Download or read book Strong As Death Is Love The Song of Songs Ruth Esther Jonah and Daniel A Translation with Commentary written by and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2015-03-02 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A pleasure to read. . . . Alter has given fresh life to some of the most beloved . . . books in our heritage.”—Philadelphia Inquirer The Song of Songs; Ruth; Esther; Jonah; and Daniel offer readers a range of pleasures not usually associated with the Bible. As distant in time from the Five Books of Moses as Updike is from Shakespeare, these Late Biblical books are innovative, entertaining literary works. Women often stand center stage. The Song of Songs is a celebration of young love, frankly sensuous, with no reference to God or covenant. It offers some of the most beautiful love poems of the ancient world. The story of Queen Esther’s shrewd triumph is also a secular entertainment, with clear traces of farce and sly sexual comedy. The character of Ruth embodies the virtues of loyalty, love, and charity in a harmonious world. Enigma replaces harmony in Daniel’s feverish night dreams. The apocalyptic strangeness of Daniel echoes in works from the New Testament’s Book of Revelations to the lyrics of Bob Dylan. And Jonah, the tale of a giant fish who, on God’s command, swallows the prophet and imprisons him in his dark wet innards for three days, ends with a question that lingers, unanswered, leaving the reader to ponder the many limitations of humankind.

Download or read book Archival Historiography in Jewish Antiquity written by Laura Carlson Hasler and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Archival Historiography in Jewish Antiquity argues that the later, often-overlooked texts of Ezra and Nehemiah help reveal how the Bible received its unusual form. Laura Carlson Hasler suggests that the concept of archival historiography, a form of writing not generally attributed to the biblical writers, makes sense of Ezra and Nehemiah's unusual format and place in the Bible.

Download or read book A Companion to the Song of Songs in the History of Spirituality written by Timothy Robinson and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2021-07-05 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A survey of the history of one of the most important biblical texts in the history of Christian spirituality while exploring original pathways for research.

Download or read book Jonah written by Susan Niditch and published by Augsburg Fortress Publishers. This book was released on 2023-01-03 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Hermeneia Jonah translation and commentary, Susan Niditch considers Jonah as a complex reflection upon the heavy matters of life and death, good and evil, and human and divine relations. Her technical study examines the text through the lens of international folklore, and special attention is paid to a legacy of interpretive scholarship.

Download or read book Song of Songs written by F. Scott Spencer and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2017-02-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arguably the biggest blockbuster love song ever composed, the Song of Songs holds a unique place in Jewish and Christian canons as the “holiest” book, in the minds of some readers, and the sexiest in its language and imagery. This commentary aims to interpret this vibrant Song in a contemporary feminist key, informed by close linguistic-literary and social-cultural analysis. Though finding much in the Song to celebrate for women (and men) in their embodied, passionate lives, this work also exposes tensions, vulnerabilities, and inequities between the sexes and among society at large—just what we would expect of a perceptive, poignant love ballad that still tops the charts.

Download or read book Song of Songs written by Franklin Scott Spencer and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Feminist biblical interpretation has reached a level of maturity that now makes possible a commentary series on every book of the Bible. It is our hope that Wisdom Commentary, by making the best of current feminist biblical scholarship available in an accessible format ... will aid readers in their advancement toward God's vision of dignity, equality, and justice for all. - Book jacket.

Download or read book Poets of the Bible From Solomon s Song of Songs to John s Revelation written by and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2017-06-27 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “The vividness and beauty of the language emerge in a fresh way . . . with evocative simplicity.” —Robert Alter, professor emeritus of Hebrew and comparative literature, University of California, Berkeley The world’s greatest poetry resides in the Bible, yet these major poets are traditionally rendered into prose. In this pioneering volume of biblical poets translated in English, Willis Barnstone restores the lyricism and power of the poets’ voices in both the New and Old Testaments. In the Hebrew Bible we hear Solomon rhapsodize in Song of Songs, David chant in Psalms, God and Job debate in grand rhetoric, and prophet poet Isaiah plead for peace. Jesus speaks in wisdom verse in the Gospel, Paul is a philosopher of love, and John of Patmos roars majestically in Revelation, the Bible’s epic poem. This groundbreaking volume includes every major biblical poem from Genesis and Adam and Eve in the Garden to the last pages of Alpha and Omega in Paradise.

Download or read book Ruth written by Ilana Pardes and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2022-10-04 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A wide-ranging exploration of the story of Ruth, a foreigner who became the founding mother of the Davidic dynasty “A virtuoso exploration of the Book of Ruth as an admirable touchstone in the realms of literature, art, and human values. Ilana Pardes foregrounds the timeless emergency of migrants and refugees with compassion and depth.”—Galit Hasan-Rokem, author of Web of Life The biblical Ruth has inspired numerous readers from diverse cultural backgrounds across many centuries. In this insightful volume, Ilana Pardes invites us to marvel at the ever-changing perspectives on Ruth’s foreignness. She explores the rabbis’ lauding of Ruth as an exemplary convert, and the Zohar’s insistence that Ruth’s Moabite background is vital to her redemptive powers. In moving to early modern French art, she looks at pastoral paintings in which Ruth becomes a local gleaner, holding sheaves in her hands. Pardes concludes with contemporary adaptations in literature, photography, and film in which Ruth is admired for being a paradigmatic migrant woman. Ruth’s afterlives not only reveal much about their own times, but also shine new light upon this remarkable ancient tale and point to its enduring significance. In our own era of widespread migration and dislocation, Ruth remains as relevant as ever.

Download or read book Illuminating Counsel written by Jonathan Teram and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2020-12-18 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Illuminating Counsel: How the Least Holy Books of the Hebrew Bible Explore Life's Most Important Issues is a study of eleven books of the Hebrew Bible, known collectively as the Ketuvim, or "Writings." Judaism considers these books to be less holy than the other books of the Hebrew Bible. Most people don't even know the Jewish order of the books of the Hebrew Bible is different than the Christian order. Many people seem to think the Hebrew Bible is antiquated and has little relevance to modern life. Even Christians, who value the Hebrew Bible as "Holy Scripture," tend to favor the New Testament. Herein it is argued that the least holy books of the Hebrew Bible are life-changing pieces of literature. Their poetry and prose cover virtually every emotion, every behavior, and every aspect of the human condition. They are as relevant to the committed nonreligious as they are to the religious. So, if you want to plunge the depths of literary sublimity; if you want to explore what it means to be human, to struggle with your mortality, to go through death's dark valley and come out on the other side, to confront your pain and in so doing find healing, then I invite you to read on and discover how the Hebrew Bible illuminates counsel.

Download or read book A Survey of the Old Testament written by Andrew E. Hill and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2024-02-13 with total page 577 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An indispensable guide for exploring the literary, historical, and theological issues behind the Old Testament. The purpose of studying the Old Testament is to understand God and his redemptive work more fully. However, this goal is complicated by the fact that it was transmitted through a very different language and culture from our own. A Survey of the Old Testament addresses background information, purpose, message, structure, and major themes of the Old Testament to help readers understand its message and relevance. Chapters introducing each major section of the Old Testament are included, as are chapters dealing with issues of interpretation, hermeneutics, theology, geography, archaeology, history, formation of the Old Testament canon, and the Old Testament's relationship to the New Testament. The fourth edition features a renewed focus on purpose, theology, and message while also providing a more succinct textbook less intimidating to students. Features included for each book of the Old Testament: Writing of the Book Background Outline of the Book Purpose and Message Structure and Organization Major Themes Questions for Further Study and Discussion Further Reading Complete with updated full-color maps, photos, timelines, and charts, the latest edition of this widely acclaimed textbook is a useful and readable tool for students and other readers who wish to better understand the Old Testament and God's redemptive work.

Download or read book The Hebrew Bible A Translation with Commentary Vol Three Volume Set written by Robert Alter and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2018-12-18 with total page 2966 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A landmark event: the complete Hebrew Bible in the award-winning translation that delivers the stunning literary power of the original. A masterpiece of deep learning and fine sensibility, Robert Alter’s translation of the Hebrew Bible, now complete, reanimates one of the formative works of our culture. Capturing its brilliantly compact poetry and finely wrought, purposeful prose, Alter renews the Old Testament as a source of literary power and spiritual inspiration. From the family frictions of Genesis and King David’s flawed humanity to the serene wisdom of Psalms and Job’s incendiary questioning of God’s ways, these magnificent works of world literature resonate with a startling immediacy. Featuring Alter’s generous commentary, which quietly alerts readers to the literary and historical dimensions of the text, this is the definitive edition of the Hebrew Bible.

Download or read book Biblical Narratives and Human Flourishing written by Eleonore Stump and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-06-28 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biblical narratives include some of the most important and influential narratives in human history, shaping human understanding of the most basic questions of human life as lived individually or in social association with others. These narratives have lasted for so many centuries because they offer deep insights into the nature of the human condition and human flourishing. This volume includes chapters by accomplished philosophers and theologians who bring their expertise to bear on biblical narratives to show the way in which each narrative contributes something distinctive to our understanding of human flourishing. They broaden the ongoing work in analytic theology with a new focus on narrative and the knowledge of persons in philosophical-theological biblical exegesis. They also illustrate the narrative cognition that this methodology can provide. The book will be of interest to scholars of philosophy, theology, and biblical studies.

Download or read book A History of the Bible written by John Barton and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2020-08-04 with total page 642 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A literary history of our most influential book of all time, by an Oxford scholar and Anglican priest In our culture, the Bible is monolithic: It is a collection of books that has been unchanged and unchallenged since the earliest days of the Christian church. The idea of the Bible as "Holy Scripture," a non-negotiable authority straight from God, has prevailed in Western society for some time. And while it provides a firm foundation for centuries of Christian teaching, it denies the depth, variety, and richness of this fascinating text. In A History of the Bible, John Barton argues that the Bible is not a prescription to a complete, fixed religious system, but rather a product of a long and intriguing process, which has inspired Judaism and Christianity, but still does not describe the whole of either religion. Barton shows how the Bible is indeed an important source of religious insight for Jews and Christians alike, yet argues that it must be read in its historical context--from its beginnings in myth and folklore to its many interpretations throughout the centuries. It is a book full of narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, poems, and letters, each with their own character and origin stories. Barton explains how and by whom these disparate pieces were written, how they were canonized (and which ones weren't), and how they were assembled, disseminated, and interpreted around the world--and, importantly, to what effect. Ultimately, A History of the Bible argues that a thorough understanding of the history and context of its writing encourages religious communities to move away from the Bible's literal wording--which is impossible to determine--and focus instead on the broader meanings of scripture.

Download or read book Pedagogical Theory of Wisdom Literature written by Dr. Adrian E. Hinkle and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2017-04-14 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do you imagine the unimaginable or touch the untouchable? Through the characteristic use of teaching methods identified in Wisdom Literature, Adrian Hinkle discusses how religious training is described within the Hebrew Bible. Through her vivid discussion of the biblical texts, readers gain insight into teaching methodologies that stimulate new discussions and impact modern church leaders and educators.

Download or read book The Book of Ruth written by Peter H. W. Lau and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2023-03-07 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Do not urge me to abandon you, to turn back from following after you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people are my people, and your God is my God.” In this pivotal verse, Ruth’s self-sacrificial declaration of loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi forms the relationship at the heart of the book of Ruth. Peter H. W. Lau’s new commentary explores the human and divine love at the center of the narrative as well as the book’s relevance to Christian theology. In the latest entry in the New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Lau upholds the series’ standard of quality. The Book of Ruth includes detailed notes on the translation and pays careful attention to the original Hebrew and the book’s historical context, all the while remaining focused on Ruth’s relevance to Christian readers today. An indispensable resource for pastors, scholars, students, and all readers of Scripture, Lau’s commentary is the perfect companion to one of the most beloved books of the Old Testament.

Download or read book David s Politics written by Paul R. Abramson and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2016-11-21 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David’s Politics evaluates what we can learn about politics by studying David’s life as presented in the Books of Samuel through the first two chapters of 1 Kings. I begin by discussing the rules for kingship set forth in Deuteronomy and carry this through to the elders’ demand that the prophet Samuel appoint a king. Despite his reluctance he appoints Saul, who has many military successes. But when he fails when he fails to annihilate the Amalekites God withdraws his grace and Saul falls into a state of depression, which grows worse as the story progresses. David is called to Saul’s court as a musician. I argue that he has three roles, first as a servant to King Saul, second as a rebel against Saul, and third as king. As a servant to Saul, David establishes his credentials as a warrior and also becomes the king’s son-in-law. As a rebel against Saul, David again takes actions that solidify his future support in Israel and Judah. David has two opportunities to kill Saul, but refuses to kill him. He also cements his political support in Judah. After becoming king, David’s military successes are the prime reason for his support. He also administered justice, which may have further bolstered his legitimacy. Indeed, David did what was right “all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:5). By committing adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife, and by having Uriah murdered, David brings grief upon himself and his family: the rape of his only named daughter, the murder of Amnon, his first-born son and the death in battle of Absalom, who is probably David’s oldest surviving son. Throughout most of this account David displays remarkable political sagacity, and more can be learned studying his life than that of any other king of Israel or Judah.

Download or read book Ancient Persia and the Book of Esther written by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2023-03-09 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Esther is the most visual book of the Hebrew Bible and largely crafted in the Fourth Century BCE by an author who was clearly au fait with the rarefied world of the Achaemenid court. It therefore provides an unusual melange of information which can enlighten scholars of Ancient Iranian Studies whilst offering Biblical scholars access into the Persian world from which the text emerged. In this book, Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones unlocks the text of Esther by reading it against the rich iconographic world of ancient Persia and of the Near East. Ancient Persia and the Book of Esther is a cultural and iconographic exploration of an important, but often undervalued, biblical book, and Llewellyn-Jones presents the book of Esther as a rich source for the study of life and thought in the Persian Empire. The author reveals answers to important questions, such as the role of the King's courtiers in influencing policy, the way concubines at court were recruited, the structure of the harem in shifting the power of royal women, the function of feasting and drinking in the articulation of courtly power, and the meaning of gift-giving and patronage at the Achaemenid court.