This is a thoughtful examination of one the Old Testament's central human figures. Marti J. Steussy provides a critical approach to the man who receives more attention from the Old Testament's writers than any other human character. This volume explores the ""Hebrew Bible""'s three major portraits of David - found in 1 and 2 ""Samuel"", 1 ""Chronicles"", and ""Psalms"" - and what each implies about the relation between divine and worldly power. Steussy's examination of David in 1 and 2 ""Samuel"" opens with the traditional impression of David as a virtuous hero 'after God's own heart', then invites readers to consider details of plot and phrasing that make problematic - without erasing - the impression of innocence. She proposes that questions surrounding David ultimately probe God's role in Israel's history. The scrutiny of David in 1 ""Chronicles"" shows how this book calls attention to his role as the head of a people rather than to his individual strengths and weaknesses. However, tension still lurks; David plays a key role in ""Chronicles""' argument against Ezra and Nehemiah for an inclusive Israel. Steussy's final character analysis begins with psalms about David, then discusses the ruler as the commonly accepted speaker of the David psalms. Steussy suggests that in the Psalter as a whole, David serves both as a model for individual spiritual development and as a symbol for Israel throughout its history. The complexity of David's role in ""Psalms"", Steussy contends, models the complexity of his characterization in the ""Hebrew Bible"" as a whole. A concluding chapter calls attention to David's scattered appearances in other parts of the Hebrew canon and discusses the cumulative effect of his various portraits.

Proverbs shape our moral imagination.
The "Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries" provide compact, critical commentaries on the books of the Old Testament for the use of theological students and pastors. The commentaries are also useful for upper-level college or university students and for those responsible for teaching in congregational settings. In addition to providing basic information and insights into the Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful interpretation, to assist students of the Old Testament in coming to an informed and critical engagement with the biblical texts themselves.
The book of Proverbs invites us into an ancient and ongoing conversation about what is good and wise and true in life. Yoder explores the book through literary, exegetical, and theological-ethical analysis, paying particular attention to how Proverbs shapes the moral imagination of its readers. She highlights the poetics of each proverb, considers similarities and differences between the book s sections, and ponders how the content, pedagogies, and arrangement of Proverbs contribute to its aim to form fearers of the Lord. "

Whatever the reason--"it's too complicated, too big, too old, too many men and too few women, and anyway, I don't know whether I believe it or not"--"Eve's Bible" helps explain the Old Testament to readers regardless of their religious affiliation.

"Eve's Bible" challenges conventional ideas about women in the Bible, and shows readers how to draw upon the deep wellsprings of their own truth to interpret the Bible in new and liberating ways.

With "Eve's Bible" as their companion, readers will be able to:

* Recognize and read the Old Testament's literary building blocks: histories, stories, laws, poetry, prophecy, and wisdom.

*Answer the question, "Is the Bible historical?"* Learn how women in the biblical era lived

* Learn why the biblical Deity is such a complex character

* Derive meaning from scripture by balancing left-brained inquiry with heart-felt intuition.

*Become their own authority on the Bible

A friendly guide that anticipates readers' questions and concerns, "Eve's Bible" helps readers find their way through the Bible with intelligence and verve.

SARAH FORTH, Ph.D. earned her doctorate in theology in a joint program at Northwestern University and Garrett Seminary, and is currently a university lecturer in religion and women's studies. Her teaching credits include UCLA, Immaculate Heart College Center, California Lutheran University and the Union Institute and University, Los Angeles. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Visit the author's website at: www.evesbible.com

For many readers, Genesis 1-2 is simply the biblical account of creation. But ancient Israel could speak of creation in different ways, and the cultures of the ancient near east provided an even richer repertoire of creation myths. Mark S. Smith explores the nuances of what would become the premiere creation account in the Hebrew Bible and the serene priestly theology that informed it. That vision of an ordered cosmos, Smith argues, is evidence of the emergence of a mystical theology among priests in post-exilic Israel, and the placement of Genesis 1-2 at the beginning of Israel's great epic is their sustained critique of the theology of divine conflict that saturated ancient near eastern creation myths. Smith's treatment of Genesis 1 provides rich historical and theological insights into the biblical presentation of creation and the Creator.

Across the pages of 2 Chronicles a colourful cast of characters passes in breathless parade before the reader. The tales of the kings of Judah are told in sequence, from Rehoboam 'the Enlarger' (who on the contrary shrinks the kingdom) to Zedekiah 'the Righteous' (who equally contrariwise profanes the divine name). These motley monarchs are preceded by the unparalleled King Solomon of All Israel and succeeded by the imperial King Cyrus of Persia, and all the while the tellers of the tales weave an insistent ideological thread through the fabric of their stories. John Jarick's reading of Chronicles brings out the fascination and discomfort of handling an ancient scroll that presents itself as the authoritative account of how things were and how they ought to be.

In this remarkable rereading of the biblical book of Job -- often discussed as an attempt to -justify the ways of God to man- -- J. Gerald Janzen brings new light to Job's story, showing how God invites Job to give up the traditional logic of reward-punish-ment for a life-affirming strategy of risk-reward. From this perspective, affirmation of life in the face of all its vulnerabilities is the path to true participation in the mystery of existence. / At the Scent of Water traces Job's journey from prosperity, through calamity and bitter anguish, to an encounter with God's presence in a rainstorm that renews the earth and his own appetite for life. / Janzen includes a candid epilogue on his own struggle with aggressive prostate cancer, which enabled him to connect personally with Job and to find a fresh and illuminating grace. At the Scent of Water will especially resonate with any readers who have experi-enced grief or suffering.

How should we understand biblical texts where God is depicted as acting irrationally, violently, or destructively? If we distance ourselves from disturbing portrayals of God, how should we understand the authority of Scripture? How does the often wrathful God portrayed in the Old Testament relate to the God of love proclaimed in the New Testament? Is that contrast even accurate? Disturbing Divine Behavior addresses these perennially vexing questions for the student of the Bible. Eric A. Seibert calls for an engaged and discerning reading of the Old Testament that distinguishes the particular literary and theological goals achieved through narrative characterizations of God from the rich understanding of the divine to which the Old Testament as a whole points. Providing illuminating reflections on theological reading as well, this book will be a welcome resource for any readers who puzzle over disturbing representations of God in the Bible.

In the bitter conflict over the Holy Land, two generations of families-one Israeli and one Palestinian-fight for their survival and their own piece of the Promised Land.
Hardened by life in a Nazi concentration camp, cynical Ellie finds himself in a battle on behalf of the Jewish people, vowing to ensure their suffering will not be in vain. Overseas, Yasif, a Palestinian who left his home country at a young age to study in America, is mysteriously drawn into the struggle by an entity known only as the voice.
Underneath the bloody encounters of Ellie, Yasif, and their respective families runs a current of hope and belief in the possibility of a peaceful resolution to the conflict. But the unending cycle of violence and heartbreak threatens to prevent such a resolution-while the possibility of peace exists, so does its explosive alternative.

Genesis 1-11 is a text that may well have received more attention than any other in the history of literature. Nevertheless, what do we know about the personal names that occur in these chapters and whose influence has permeated all of Western literature? Hess provides a thorough investigation of the ancient Near Eastern background of these names and discusses how each played a key role in adding significance to the stories and genealogies in which they are found. By studying both the linguistic contexts in the surrounding cultures and the wordplay in the biblical texts, the author provides the first comprehensive study of the importance of these names and traces the implications of his results for the antiquity and power of the familiar stories in which they appear.

Irenaeus, the second-century bishop of Lyons, left such an impression upon the church that he is sometimes considered to be theology's "founding father." After all, his legacy includes such theological landmarks as the regula fidei (or "rule of faith") and the doctrine of recapitulation. Although these ought not to be minimized, we may gain a new appreciation for this early bishop by highlighting a facet of his work that is even more central: the distinctive shape of the hermeneutic guiding his readings of sacred texts as Christian Scripture. Within the contemporary climate of twenty-first century theology, the reopening of questions of power, truth, authenticity, and holism points to a critique of hermeneutical process (not just theological end-product). In Irenaeus's day, Gnostic Christians on the fringe of the church offered a vision of the telos of faith that many found compelling. Responding to this challenge required Irenaeus to articulate an even more satisfying Christian theology and anthropology on the basis of Scripture and received apostolic tradition. In this battle of hermeneutics, both sides considered protological texts such as Genesis 1:26 and 2:7 to be indispensible. Through a sympathetic reading, then, of Irenaeus and his competitors, we aim to better understand why Irenaeus's biblical interpretations ultimately were deemed more plausible, faithful, and fruitful within the mainstream of the church.

Recent years have seen an explosion of writing on the history of Israel, prompted largely by definitive archaeological surveys and attempts to write a genuine archaeological history of ancient Israel and Judah. The scholarly world has also witnessed an intense confrontation between so-called minimalists and maximalists over the correct approach to the historicity of the Bible. "Memories of Ancient Israel "looks at the issues at stake in biblical history--the ideologies involved, the changing role of archaeology, and the influence of cultural contexts both ancient and modern. Philip Davies suggests a different way of defining the problem of "reliability" and "historicity" by employing the theory of cultural memory. In doing so, he provides a better explanation of how ancient societies constructed their past but also a penetrating insight into the ideological underpinnings of today's scholarly debates.

Writing in a conversational rather than a scholarly tone, Paul Redditt assumes little or no prior knowledge of the Old Testament as he presents and introduces the Major and Minor Prophets in the canonical order of the English Bible. The chapters of Redditt's Introduction to the Prophets discuss the place of each book in the canon; the literary setting of each book; their structure, integrity, and authorship; the main genre(s) in each; special features of each book; basic emphases of each book; and problems -- theological, literary, or historical -- raised by a study of the book. Among other things, Redditt demonstrates that the prophets were both "foretellers" and "forthtellers," and he argues that the Old Testament prophets developed the concept of monotheism. Each chapter ends with questions for further reflection. Concluding the volume are a helpful glossary and several indexes.

Did Jesus of Nazareth live and die without the teaching about the righteous Servant of the Lord in Isaiah 53 having exerted any significant influence on his ministry? Is it probable that this text exerted no significant influence upon Jesus' understanding of the plan of God to save the nations that the prophet Isaiah sets forth? Did the use of Isaiah 53 to interpret his mission actually begin with Jesus? Would it have been possible for Jesus to have acted so unnaturally as to have died for the unjust without reference to Isaiah's teaching about the Suffering Servant who poured out his soul to death and bore the sins of many?

These are the kinds of questions that were in the minds of those who organized a conference on "Isaiah 53 and Christian Origins" at Baylor University in the fall of 1995. The principal papers from that conference are now available in Jesus and the Suffering Servant, with contributions by Moma D. Hooker, Paul D. Hanson, Henning GrafReventlow, R. E. Clements, Otto Betz, N. T. Wright, and others. Of particular note in these papers is the discovery that it may have been Paul rather than Jesus who first exploited the idea of atoning suffering in Isaiah 53.