Through a study of several Hebrew words for "asking," this book explores a number of texts dealing with divine consultation. In contexts of war, illness, national disaster and other situations, experts such as prophets, priests, men of God and kings consult YHWH. The divine response is either favorable or unfavorable. The pattern of: situation of distress, divine consultation and divine response reflects not merely a literary genre, but a situation able to tell us something about ancient Israelite prophecy. Ask God also shows that the strict dichotomy traditionally upheld between prophecy and divination is not always tenable.

As its title indicates, this volume is an extended bibliographical essay concerning the major questions arising from attempts to present an Old Testament theology in the twentieth century. It begins with a brief look at earlier nineteenth-century attempts to write a distinctive Old Testament theology on the basis of an historical-critical approach to the Old Testament. It then proceeds to note the great change that emerged after the First World War and the revitalizing of interest in the subject, partly by way of a response to the ideological struggle over the Old Testament. Two major issues dominated scholarly approaches; the first concerned the conflicting, and ultimately unresolved attempt to find a basis for presenting a systematic approach to the religious ideas of the Old Testament. The second major issue, epitomized in the work of G. von Rad, has been the attempt to use history as the primary category and to set out a theology on the basis of a history of salvation. Professor Reventlow is not concerned to establish any final resolution of these major problems, though a number of criticisms of their strength and weaknesses are noted. Altogether this is a quite indispensable guide for anyone concerned with the question of Old Testament theology' (R. E. Clements, reviewing the original German edition in Society for Old Testament Studies Book List).

R. E. Clements, Samuel Davidson Professor of Old Testament in the University of London, King's College, wrote of the German original in the Society for Old Testament Study Book List: 'This is a companion to the author's survey of the main lines of discussion concerning Old Testament theology in the twentieth century. It deals with the wider issues of the relationship between the two Testaments and of the search to establish a distinctive biblical theology which will relate as a whole to systematic theology and the ongoing life of the church. It is essentially a bibliographical essay, setting out the main themes of secondary literature section by section. Without attempting to provide solutions to the questions raised, it notes the course of the debate and shows how scholars have developed their arguments. Major topics dealt with include typology, promise and fulfilment, the nature of biblical Israel and the structure of the canon. A lengthy concluding essay surveys recent attempts to revive the ideal of a biblical theology and to establish new guidelines for it. A great wealth of information is brought together in this, as in its companion volume, so that the two together make up an indispensable guide and platform for the opening up of further debate.'