The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Companion

Description

This book brings together some of the world's most exciting scholars from across a variety of disciplines to provide a concise and accessible guide to the Hebrew Bible. It covers every major genre of book in the Old Testament together with in-depth discussions of major themes such as human nature, covenant, creation, ethics, ritual and purity, sacred space, and monotheism. This authoritative overview sets each book within its historical and cultural context in the ancient Near East, paying special attention to its sociological setting. It provides new insights into the reception of the books and the different ways they have been studied, from historical-critical enquiry to modern advocacy approaches such as feminism and liberation theology. It also includes a guide to biblical translations and textual criticism and helpful suggestions for further reading. Featuring contributions from experts with backgrounds in the Jewish and Christian faith traditions as well as secular scholars in the humanities and social sciences, The Hebrew Bible is the perfect starting place for anyone seeking a user-friendly introduction to the Old Testament, and an invaluable reference book for students and teachers. Cover Title Copyright Contents Introduction List of Contributors Part I. The Hebrew Bible in Its Historical and Social Context 1. The Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament 2. The Historical Framework 3. The Social and Cultural History of Ancient Israel 4. Israel in the Context of the Ancient Near East Part II. Major Genres of Biblical Literature 5. The Narrative Books of the Hebrew Bible 6. The Prophetic Literature 7. Legal Texts 8. The Wisdom Literature 9. The Psalms and Poems of the Hebrew Bible Part III. Major Religious Themes 10. Monotheism 11. Creation God and World 12. The Human Condition 13. God’s Covenants with Humanity and Israel 14. Ethics 15. Religious Space and Structures 16. Ritual Diet, Purity, and Sacrifice Part IV. The Study and Reception of the Hebrew Bible 17. Reception of the Old Testament 18. Historical-Critical Inquiry 19. Literary Approaches 20. Theological Approaches to the Old Testament 21. Political and Advocacy Approaches 22. Textual Criticism and Biblical Translation 23. To Map or Not to Map? A Biblical Dilemma Index of Scripture Index of Modern Authors Index of Subjects