of each woman and man. Esther takes radical action to win friends and allies, reverse terrifying decrees, and bring God''s justice into the world with her own hands. Hazony''s The Dawn has long been a cult classic, read at Purim each year the world over. Twenty years on, this revised edition brings the book to much wider attention. Three controversial new chapters address the astonishingly radical theology that emerges from amid the political intrigues of the book.Trade Review'Without fanfare, Hazony takes us step by step through the plot and personalities inherent in the megillah, and through his scholarship gives us a true, adult, sophisticated view of historical events that were to inspire and teach us the greatness of our faith and of our G-d.' Alan Jay Gerber, The Jewish Star'For anyone who is seeking an understanding of an ancient biblical text that is not only exceptionally original and insightful but is also incredibly relevant for today's world, Hazony's new book is a must.' Yoel Meltzer, The Times of Israel Blogs (blogs.timesofisrael.com)'God and Politics in Esther presents a serious political philosophy as well as a sophisticated reading of a Jewish festival too often cast in terms of a mere costume party. With expansive readings of the story of Joseph, an exegesis of the idea central behind the destruction of Amalek, and an interpretation of the political meaning of idolatry, it's not for the faint of heart. And though Hazony's style sometimes bends toward the archaic, it's a small price to pay for the bigness of his ideas.' Ashley Rindsberg, The Huffington PostTable of ContentsPreface; Introduction; Esther One: 1. Submission and rule; Esther Two: 2. Political favor; Esther Three: 3. The enemy; 4. The king's men; 5. Idolatry; 6. Disobedience; 7. Joseph; 8. Amalek; 9. Anti-Semitism; Esther Four: 10. Pressure; 11. Court Jew; 12. The decision; Esther Five: 13. The plan; 14. Reaction; Esther Six: 15. Power shift; 16. Downfall; 17. Allies; Esther Seven: 18. The last appeal; 19. Political power; 20. The Jews' war; 21. The morality of war; Esther Nine: 22. The festival; 23. Politics and faith; Afterword: I. A missile over Tel Aviv; II. God and emergence; III. God casts no shadow; Notes; Index of names; Index of scriptural references; The Hebrew Esther text.

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Book SynopsisIn the Book of Judges the narrator presents an image of the good parent YHWH whose enduring love and loyalty is offset by his wayward child Israel who defaults on the relationship repeatedly. Biblical scholars have largely concurred, demonstrating the many faults of Israel while siding with YHWH''s privileged viewpoint. When object-relations theory (which examines how human beings relate to each other) is applied to Judges, a different story emerges. In its capacity to illuminate why and how relationships can be intense, problematic, rewarding, and enduring, object-relations theory reveals how both YHWH and Israel have attachment needs that are played out vividly in the story world. Deryn Guest reveals how its narrator engages in a variety of psychological strategies to mask suppressed rage as he engages in an intriguing but rather dysfunctional masochistic dance with a dominant deity who has reputation needs.Table of Contents1. Problematic parenting: Donald Winnicott and the YHWH/Israel relationship; 2. Judges' cyclical framework and trauma theory; 3. YHWH and Israel in the 'Strange Situation': attachment theory and God-talk; 4. Israel's masochistic defence mechanism; 5. Conclusion: psychological theory and biblical hermeneutics.

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Book SynopsisMost studies on violence in the Hebrew Bible focus on the question of how modern readers should approach the problem. But they fail to ask how the Hebrew Bible thinks about that problem in the first place. In this work, Matthew J. Lynch examines four key ways that writers of the Hebrew Bible conceptualize and critique acts of violence: violence as an ecological problem; violence as a moral problem; violence as a judicial problem; violence as a purity problem. These four ''grammars of violence'' help us interpret crucial biblical texts where violence plays a lead role, like Genesis 4-9. Lynch''s volume also offers readers ways to examine cultural continuity and the distinctiveness of biblical conceptions of violence.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Violence and Ecology: 1. A brother's blood on the land; 2. The cosmic ecology of violence; 3. Covenant and the restraint of violence in creation; Part II. Violence and Moral Speech: 4. Violent deceitfulness in the scheming heart; 5. The violence of arrogant speech; Part III. Violence and Justice: 6. The outcry of violence; 7. Judicial responses to violence; 8. Violence and the divine avenger; Part IV. Violence and Impurity: 9. Violence and the problem of impurity: key texts; 10. The rhetoric of violence and impurity; Conclusion; Appendix. Biblical terms for violence.

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Book SynopsisIn this volume, Douglas Yoder uses the tools of modern and postmodern philosophy and biblical criticism to elucidate the epistemology of the Tanakh, the collection of writings that comprise the Hebrew Bible. Despite the conceptual sophistication of the Tanakh, its epistemology has been overlooked in both religious and secular hermeneutics. The concept of revelation, the genre of apocalypse, and critiques of ideology and theory are all found within or derive from epistemic texts of the Tanakh. Yoder examines how philosophers such as Spinoza, Hume, and Kant interacted with such matters. He also explores how the motifs of writing, reading, interpretation, image, and animals, topics that figure prominently in the work of Derrida, Foucault, and Nietzsche, appear also in the Tanakh. An understanding of Tanakh epistemology, he concludes, can lead to new appraisals of religious and secular life throughout the modern world.Trade Review'… Yoder's prose is generally clear and accessible, his explicitly nonlinear approach to his subject matter may challenge nonspecialists.' J. A. Gauthier, Choice'… a wide-ranging study of epistemology in the Tanakh … A very challenging and rewarding book.' Norman S. Wilson, Journal for the Study of the Old TestamentTable of Contents1. Reading epistemology in the Tanakh; 2. Unveiling knowledge/power; 3. Apokalypto, revelation, Imperium; 4. A revelatory observable; 5. Sees hears knows; 6. Qoheleth's critique of wisdom, knowledge, and critical thought; 7. Tanakh epistemology in modernity; 8. Tanakh epistemology and postmodernism; 9. Synthesis; 10. Consequences; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisIn Biblical Theology, Ben Witherington, III, examines the theology of the Old and New Testaments as a totality. Going beyond an account of carefully crafted Old and New Testament theologies, he demonstrates the ideas that make the Bible a sacred book with a unified theology. Witherington brings a distinctive methodology to this study. Taking a constructive approach, he first examines the foundations of the writers'' symbolic universe - what they thought and presupposed about God - and how they revealed those thoughts through the narratives of the Old and New Testaments. He also shows how the historical contexts and intellectual worlds of the Old and New Testaments conditioned their narratives, and, in the process, created a large coherent Biblical world view, one that progressively reveals the character and action of God. Thus, the Yahweh of the Old Testament, the Son in the Gospels, and the Father, Son, and Spirit in the New Testament writings are viewed as persons who are part of theTrade Review'Anyone who has thought about how to write a biblical theology will agree that it is a daunting task. There is no one obvious methodology that can begin to do justice to the complex unity and variegated diversity of all sixty-six books of the Bible. It is no wonder that very few biblical scholars have either the competence or the audacity to attempt such a task. Ben Witherington, III, has plenty of both. His whole career as a teacher and writer, wide-ranging in both activities, has prepared him for it, and he relishes the work of moving back and forth between detailed exegesis and big ideas. Rather than trying to sum up how he tackles the task, let me say just that the book is full of refreshing surprises. Highly Recommended! Richard Bauckham, St Andrews University, Scotland'Biblical Theology is a magisterial work, the sort of book that could only have been written by a first-class scholar after decades of reading and reflection, of inquiry and scholarship. In turn, it will stand for decades more as a benchmark in its field.' Philip Jenkins, Baylor University'Biblical Theology argues that to undertake a real biblical theology we must let each Testament speak on its own terms and keep track of the progress and newness of how God revealed his program. Examining texts in context and showing both their message and the distinctions in how themes merge, there is a compelling argument that the two Testaments do converge. This study will suggest the myriad of ways this can be seen while interacting with a host of other key Old Testament and New Testament studies. This is solid resource worth careful study and reflection.' Darrell L. Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary'Biblical theology, an expression used by many in irresponsible and careless ways, needs to be defined: Biblical Theology does that. Biblical theology needs to be demonstrated theme after theme in passage after passage in a manner that respects the Bible's big narrative; Biblical Theology does this, too. And biblical theology, if it is responsible to the deep traditions of the church, must square with classic Christian creeds, and this book does that too. Ben Witherington, III's book will become a standard text for decades, not only for its content but its responsible respect for Bible and creed.' Scot McKnight, Northern Seminary'In Biblical Theology, Ben Witherington, III shares with us the fruits of his many decades of deep reflection on the Bible's 'symbolic universe, its narrative thought world, and its theologizing proper'. Writing a biblical theology is a daunting task to be undertaken only by those who have been engaged in the study of the Bible both on the macro and the micro level, and Witherington fits the bill having writing many important monographs and commentaries that in-form his present work. I found myself challenged, informed and enriched by his thinking and recommend this book to all who want to grow in their knowledge of Scripture.' Tremper Longman, III, Westmont CollegeTable of Contents1. A method to the madness; 2. The God of the Burning Bush; 3. The God of Golgotha; 4. The God of the Burning Heart; 5. The stars align in constellations - the storied world of the Bible: Part One; 6. The stars align in constellations - the storied world of the Bible: Part Two; 7. The passion play and its sequels without equal; 8. Covenanting and theologizing after the fall and before the incarnation; 9. Covenanting and theologizing after the incarnation and before pentecost; 10. New covenanting in the eschatological age of the spirit; 11. The election results; 12. Where the reformation went wrong; 13. Faith in the final future - the New Creation; 14. The threefold cord - theology, ethics, and praxis; 15. And so? A cautionary conclusion; Appendix A: Biblical theology and New Testament theology - a dialogue with Francis Watson; Appendix B: The death of sin in the death of Jesus: atonement theology.

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Book SynopsisWalter Moberly is a top Old Testament theologian known for his creative, accessible, and provocative writing. His Old Testament Theology has been well received. This book, written in a similar vein, combines biblical criticism with constructive theology and engages both Jewish and Christian interpretations. Moberly offers robust readings of eight pivotal Old Testament passages that unpack the nature of God in Christian Scripture, demonstrating a Christian approach to reading the Old Testament that holds together the priorities of both scholarship and faith.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. The Wise God: The Depths of Creation in Proverbs 82. The Mysterious God: The Voice from the Fire in Exodus 33. The Just God: The Nature of Deity in Psalm 824. The Inscrutable God: Divine Differentials and Human Choosing in Genesis 45. The Only God: Surprising Universality and Particularity in 2 Kings 56. The Trustworthy God: Assurance and Warning in Psalm 46, Jeremiah 7, and Micah 3EpilogueIndexes

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Book SynopsisMaster LEGO builder, photographer, and storyteller Brendan Powell Smith has created new interest in the Bible and its stories his Brick Bible books and website. His widely popular The Brick Bible: A New Spin on the Old Testament brings together the major books of the Old Testament, illustrated entirely in LEGO bricks. Now, for the first time and in a smaller, more portable format, The Brick Bible Presents Brick Exodus engages readers with the stories from the second book of the Pentateuch. You can now follow Moses's journey throughout the Book of Exodus, illustrated entirely with LEGO bricks. Inside you’ll find highlighted:Baby Moses’s journey in a reed basket down the NileThe seven deadly plagues that struck EgyptThe parting of the Red SeaThe Israelites’ time in the desertThe burning bush on Mount SinaiThe presentation of the Ten CommandmentsThe burning of the golden calfAnd much more!The Brick Bible Presents Brick Exodus contains more than sixty illustrations and exciting additional scenes never before in print! Set in comic book style, the iconic scenes from these well-known Bible stories jump off the page. It is a must-have book for any religious family member, Sunday school classroom, or LEGO nut.

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Book SynopsisThis exegetical study of creation and nature in 4 Ezra argues that this first-century Jewish apocalypse's profound pessimism concerning humankind and the present age is matched by a surprisingly robust belief in the goodness of the created order. 4 Ezra presents the natural world as standing with God over and against corrupt humankind, envisions substantial elements of continuity between the ages and hints that those parts of the earth that remain unsullied by humankind still witness to God's sovereignty, love and justice and even serve as material pointers to the new creation. This study calls into question the persistent assumption that apocalypticism and the 'apocalyptic eschatology' of the historical apocalypses in particular necessarily entails a profound dualism. Emerging as it does from an experience of historical disaster and unresolved questions of theodicy, 4 Ezra especially is often considered an apocalypse in which the doctrine of the two ages has been radicalised to the extent that creation, history and life in this world have lost their meaning or significance. The results of this study, however, indicate that while 4 Ezra considers the world of humankind to be corrupted and corrupting, in the natural world the creator's sovereignty is not so obscured, and there his original intentions for creation can still be perceived. This study provides a fresh reading of 4 Ezra that takes seriously the book's unity and coherence. Its conclusions suggest that it may be best to abandon the label 'apocalyptic eschatology' given its potential mask the interesting complexities and mix of continuity and discontinuity that attend the portrayal of creation, nature and hope in an apocalypse like 4 Ezra.

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Book SynopsisThis volume of the new DSI series is the most comprehensive investigation of Hebrew and Greek translation equivalents in Ps 42-43 in the Psalter and in the Septuagint as a whole currently available. This detailed study does not only include the translation equivalents in the Septuagint, the semantic meanings of the Hebrew and Greek words are also discussed and parallels in the LXX as well as in the Hebrew Bible are included. A systematic investigation of the translator's method must be carried out before one can use the manuscripts in a proper way. Accordingly, the extensive translation-technical emphasis and the discussion of text-critical matters make it possible to present a more accurate Old Greek text and this book may thus contribute to a new critical edition of the Greek Psalter. The book is also in some respects in itself a text-critical study, since all variants in Rahlfs' edition of the Septuagint Psalms, with the addition of Papyrus Bodmer XXIV (Rahlfs 2110), as well as Hebrew variants, are referred to and studied. This includes suggestions and evaluations of the Hebrew Vorlage behind the Septuagint text. It is also a commentary on the Hebrew and the Greek texts of Ps 42-43. Like other commentaries, it describes the position of the psalm, it presents the unity and form of the psalm, its structure and its relation to the close context. As a commentary on both the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint, it gives an overall interpretation of the psalm in Hebrew and in Greek separately. The book can be read by the specialist in Septuagint studies as well as all scholars interested in translation, textual criticism, and in the book of Psalms, not least its use of metaphors and the reflection of temple theology.

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Book SynopsisThe Book of Wisdom's understanding of Israel's history, of contemporary politics and of the immortal fate of the persecuted sage can be understood to be part of one theological system. This system integrates texts and concepts from Jewish Wisdom, the biblical narratives of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses, eschatological hope and apocalyptic language, an understanding of the spirit of God in the enabling of prophets and leaders and, most distinctively, the Stoic concept of pneuma. This last concept unites the biblical resources and allows Wisdom, using eschatological language, to speak of the ordering of the cosmos for the judgement for the wicked and the exaltation of God's people in the present age.Matthew Edwards addresses first the question of the literary unity of Wisdom. This is followed by an examination of the differing uses of the term pneuma within Wisdom, that is as divine agent of salvation, the means of the ordering the cosmos and the substance from which souls are composed. The nature of personal salvation within Wisdom is also considered and shown to be an integral part of the understanding of the cosmos, ordered for judgement and exaltation. Finally, this notion of the ordering of the comos and history for God's people is discussed with its consequences for Jewish life under contemporary Hellenistic and Roman rule.

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Book SynopsisThe long and complex history of reception and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament through the ages, described in the HBOT Project, is in the penultimate part volume three pursued to the nineteenth century's special situation with its new methods and problems. Due to an increased historical knowledge in many fields and an expanding cultural context, the phenomenon of history became the object of an as yet unsurpassed fascination; history was the new key concept partly in form of a historicism. With regard to biblical studies in general and the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in particular a decisive historical-critical approach came into focus, which generated tension between this new method and the traditional scriptural interpretation of the Church and in turn also relatively severe controversies between opposing fronts.

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Book SynopsisThis volume consists of fifteen of the author's essays, including two that have never been published before. The essays date to the last decade and a half, and all reflect in some manner the author's ongoing interest in literary operations of classification and their social implications, particularly the production of distinctions which create social inequality in the world of the text, and have the potential to generate hierarchical social relationships in contexts where biblical texts might have had an impact on real people. In these essays, the author explores themes such as gender, sexuality, purity and pollution, sanctification, death and afterlife, foreignness, and disability with particular attention to the roles distinctions such as honored/shamed, feminine/masculine, mourning/rejoicing, unclean/clean, alien/native play in creating and perpetuating social differences in texts. Rites of status change such as circumcision, shaving, purification, burial or disinterment, sanctification and profanation of holiness are a focus of interest in a number of these essays, reflecting the author's on going interest in the textual representation of ritual. Most of the essays examine texts in their historical setting, but several also engage the early history of the interpretation of biblical texts, including the phenomenon of inner biblical exegesis. The essays are divided into five sections: Rites and Social Status; Gender and Sexuality; Disability; Holiness, Purity, the Alien; Death, Burial, Afterlife and their Metaphorical Uses. The author introduces each of the sections, contextualizing each essay in his larger scholarly project, reflecting on its development and reception and, in some cases, responding to his critics.

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Book SynopsisText in English and French. Qumran Cave 11Q was discovered by Bedouin in 1956. In the cave, remains of around 30 Dead Sea Scrolls were found, a few of them in very good state of preservation (the Temple Scroll, the Psalm Scroll, the Paleo Leviticus Scroll, and the Targum Job Scroll). The cave was excavated by Roland de Vaux (Ecole Biblique et Archeologique Française, Jerusalem) and Gerald L. Harding (Department of Antiquities of Jordan) in 1956; later by Joseph Patrich (University of Haifa) in 1988, and by Marcello Fidanzio and Dan Bahat (ISCAB FTL and Universitedella Svizzera Italiana) in 2017. Due to Roland de Vaux's premature death, the archaeology of Cave 11Q has never been published. This volume presents the final report on the 1956, 1988 and 2017 excavations at Cave 11Q. Next to discussing the physical characteristics and stratigraphy of the cave and offering a full analysis of non-textual finds, the volume for the first time presents many tiny manuscript fragments found in storerooms during recent work. These fragments, most of which were collected during 1956 excavation, have not been known until now. The volume, therefore, offers the final report of Cave 11Q excavations as well as the editio princeps of the new fragments, followed by a reevaluation of the entire set of texts found in this famous cave.

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Book SynopsisThis eye-opening and thought-provoking book covers what the Torah states about life after death, the soul, the world to come, sin, repentance, rational and mystical views on immortality, resurrection, and the age of the universe, what if anything we must believe, changes that occurred in our concept of God, multiple violations of Torah laws by biblical persons (even prophets), misunderstandings about the Ten Commandments, prophecies that were not fulfilled, biblical and other ancient Jewish books that were neglected or rejected, humor in the Bible, the portrayal of biblical figures with their faults, and changing biblical laws and rabbinical customs. It explains that the siddur is not what people think it is and contains mystical additions, and it offers different views about the value of prayer. It talks about Judaisms first philosopher, contacts with non-Jewish cultures that changed Judaism, surprising elements in Ecclesiastes, and the nontraditional views of Orthodox thinkers such as Rashbam, Nachman Krochmal, J. B. Soloveitchik, David Hartman, Nathan Lopes Cardozo, and others. It describes what most people do not know about Maimonides and clarifies his view on Midrashim, why they were written and their value today. It reveals that people are punished despite repentance and that false prophets can still prophesy. It examines the Torah and holy books, conversion, and intermarriage, and the impact of foreign cultures on Jewish practices and halakha. It analyses mysticism and atheism; the values of secular culture; the views of Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and his Mesillat Yesharim, and of Arnold Ehrlich; and it explores Nietzsche, Gersonides, and Maimonides views on faith and the Bible.

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Book SynopsisThe Book of Ruth is one of the most appealing to modern biblical interpreters, touching as it does on so many subjects of current concern: the emergence of female equality, the significance of legal evolvement, the acceptance of the outsider, to name a few. Benjamin Segal, author of earlier biblical commentaries (on the Song of Songs, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes,) here undertakes the difficult and controversial task of deciphering the original literary import of this exciting engaging book. Following a verse- by- verse commentary, this volume offers a new overview of the Book of Ruth, framed as: a series of revolutionary changes described via a once-upon-a-time ideal; a former time when all seemed perfect, if only for a moment. At that time and place, women assumed an equal role in societal leadership, foreigners were to be accepted, welcomed, historical precedents represented faults to be overcome (not rather than permanent stains), the law bent yielded to humane societal concerns, kindness was rewarded, and God''s will was carried out by men and women. Rabbi Segals suggests that in each case the book text itself indicates that change did not endure. As is true in idealistic literatures of other societies, every two steps forward brought one step back (as is the case in idealistic literatures of other societies). However, biblical tradition would never be the same, as a glimpse of the ideal moment became a permanent cultural inheritance. Historical idyll became ongoing challenge. This commentary is an invitation to the reader to re-enter the dialogue between modernity and ideals.

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Book SynopsisThe Bible has a style that most people do not know and as a result they fail to understand what the Bible is saying. In many cases this causes them to misunderstand Judaism. Below are some examples. The Torah does not tell us everything and leaves much to the readers imagination. Stories often have other, unrelated stories mixed in regardless of the insertion not having any relationship to the main tale. Scripture frequently repeats itself. Most numbers in the Torah are arguably exaggerated to highlight the event. Repetition often seems to conflict with a prior description in a significant manner. Differences in spelling occur frequently. A good example is in the two versions of the Decalogue. We can only guess at the meaning of many biblical words. The Torah was divided into chapters by Christians. The Jews accepted most of these divisions even though they are not always rational. Rabbi Akiva, Rashi, most synagogue sermons, and others insist that the Torah is in divine language, with God saying exactly what God wants said. Rabbi Ishmael, Maimonides, ibn Ezra, and many others take the view of the Torah speaking in human language, with repetitions not teaching new lessons, but only repeated for emphasis or a similar reason. Some commentators, such as Nachmanides, are convinced that the Torah is composed in a mystical code. Scripture frequently, yet briefly describes an event, leaving out details, which it later adds when the story of the event is repeated. Both rabbis and scholars differ among themselves whether certain biblical stories or events are actually history or a dream or parable. One can better understand Biblical stories by comparing them with other similar tales in the Bible and outside the Bible. The numbers 3, 7, and 10 (being a combination of the first two), occur frequently.

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Book SynopsisSefer Bereishit -- the Book of Genesis -- relates the stories of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. So little is known about their struggles and achievements, and their spiritual stature is beyond our comprehension. Nonetheless, the Torah invites each reader to attempt to understand -- inasmuch as the text allows -- the motivations and emotions of these great men and women so we may come to understand ourselves and strive to emulate them. Learning Torah must, first and foremost, begin with careful and close reading. Here to aid the English-speaker with such study, THROUGH THE PRISM is an original inquiry framed by observations from the great classic commentators as well as more recent scholars. This book attempts to transmit some of the richness of the language of the Torah -- its allusions as well as its wordplay -- so that the reader can begin to appreciate the unplumbed depths of its messages.

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Book SynopsisWeaving together Jewish lore, the voices of Jewish foremothers, Yiddish fable, midrash and stories of her own imagining, Ellen Frankel has created in this book a breathtakingly vivid exploration into what the Torah means to women. Here are Miriam, Esther, Dinah, Lilith and many other women of the Torah in dialogue with Jewish daughters, mothers and grandmothers, past and present. Together these voices examine and debate every aspect of a Jewish woman''s life -- work, sex, marriage, her connection to God and her place in the Jewish community and in the world. The Five Books of Miriam makes an invaluable contribution to Torah study and adds rich dimension to the ongoing conversation between Jewish women and Jewish tradition.

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Book SynopsisIn The Meaning of the Bible: What the Jewish Scriptures and Christian Old Testament Can Teach Us, preeminent biblical scholars Douglas A. Knight and Amy-Jill Levine deliver a broad and engaging introduction to the Old Testament—also known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible—offering a wealth of compelling historical background and context for the sacred literature that is at the heart of Judaism and Christianity. John Shelby Spong, author of Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World writes, "Levine and Knight have combined to write a book on the Bible that is as academically brilliant as it is marvelously entertaining. By placing our scriptures into their original Jewish context they have opened up startling and profound new insights. This is a terrific book."

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Book SynopsisMormonism''s founder, Joseph Smith, claimed to have translated ancient scriptures. He dictated an American Bible from metal plates reportedly buried by ancient Jews in a nearby hill, and produced an Egyptian Book of Abraham derived from funerary papyri he extracted from a collection of mummies he bought from a traveling showman. In addition, he rewrote sections of the King James Version as a New Translation of the Bible. Smith and his followers used the term translation to describe the genesis of these English scriptures, which remain canonical for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Whether one believes him or not, the discussion has focused on whether Smith''s English texts represent literal translations of extant source documents. On closer inspection, though, Smith''s translations are far more metaphysical than linguistic. In Joseph Smith''s Translation, Samuel Morris Brown argues that these translations express the mystical power of language and scripture to interconnect people across barriers of space and time, especially in the developing Mormon temple liturgy. He shows that Smith was devoted to an ancient metaphysics--especially the principle of correspondence, the concept of as above, so below--that provided an infrastructure for bridging the human and the divine as well as for his textual interpretive projects. Joseph Smith''s projects of metaphysical translation place Mormonism at the productive edge of the transitions associated with shifts toward secular modernity. This transition into modern worldviews intensified, complexly, in nineteenth-century America. The evolving legacies of Reformation and Enlightenment were the sea in which early Mormons swam, says Brown. Smith''s translations and the theology that supported them illuminate the power and vulnerability of the Mormon critique of American culture in transition. This complex critique continues to resonate and illuminate to the present day.Trade ReviewBrown's goal lies in finding just the right concept combination to bring today's reader into some sort of understanding of Smith's situation, and he does with "primordial" elements, a notion centripetally attracting such themes as sacred-secrecy, wisdom traditions, priesthoods, and most especially family bonding. Brown's affinity with primordial dynamics generates this book's extended account of how he sees them developing within Josephâs personal spirituality and community leadership all, again, framed by Smith family ties, evolving capacities for death conquest, religious protest, and ever ongoing cosmic possibilities. * Douglas J. Davies, Mormon Studies Review *...its approach is thought-provoking and creative, and parts of it can break new ground in understanding the work of Joseph Smith. * Kent P. Jackson, Birmingham Young University, BYU Studies Quarterly *I found Joseph Smith's Translation stimulating. Brown weaves his way through the wide variety of the texts Smith produced to identify common threads of metaphysical transformation and communal ascent. For those with an esoteric bent, he provides satisfying ways of understanding Joseph Smith's scriptural contributions. Samuel Morris Brown has "translated" Joseph Smith for the reader in a way we have not seen before. * Cheryl Bruno, Association for Mormon Letters *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Language, Time, and the Human Cosmos Nineteenth-Century Contexts Smith's Goals and Aspirations Smith's Approach Implications SECTION ONE INTRODUCTION: CONTEXTS Chapter 1. The Quest for Pure Language Chapter 2: The Nature of Time Chapter 3: Human and Divine Selves SECTION TWO INTRODUCTION: TEXTS Chapter 4: The Task of the Book of Mormon: To Save the Bible, First You Must Kill It Chapter 5: Rereading the Bible: Joseph Smith's New Translation Chapter 6: The Egyptian Bible and the Cosmic Order Chapter 7: The Transcendent Immanent Temple Epilogue BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Book SynopsisProtestant reformers found the prophet and biblical prophecy to be exceptionally effective for framing their reforming work under the authority of Scripturefor the true prophet speaks the Word of God alone and calls the people, their worship, and their beliefs and practices back to the Word of God.The Reformation of Prophecy uses the prophet and biblical prophecy as a powerful lens through which to view many aspects of the reformers in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. G. Sujin Pak argues that these prophetic concepts served the substantial purposes of articulating a theology of the priesthood of all believers, a biblical model of the pastoral office, a biblical vision of the reform of worship, and biblical processes for discerning right interpretation of Scripture. Pak demonstrates the ways in which understandings of the prophet and biblical prophecy contributed to the formation of distinct confessional identities. She goes on to demonstrate the waning of explicit prophetic terTrade Review...her study offers an important perspective on the longstanding debate over the pastoral office within Lutheranism * Richard J. Serina, Jr, Ringwood, New Jersey *Pak has delivered what her title promises: a compelling analysis of The Reformation of Prophecy...the book is well conceived, well documented, and well written, and it promises positive next steps within Reformation scholarship generally. * Jon Delmas Wood, George Washington University, Journal of Reformed Theology *By this multi-confessional and multi-generational treatment of prophecy and biblical prophet in the 16th and 17th centuries, Paks work would greatly contribute to the scholarship of the Reformation, and her work is an exemplary achievement in the study of early modern interpretation of Scripture. I highly recommend it. * Inseo Song, Fuller Theological Seminary, Reading Religion *The Reformation of Prophecy is an excellent work of scholarship, detailed and thorough, and very useful. * Jonathan Green, University of North Dakota, Church History and Religious Culture *The Reformation of Prophecy is an insightful and well-researched narrative of a vital aspect of early modern Protestant theology and exegesis...Pak's groundbreaking research provides a coherent narrative of the Reformed development of the prophetic office and the prophetic function of Protestant pastors. * Ryan M. McGraw, Scripture and Interpretation *Pak's groundbreaking research provides a coherent narrative of the Reformed development of the prophetic office and the prophetic function of Protestant pastors. This work paves the way for further studies ... Pak's book is a good example of solid historical theology that treats a subject that was close to the heart of Reformed theology as a whole. * Ryan M. McGraw, Professor of Systematic Theology, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary *In this insightful study, Sujin Pak deftly traces the Protestant understanding of biblical prophecy and the role of the prophet from the early years of the Reformation through the end of the sixteenth century. The Bible was at the heart of the Reformation, and this book shows how disagreements about its interpretation had broad consequences for defining the ministry, understanding the past, and shaping confessional identity. A masterful achievement! * Amy Nelson Burnett, Paula and D.B. Varner University Professor of History, University of Lincoln *Sujin Pak analyzes the theme of prophecy in Protestant theological writing with exemplary thoroughness, deploying meticulous knowledge of the primary sources, and reflecting carefully on the nuances of their meaning. The book is breathtaking in its scope, ranging from Luther and Zwingli, Bullinger and Calvin, into later sixteenth-century theology and historical theory. There is so much that we can learn from this book, even on themes that we thought we already knew something about. * The Reverend Dr. Euan K. Cameron, Henry Luce III Professor of Reformed Church History, Union Theological Seminary *Sujin Pak has provided the first book-length, multi-confessional treatment of prophecy in the Reformation era. Deeply researched, The Reformation of Prophecy presents a wealth of information about how leading reformers defined the office and function of the prophet along with how they interpreted biblical prophecy. Pak's book offers an especially valuable lens through which to view the character and development of the Protestant Reformation as whole, above all its attempts to solve its own crisis of authority. * Ronald K. Rittgers, Erich Markel Chair in German Reformation Studies, Valparaiso University *Table of ContentsAbbreviations Introduction 1. Prophecy and the Priesthood of All Believers 2. Prophecy and the Radicals: Re-Thinking Prophecy and the Prophet Contra the Radicals 3. Prophecy and the Pastoral Office: Luther and Zwingli 4. Prophecy and the Teaching Office: Bullinger and Calvin 5. The Prophet, Prophecy, and the Pastoral Office in the Next Generation 6. Old Testament Prophecy and Protestant Conceptions of Sacred History 7. Later Lutheran, Swiss Reformed, and Calvinist Readings of Sacred History in the Old Testament Prophets 8. Christological Exegesis and the Interpretation of Metaphors in Old Testament Prophecy Conclusion Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFrom the simple and beautiful language of the prose tale, to the verbal fireworks of the dialogue between Job and his friends, to the haunting beauty of the poem on wisdom and the sublime poetics of the divine speeches, this book provides an intense encounter with the aesthetic resources of Hebrew verbal art. In this brilliant new study, Carol Newsom illuminates the relation between the aesthetic forms of the book and the claims made by its various characters. Her innovative approach makes possible a new understanding of the unity of the book of Job; she rejects the dismantling of the book by historical criticism and the flattening of the text that characterizes certain final form readings.Trade ReviewThis book offers an insightful reading of Job and conceptually advances the understanding of modes of expression of Iraelite religious thought. * Old Testament Abstracts *This approach results in a extraordinary reading of Job, both methodologically and substantively. Newsom does not pretend to resolve all the interpretive cruxes, but to put the conversation on a firm footing, and she succeeds admirably.... readers who engage Job under her guidance will find themselves grappling indirectly with its moral and even its pastoral implications. This is the kind of interpretation that gets to the heart of the matter and makes a real difference--criticism in the best sense of the word. * Anglican Theological Review *Carol Newsom's magnificent analysis of the book of Job from the perspective of modern hermeneutics, and propelled by the theme of the moral imagination, is destined to become a classic. Her deft handling of the interpretive tradition, her choice of guides--e.g., Mikhail Bakhtin, Wayne Booth, Emmanuel Levinas, Paul Ricoeur, Martha Nussbaum, Alasdair MacIntyre--and her engagement with the biblical text in all its complexity are a joy to behold. * James L. Crenshaw, Robert L. Flowers Professor of the Old Testament, Duke University *Carol Newsom's study of Job is an insightful and provocative reading of that most difficult of biblical books. By combining literary-critical and postmodern methodologies, she significantly advances our interpretation of the book of Job, solving many problems that earlier treatments have not. This is a major and substantial contribution, lucid in both argument and style. Future work on Job will have to begin where Newsom leaves off. * Michael D. Coogan, Editor, The New Oxford Annotated Bible, The Oxford History of the Biblical World, and The Oxford Companion to the Bible *Carol Newsom's new book raises the level of discourse on the discourse of the Book of Job to a higher plane. Rarely has such literary sophistication been applied to a Biblical text with such clarity and moment. We are led to read the different parts of Job and the different voices given expression within them in dialogue with each other, without privileging one over the other. Drawing (ever critically) on the work of Bakhtin and several other theorists and critics, Newsom makes a powerful argument for an active reading of Job that is intensely engaged both textually and morally. No serious reader of Job will pass over Newsom's book, and no reader of the book will ever be the same. Readers may well find it, as I did, a milestone in their education. A tour de force and a major contribution to Biblical interpretation. * Edward L. Greenstein, Professor of Bible, Tel Aviv University *Table of ContentsCONTENTS; ABBREVIATIONS; CONCLUSION; NOTES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

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Book SynopsisHow did the New Testament writers and the earliest Christians come to adopt the Jewish scriptures as their first Old Testament? And why are our modern Bibles related more to the Rabbinic Hebrew Bible than to the Greek Bible of the early Church?The Septuagint, the name given to the translation of the Hebrew scriptures between the third century BC and the second century AD, played a central role in the Bible''s history. Many of the Hebrew scriptures were still evolving when they were translated into Greek, and these Greek translations, along with several new Greek writings, became Holy Scripture in the early Church.Yet, gradually the Septuagint lost its place at the heart of Western Christianity. At the end of the fourth century, one of antiquity''s brightest minds rejected the Septuagint in favor of the Bible of the rabbis. After Jerome, the Septuagint never regained the position it once had. Timothy Michael Law recounts the story of the Septuagint''s origins, its relationship to the Hebrew Bible, and the adoption and abandonment of the first Christian Old Testament.Trade ReviewLaw should be commended for complicating conservative and fundamentalist theologies of scripture vis-à-vis his discussion of the Septuagint ... Law has opened an important conversation about the relevance of the Septuagint today (especially for American Christianity) and wisely points to the past and the east for interlocutors. * James Covington, Journal of Religion *It is a gripping tale, beautifully told, and should be of profound interest to any reader of the Jewish or Christian BibleTimothy Michael Law has written the first introduction to the LXX that can be read by people outside the guild. It is a remarkable book, full of fascinating detail that I cannot evoke in a short review, a book that tells a rich story that no reader of the Bible can afford to ignore. * Kevin Hart, Los Angeles Review of Books *a splendid work... I haven't found any book so interesting and enjoyable in years * Sir Fergus Millar, Camden Professor of Ancient History (Emeritus), Oxford, and Fellow of the British Academy *Table of ContentsTable of Contents ; 1 Why this Book? ; 2 When the World Became Greek ; 3 Was There a Bible before the Bible? ; 4 The First Bible Translators ; 5 Gog and his Not-so-Merry Grasshoppers ; 6 Bird Droppings, Stoned Elephants, and Exploding Dragons ; 7 E Pluribus Unum ; 8 The Septuagint behind the New Testament ; 9 The Septuagint in the New Testament ; 10 The New Old Testament ; 11 God's Word for the Church ; 12 The Man of Steel and the Man who Worshipped the Sun ; 13 The Man with the Burning Hand vs. the Man with the Honeyed Sword ; 14 A Postscript ; Notes ; Index

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