Ruth: Bridges and Boundaries is a literary close reading of the text as a bridge between the anarchic period of the Judges and the monarchic age that begins with the birth of David, as reflected through Ruth's absorption process within Bethlehemite society. This bridge is constructed from three main axes: the theological perception that human actions have the power to shape and advance reality; the moral-legal perception that the spirit of the law must be privileged over the letter of the law and social conventions; and the principle that the institute of monarchy must be based upon human compassion. The commentary traces the narrative sequence through the paradigm of this three-fold cord, showing how these threads are woven throughout the book. This innovative reading is illustrated with an unprecedented psychological analysis of Ruth as a narrative of transition, using modern psychological theories. This contemporary yet textually faithful literary commentary offers new insight into the inner workings of the text of Ruth as literary masterpiece. Academic yet accessible, this work provides tools for readers of Ruth and the field of biblical narrative in general.

The contributions of Dietrich Bonhoeffer to the fields of systematics, ethics, sociology, and theology have become well known in recent decades. What has been overlooked, however, is the significant contribution he has also made to the study and interpretation of the Psalms. Bonhoeffer's approach to the Psalms is built upon an understanding of its relationship to prayer and to Jesus Christ the Crucified One. Employing methods drawn from both premodern and modern exegetes, Bonhoeffer develops a Christological interpretation of the Psalms which, in certain key aspects, has not been seen in the history of interpretation. His is an interpretation informed by the historical reality of Jesus Christ praying the prayers of the Psalms in his incarnation. As the church of today prays the Psalms, it is encouraged by understanding that they are also praying the very words which Jesus prayed. The Psalms are not only the prayerbook of the church, more fundamentally, they are the prayerbook of Jesus Christ. In this book, Pribbenow explores Bonhoeffer's unique Christological interpretation of the Psalms by means of a concentrated analysis of its development, coherence, and significance, tracing it from its formation at Berlin University, into the years of development at the Confessing Church Preacher's Seminary in Finkenwalde, and through the months of interrogation and imprisonment at the hands of the Third Reich.

This volume highlights the textual evolution of the biblical book called Isaiah from the eighth to the third centuries BCE. The book was probably the most important Scripture for the Community that collected or composed the Dead Sea Scrolls; it significantly shaped the life and thoughts of John the Baptizer, Jesus, Paul, and the Evangelists. Distinguished scholars from the United States, Israel, Greece, and elsewhere discuss the continuing influence of Isaiah from antiquity to today and significantly through Jewish and Christian liturgies. With high-profile contributors including Dale Allison, Jeffrey Chadwick, James Charlesworth, and Emanuel Tov, the volume explores how the Book of Isaiah influenced Jewish and Christian texts and life for nearly three millennia. The collection develops from the insights and continuity of Isaiah itself to its relevance in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the lives of John the Baptizer and Jesus, as well as Paul's Letter to the Romans and the Intra-Canonical Gospels. This collection presents highly creative and ground-breaking scholarship focused on the origin and vital role of one of the most influential books in our culture.

This book explores the conjuncture of human agency and divine volition in the biblical narrative - sometimes referred to as "double causality." A commonly held view has it that the biblical narrative shows human action to be determined by divine will. Yet, when reading the biblical narrative we are inclined to hold the actors accountable for their deeds. The book, then, challenges the common assumptions about the sweeping nature of divine causality in the biblical narrative and seeks to do justice to the roles played by the human actors in the drama. God's causing a person to act in a particular way, as He does when He hardens Pharaoh's heart, is the exception rather than the rule. On the whole, the biblical heroes act on their own; their personal initiatives and strivings are what move the story forward. How does it happen, then, that events, remarkably, conspire to realize God's plan? The study enlists concepts and theories developed within the framework of contemporary analytic philosophy, featured against the background of classical and contemporary bible commentary. In addressing the biblical narrative through these perspectives, this book holds appeal for scholars of a variety of disciplines - bible studies, philosophy, religion and philosophical theology - as well as for those who simply delight in reading the Bible.

Who is in control? The sustained threat from rogue states, international terrorism, religious extremists, and moral confusion arising from liberal views of all kinds begs the question: what is happening to our world? Is no-one in control? This is a deep vulnerability that many people express. And not simply in global events. Our own personal world often seems out of control as we reel from suffering, family tragedies and unanswered prayers. The prophet Habakkuk knew that God was in control but, like us, his personal experience seemed to contradict this and he wrestled with the tension. This book is a dialogue between the prophet and God. Habakkuk confronts God with his confusion and, in doing so, he expresses the voice of the godly in Judah and he speaks for us. We join in the journey from 'why?' to worship.

The place of the Law and its relationship to religious observance and faith is a contested topic in the study of both the Old and New Testament. In Law and Religion, members of the Erhardt Seminar group provide an insight into the debate, probing key topics and offering new contributions to the subject. Their essays are grouped into three sections, focussing in turn on the Law's place in Israelite religion, in the Jesus tradition, and in Paul and the Apostolic tradition. Thus, the foundation of the connection between law and religion in ancient Israel is explored, along with the decisive influence of the Deuteronomic reform and the radical new understanding now emerging of the later development in Judaism of the New Testament Period. So, also, the contemporary challenge to the conventional picture of Jesus and the Law is addressed, the attitude of Paul is shown in new light, and post-Pauline developments are examined. Readers will find in this symposium a refreshing breadth of opinion on a debate that spans the gamut of disciplines within Biblical studies.

An accessible, full-color OT survey textbook focusing on the message of each book

Written from an irenic, evangelical perspective, this Old Testament survey is designed to unpack what the biblical authors most intended to communicate in the Scripture that Jesus read. As the corresponding volume to the previously published What the New Testament Authors Really Cared About (Kregel Academic, 2008), it is well-suited for use in a college, seminary, or church context Students of the Bible will find this full-color textbook accessible and engaging.

What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About is gospel-centered, portraying the Old Testament as the foundation for a fulfillment found in the New Testament. Each chapter is written by an Old Testament scholar who is a skilled teacher at one of the finest evangelical schools across North America and specializes in the biblical book covered.

Readers will find: - Introductory issues (who, when, where, why) condensed to one-page snapshots of essential information atthe beginning of each chapter- The clarity of the biblical message enhanced through nearly two hundred high-resolution photographs, overeighty charts and tables, and twelve color maps- Very readable text, appropriate for broad audiences- A format simpler and intentionally shorter than many other surveys, making it a very manageable textbook for a single semester Old Testament survey course or a useful guide to accompany devotional reading of Scripture

Interview with Jason DeRouchie: part 1 part 2

In the book of Jeremiah, gendered imagery appears in central passages. A first of its kind, this study follows the development of these gendered images through the entire prophetic book. Feminist hermeneutics and literary approaches join to show that female imagery in particular substantiates the theological movement of Jeremiah from call to repentance in the face of death and destruction through remembrance in mourning to an eschatological vision of redemption in exile. Further, theological considerations of power dynamics bring the ancient texts in conversation with contemporary contexts, reading and challenging Jeremianic theology from the perspectives of current feminist liberation theologies.

The topic of children in the Bible has long been under-represented, but this has recently changed with the development of childhood studies in broader fields, and the work of several dedicated scholars. While many reading methods are employed in this emerging field, comparative work with children in the ancient world has been an important tool to understand the function of children in biblical texts. Children in the Bible and the Ancient World broadly introduces children in the ancient world, and specifically children in the Bible. It brings together an international group of experts who help readers understand how children are constructed in biblical literature across three broad areas: children in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East, children in Christian writings and the Greco-Roman world, and children and materiality. The diverse essays cover topics such as: vows in Ugarit and the Hebrew Bible, obstetric knowledge, infant abandonment, the role of marriage, Greek abandonment texts, ritual entry for children into Christian communities, education, sexual abuse, and the role of archeological figurines in children's lives. The volume also includes expertise in biological anthropology to study the skeletal remains of ancient children, as well as how ancient texts illuminate Mary's female maturity. The volume is written in an accessible style suitable for non-specialists, and it is equipped with a helpful resource bibliography that organizes select secondary sources from these essays into meaningful categories for further study. Children in the Bible and the Ancient World is a helpful introduction to any who study children and childhood in the ancient world. In addition, the volume will be of interest to experts who are engaged in historical approaches to biblical studies, while appreciating how the ancient world continues to illuminate select topics in biblical texts.

This work represents the first time that a major part of the masorah of the great Leningrad Codex, that of the Former Prophets, is being published with an English translation and commentary. The translation and commentary is preceded by an Introduction which deals with topics such as description of the importance of the Leningrad Codex, the Masorah and its development, the Masorah of the Leningrad Codex, and the relation of the Leningrad's Masorah to the accepted text of the Hebrew Bible. Every masoretic note in the Leningrad Codex that accompanies the text of the six books of the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel,1 Kings, and 2 Kings) is transcribed, translated and annotated Every occurrence of each lemma is provided with its biblical references, and an indication is given as to where else in the ms. a note for any particular lemma may be found. Furthermore, and most originally, an attempt is made to suggest a reason for each note. The presentation employed in this work is user friendly so, for example, catchwords that occur in the Masoretic notes are arranged horizontally to correspond to their biblical references. This arrangement not only enables readers to immediately see the contexts where lemmas occur, but also to see where the lemmas are distributed in various sections of the Bible. Another aid for students is that all Hebrew references, other than in the ms., are given in a fully vocalized form.

Central to understanding the prophecy and prayer of the Hebrew Bible are the unspoken assumptions that shaped them-their genres. Modern scholars describe these works as "poetry," but there was no corresponding ancient Hebrew term or concept. Scholars also typically assume it began as "oral literature," a concept based more in evolutionist assumptions than evidence. Is biblical poetry a purely modern fiction, or is there a more fundamental reason why its definition escapes us? Beyond Orality: Biblical Poetry on its Own Terms changes the debate by showing how biblical poetry has worked as a mirror, reflecting each era's own self-image of verbal art. Yet Vayntrub also shows that this problem is rooted in a crucial pattern within the Bible itself: the texts we recognize as "poetry" are framed as powerful and ancient verbal performances, dramatic speeches from the past. The Bible's creators presented what we call poetry in terms of their own image of the ancient and the oral, and understanding their native theories of Hebrew verbal art gives us a new basis to rethink our own.

A beginning. An origin. A foundation. Knowing where we came from says much about where we are going. Perhaps that is why the first book of the Bible is a book of beginnings. God wants us to know where we came from. Learning that will teach us much about the place we are going. The book of Genesis brings us back to the beginning of the Bible, where the foundation of life itself is explained. We learn how we were created, about the origins of sin and its fallout, and how to best relate to God - through obedience and trust. We are drawn into tales of deceit, jealousy, and outright failure, where we see how God still uses flawed people. And weaving throughout these earliest stories of humankind are the golden threads of God's promises - promises we can trace from their origins, through the course of history, up through our lives today, and beyond us to the end of time when his final promises will at last be fulfilled. The Life Lessons with Max Lucado series brings the Bible to life in twelve lessons filled with intriguing questions, inspirational stories, and poignant reflections to take you deeper into God's Word. Each lesson includes an opening reflection, background information, an excerpt of the text (from the New International and New King James versions), exploration questions, inspirational thoughts from Max, and a closing takeaway for further reflection. The Life Lessons series is ideal for use in both a small-group setting and for individual study.

A guide to the great big family drama that takes up most of the first book of our Bibles. How can you read it wisely, and know what to look out for? This Really Useful Guide to Genesis 12-50 unpacks the fascinating family stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. Richard S. Briggs takes us on a tour of these characters' lives, suggesting different ways of approaching the stories to draw out different facets and looking at how God can be found throughout. With a discussion of the historical background of Genesis and a detailed look at a few key passages, this book will increase your biblical knowledge and make you more aware of God's presence in everyday life.

Nearly half of the book of Genesis is devoted to the lives of Jacob and his twelve sons, who were important figures in the history of Israel and in God's plan for redemption. The account of their lives takes the term "dysfunctional family" to a new level, but God used this flawed clan as a beautiful canvas to portray His providence, judgment, and mercy. In this study, pastor John MacArthur will guide you through an in-depth look at the historical period beginning with Jacob's first encounter with Rachel, continuing through their son Joseph's captivity as an Egyptian slave, and concluding with the dramatic rescue of Jacob's family. This study includes close-up examinations of Dinah (Jacob's daughter), Judah, Tamar, and Pharaoh's chief butler, as well as careful considerations of doctrinal themes such as "The Sovereignty of God" and "Finishing in Faith." -ABOUT THE SERIES- The MacArthur Bible Study series is designed to help you study the Word of God with guidance from widely respected pastor and author John MacArthur. Each guide provides intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture by examining its parts and incorporates: Extensive, but straight-forward commentary on the text. Detailed observations on overriding themes, timelines, history, and context. Word and phrase studies to help you unlock the broader meaning and apply it to your life. Probing, interactive questions with plenty of space to write down your response and thoughts.

Religion, Ethnicity and Xenophobia in the Bible looks at some of the Bible's most hostile and violent anti-foreigner texts and raises critical questions about how students of the Bible and ancient Near East should grapple with "ethnicity" and "foreignness" conceptually, hermeneutically and theologically. The author uses insights from social psychology, cognitive psychology, anthropology, sociology and ethnic studies to develop his own perspective on ethnicity and foreignness. Starting with legends about Mesopotamian kings from the third millennium BCE, then navigating the Deuteronomistic and Holiness traditions of the Hebrew Bible, and finally turning to Deuterocanonicals and the Apostle Paul, the book assesses the diverse and often inconsistent portrayals of foreigners in these ancient texts. This examination of the negative portrayal of foreigners in biblical and Mesopotamian texts also leads to a broader discussion about how to theorize ethnicity in biblical studies, ancient studies and the humanities. This volume will be invaluable to students of ethnicity and society in the Bible, at all levels.

The editors of The Jewish Annotated New Testament explore how Jews and Christians can learn from and understand each other better by exploring how they read many of the same Bible stories through different lens. Esteemed Bible scholars Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Brettler take readers on a guided tour of the most popular Old Testament stories referenced in the New Testament to explore how Christians, Jews, and scholars read these ancient texts differently. Among the passages analyzed are the creation story, the role of Adam and Eve, the suffering servant passages in Isaiah, the sign of "Jonah" Jesus refers to, and the words Jesus quotes from Psalm 22 as he is dying on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Comparing Jewish, Christian, and academic interpretations of each ancient narrative, Levine and Brettler offer a deeper understanding of these contrasting faiths, and illuminate the historical and literary significance of the Bible and its place in our culture. Revealing not only what Jews and Christians can learn from each other, The Bible With and Without Jesus also shows how to appreciate the distinctive perspectives of each. By understanding the depth and variety of reading these passages, we not only enhance our knowledge of each other, but also see more clearly the beauty and power of Scripture itself.

This concise volume introduces readers to the three main sections of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and to the biblical books found in each. It is organized around two primary "stories": the story that scholars tell about the Old Testament and the story the literature itself tells. Concluding with a reconsideration of the Old Testament as more like poetry than a story, three main chapters cover: The Pentateuch (Torah) The Prophets (Nevi'im) The Writings (Ketuvim) With key summaries of what the parts of the Old Testament "are all about," and including suggestions for further reading, this volume is an ideal introduction for students of and newcomers to the Old Testament.

The notion implied in the word «servant necessarily points to someone (the lord) of whom he is the servant. Isaianic notion of the servant is not an exception to this idea: the prophet is not presenting an isolated and abstract concept of a «servant but he is speaking about the servant of Yahweh. The servant passages in Second Isaiah should therefore be read in relation to other texts that present Yahweh as the Lord. These texts together explain the concept of the servant. The work therefore reads twelve suggested Isaianic servant passages as original and integral parts of Isaiah 40-53. Thirteen texts that present Yahweh as the Lord are also analyzed. The Isaianic idea of the servant appears to be the result of the exilic reinterpretation of the traditional servant of Yahweh concept.

A celebration of 25 years of the Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar that features contributions from a diverse lineup of today's most respected scholars. For twenty-five years, the Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar has produced a steady stream of influential, global, diverse, ecumenical and world-class research and publications that have impacted a generation of scholars now in mid-career, teaching or ministering at various universities, seminaries, divinity schools, or churches around the globe. The volumes of the seminar have resourced countless classrooms and have been cited thousands of times in scholarly research and in the pulpits and Bible studies worldwide. In celebration of the 25th year of the seminar (1997-2022), this compendium reflects on its work and impact. It offers new essays that chart the value of the seminar for biblical interpretation and the needs of biblical interpretation in the future, and includes stories from the formative SAHS community. This volume distills the work of the seminar for a new generation of students, opening to them a gateway to the community and to the resources developed over the past two decades. Tightly organized, carefully arranged and cross-referenced, this volume: Highlights the work of a significant movement in biblical interpretation in the academy Charts a path of biblical interpretation from the past to the future Helps readers understand the philosophical and theological commitments that undergird biblical interpretation Helps readers construct a theological hermeneutics that yields a deeper, richer reading of Scripture Introduces readers to stories of the seminar from scholars and ministers impacted by it This celebratory volume not only gives a unique perspective on the architecture of biblical interpretation in the first quarter of the twenty-first century, but it is offered in hope of preparing fertile soil for the next generation of women and men to cultivate biblical interpretation for years to come. The volume features essays by Craig Bartholomew, David Beldman, Amber L. Bowen, Susan Bubbers, Jean-Louis Chretien, Havilah Dharamraj, Bo Lim, Murray Rae, J. Aaron Simmons, Anthony Thiselton, and John Wyatt.

This collection of papers arrives from the eighth annual symposium between the Chaim Rosenberg School of Jewish Studies of Tel Aviv University and the Faculty of Protestant Theology of the University of Ruhr, Bochum held in Bochum, June 2007. The general theme of the Decalogue was examined in its various uses by both Jewish and Christian traditions throughout the centuries to the present. Three papers deal with the origin of the Decalogue: Yair Hoffman on the rare mentioning of the Decalogue in the Hebrew Bible outside the Torah; E. L. Greenstein considers that already A. ibn Ezra doubted that God himself spoke in the Ten Commandments and states that more likely their rhetoric indicates it was Moses who proclaimed the Decalogue; A. Bar-Tour speaks about the cognitive aspects of the Decalogue revelation story and its frame. The second part considers the later use of the Decalogue: G. Nebe describes its use with Paul; P. Wick discusses the symbolic radicalization of two commandments in James and the Sermon on the Mount; A. Oppenheimer explains the removal of the Decalogue from the daily Shem'a prayer as a measure against the minim's claim of a higher religious importance of the Decalogue compared to the Torah; W. Geerlings examines Augustine's quotations of the Decalogue; H. Reventlow depicts its central place in Luther's catechisms; Y. Yacobson discusses its role with Hasidism. The symposium closes with papers on systematic themes: C. Frey follows a possible way to legal universalism; G. Thomas describes the Decalogue as an "Ethics of Risk"; F. H. Beyer/M. Waltemathe seek an educational perspective.

Using illustrations and clear examples, leading Old Testament scholar Peter Gentry helps readers understand how to read the prophetic texts as they were intended to be read.

This book is an introductory study of the Old Testament and it is based on the lesson taught for many years by the authors in two different Universities in Ghana. It is an interactive and didactic work that provides an innovative approach to the study of the Hebrew Bible. Through reading selected passages from the Bible and doing recommended exercises as a means of reinforcing what has been learnt, the reader will achieve a good knowledge of the Old Testament and will acquire the capability of reading and interpreting further texts. Each chapter begins with a presentation of a map of the journey, the objectives to be achieved, a summary and a final section that helps the student to evaluate his/her comprehension. This book is also a contextualized text. The last chapter is dedicated to the Old Testament in Africa and the relationship between the African Continent and the Bible, giving the reader the possibilities of acquiring skills to interpret the Old Testament from African perspectives.

This book offers a careful study of biblical texts on menstruation and childbirth in the light of their ancient Near Eastern background. Close reading of the biblical texts, based on classical and feminist biblical interpretation, and supported by comparative study of ancient Near Eastern sources and anthropology, reveals a rich and varied picture of these female events. Fertility and impurity are closely connected to menstruation and childbirth, but their place and importance are different in priestly and nonpriestly writings of the Bible, which are therefore separately dealt with. This book contributes to a better understanding of physiological, social, cultural, and religious aspects of menstruation and childbirth in the larger context of body and society and women and men.