Barry Bandstra is Professor of Religion at Hope College.

Finally - a guide that introduces the principles of functional linguistics not in theory but in practice! Clear definitions and analytical instruments enable students of the Hebrew bible to understand the construction of every clause, the cohesion in every textual unit, their interactive processes and communicative functions. The instructive and step-by-step analyses are simple and insightful, especially when some interpretative or evaluative elements are added. Thus guided by a knowledgeable and inspiring teacher, one feels challenged to employ these tools oneself. -Ellen van Wolde, Tilburg University, The Netherlands