Gary A. Rendsburg - Böcker

The Jewish Publication Society’s highly acclaimed Bible Commentary series provides the Hebrew text of the Bible, the JPS English translation, and a line-by-line commentary.This literary, historical, and archaeological commentary on First Samuel illuminates one of the great books of biblical storytelling, with its focus on three key characters, Samuel, Saul, and David, and with strong female characters such as Hannah, Michal, and Abigail abounding as well. Resting on a foundation of the most recent research into biblical language, literary forms, and historical context, the academic and accessible commentary guides the reader through the tectonic historical shift as Israel transitioned from a loose confederation of tribes to a more centralized monarchy.The individual comments bring the reader to the geographical and topographical aspects of the land of Israel, with attention to every relevant archaeological site mentioned in the text-while keeping the reader attuned to the morality and theology of the biblical text. Chapter introductions guide the reader through the narrative arc and extensive excursus material offers in-depth analyses of key themes, while classic rabbinic and contemporary sources reveal the richness of Jewish thought and tradition to scholars, clergy, and serious students of Judaism alike.

The discovery of the great Early Bronze Age library at Tell Mardikh, the site of the ancient city of Ebla, has altered significantly our understanding of the history and culture of ancient Syria and the neighboring areas. This volume contains essays that provide additional texts from the site, as well as studies on previously published texts that further the understanding of both the language and culture of the great city-state. These articles are by members of the Ebla Seminar at New York University, as well as from the epigrapher of the Italian expedition at Ebla, Alfonso Archi. Debate about the identification and connections of the language of the tablets found at Ebla will probably continue for some time, and the place and influence of the city in the web of ancient Syrian and Near Eastern culture will be discussed for years to come. This volume provides additional information relevant to both concerns and contributes to clarification of the issues involved.

Paperback reprint, with new foreword, of the original 1986 hardback.Focusing his research on his own previous studies as well as studies by Cassuto, Sarna, Fishbane, and Sasson, Rendsburg clearly explains his theory that Genesis was edited/redacted around symmetrical patterns. He leads the reader through a step-by-step description of the Abraham Cycle, for instance, showing how content, duplicated narratives, and vocabulary reveal a chiastic pattern; and this pattern is repeated in other sections of the book. On the other hand, in the primeval history, the patterning is parallel, rather than chiastic. Overall, Rendsburg makes it clear that the editing of Genesis led to a systematic design, uniting the material in ways that often is overlooked.

The Hebrew Scriptures consider the exodus from Egypt to be Israel’s formative and foundational event. Indeed, the Bible offers no other explanation for Israel’s origin as a people. It is also true that no contemporary record regarding a man named Moses or the Israelites generally, either living in or leaving Egypt has been found. Hence, many biblical scholars and archaeologists take a skeptical attitude, dismissing the exodus from the realm of history. However, the contributors to this volume are convinced that there is an alternative, more positive approach. Using textual and archaeological materials from the ancient Near East in a comparative way, in conjunction with the Torah’s narratives and with other biblical texts, the contributors to this volume (specialists in ancient Egypt, ancient Near Eastern culture and history, and biblical studies) maintain that the reports in the Hebrew Bible should not be cavalierly dismissed for ideological reasons but, rather, should be deemed to contain authentic memories.