December, 2003

July, 2003

Jerusalem:  Portrait of the City in the Second Temple Period.  By Lee I. Levine (Jewish Publication Society, $45).  The twelve chapters of this book chronicle the history of Jerusalem from the building of the second temple in 515 BCE to the Roman destruction of the city in 70 CE.  The author traces the city’s urban, demographic, topographical, and archaeological components, its political regimes, public institutions, socioreligious groupings, and cultural and religious frameworks.  Well over half the book is devoted to king Herod and the first century CE, that is, the Jerusalem in which Jesus lived and died and early Christianity flourished.  L., one of the finest experts on ancient Judaism, tells the story of that century well.  RWK

 Doing Justice:  Congregations and Community Organizing.  By Dennis A. Jacobsen (Fortress, $14 [on sale $11.20).  J., pastor of Incarnation Lutheran Church in Milwaukee and Director of the Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus, shares in this book stories from his ministry devoted to doing justice and seeking the public good.  He is also a lead pastor in MICAH (Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope).  He has been active in congregation-based community organizing, as participant, pastor, and teacher of others.  Two quotations will do for now:  “Those Christians who feel at home in the United States can do so only because they have buffered themselves from the brutal conditions of poverty, blinded themselves to the realities of racism, and deluded themselves into imagining that the vast military force of this country is the agent of justice.”  And:  “Those summoned to do justice will get battered around in life.  Over the decades the early idealism may be covered with the soot of repeated disappointment….But the Spirit who first summoned them will fill them with light and grace.  Deep within, deeper than any discouragement or defeat, deeper than any regret or resignation, there lie the beauty and the joy of a life well lived.”  I once read a story about a seminary professor who bowed to his class in recognition that a future bishop might be there.  Metaphorically I bow to my classes because I sense that a future Dennis Jacobsen might be there.  RWK

 The Essential IVP Reference Collection (InterVarsity Press, $180 [buy it online at 20% off]).  This CD contains thirteen large reference books on biblical studies and four “pocket dictionaries,” all in electronic format.  There are eight large dictionaries—of the Bible, theology, biblical theology, Jesus and the Gospels, Paul and his letters, the later NT, NT background, and biblical imagery.  Then there are two Bible Background commentaries (extra biblical info), a one volume commentary, an atlas, and a book on the “hard sayings” of the Bible.  Ten million or so words that would cost you more than $550 in hardback.  Type in a verse number and the computer finds its way to data relevant to the passage.  Evangelical in orientation, and well worth the price.  The maps in the atlas can be put in a Power Point presentation.  RWK

 The Carta Bible Atlas.  By Yohanan Aharoni, Michael Avi-Yonah, Anson F. Rainey, and Ze’ev Safrai (Carta [order from Eisenbrauns] $38.95.   This is the fourth edition of an old favorite that was first published in 1968 as the Macmillan Bible Atlas.  The 271 maps cover every aspect of the biblical period, from the chalcolithic period to the Second Jewish Revolt, including the New Testament.  Lines and arrows on the maps show migrations of peoples, battle formations, administrative divisions, journeys of various sorts,  and the like.  Aharoni and Avi-Yonah are deceased, but the maps and the full text that accompanies them have been completed reworked by Rainey and Safrai.  If you are at all interested in biblical history as it relates to the holy land, the ancient Near East, and the Mediterranean, this is THE book for you.  RWK

 The Hebrew Bible:  A Socio-Literary Introduction.  By Norman K. Gottwald.  (Fortress, $30).  In this reprinting of a 1986 publication, G. brings together historical criticism and social scientific criticism in a fresh telling of Israel’s story.  G. is best known for his hypothesis that there was no conquest of Palestine, but that the tribes of Yahweh rose up against their Canaanite overlords in a peasants’ revolt.  The three major units of this textbook consequently are entitled “Intertribal Confederacy:  Israel’s Revolutionary Beginnings”;   “Monarchy:  Israel’s Counterrevolutionary Establishment”; and “Home Rule Under Great Empires:  Israel’s Colonial Recovery” (= the post-exilic period).”  Fortress packs a CD with this paperback that, among other things, allows the pastor or teacher to import the many maps and charts in the book into a Powerpoint presentation.  RWK

 A God so Near:  Essays on Old Testament Theology in Honor of Patrick D. Miller.  Edited by Brent A. Strawn and Nancy R. Bowen (Eisenbrauns, $47.50).  The twenty-four essays in this volume mark the high achievement of Miller, professor of Old Testament at Princeton.  Focused on the Psalter (and other poetic pieces) and Deuteronomy, two of the honoree’s own specialties, these essays reflect the ecumenical and international impact of this gracious and insightful scholar.  (Five ELCA professors are among the contributors).  The first essay, by Williamson, is worth the price of the book.  He points out that the lament psalms ought to be read from the situation envisaged at the end of many of these psalms, in a context of thanksgiving and celebration, from which the psalmists look back and recall the time of trial from which they have now been delivered.  RWK

 1 & 2 Samuel.  By Tony W. Cartledge (Smyth & Helwys, $65) The commentary series of which this is a part is an attempt to bridge the gap between technical biblical scholarship and everyday Bible readers.  The commentary uses a combination of art, photographs, maps and drawings to illustrate the truths of the Bible for a visual generation of believers.  C. brings twenty-six years of parish experience to the task, and a typical chapter has interpretive text, several sidebars in brown, hyperlinks to other information, and “connections,” which applies the text to contemporary life.  The sidebars are actually of two types—text and illustrations--and the whole massive commentary (748 pages), including the sidebars, is also contained in a CD, which is tucked inside the back cover.  My only quibble is with the quality of the pictures and the art—too many mediocre photos and too much Dore for my taste, when the David narratives have been painted by the best of Western artists.  Sadly too, all graphic images are only black and white, also on the CD.  I suppose copyright is partly to blame (but what about pictures and maps?), but it seems a shame when technology makes it possible to reproduce graphics cheaply in living color to have to settle for anything less.  RWK

 Archaeology of the Land of the Bible.  Volume II:  The Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian Periods.  By Ephraim Stern (Doubleday, $45).  The four hundred years covered in these volume have the richest archaeological resources that can be brought to bear, and E., a well-known Israeli excavator himself, provides a sure path through the maze of information.  In a sense, this is three books in one, as the title indicates.  Each book contains a historical and cultural overview, descriptions of neighboring peoples (Phoenicians, Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, etc.), and wide-ranging forays into material culture:  tombs, pottery, cult objects, architecture, temples, seals, coins.  It takes six pages to list all the illustrations.  Technical.  RWK

 Readings from the Ancient Near East.  Edited by Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer (Baker, $21.99).  This anthology of ninety-one texts from the Ancient Near East has resources for every part of the Old Testament, and the editors have done a great job of removing archaic English and providing a pleasing layout on the page.  There are creation and flood stories, treaties and covenants, law codes, royal records, wisdom literature, extra-biblical prophecy, and even a love song.  A brief paragraph at the head of every selection explains its relevance for OT students.  RWK

 The Septuagint as Christian Scripture:  Its Prehistory and the Problem of its Canon.  By Martin Hengel (Oxford, $49.95).  H. notes that the Septuagint is the first complete and pre-Christian commentary on the Old Testament.  The study of Hellenistic Judaism, therefore, should begin with the Septuagint and not with Philo of Alexandria.  H. begins his book by discussing the Septuagint as a collection of writings claimed by early Christians and then moves on to the development of the second-class character of those writings in the Septuagint that are not contained in the Hebrew canon.  At this point he turns back and discusses how the Septuagint actually emerged in early Judaism.  He concedes that the question of how Judith, Tobit, Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon, and the books of the Maccabees came to be included in some forms of the canon while Enoch and the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs were excluded remains a mystery.  In many respects this book is a plea for Christian theologians to take fuller account of the rich post-biblical text tradition found in part in the Septuagint and also in the Qumran texts.  RWK

 A Catalog of Biblical Passages in the Dead Sea Scrolls.  By David L. Washburn (Society of Biblical Literature, 29.95).   Now that almost all of the Dead Sea Scrolls have been published (the scholarly edition of the Samuel scrolls from Cave 4 is the only exception and is coming soon), an index like this is most useful.    W. lists chapter and verse, the name of the scroll (e.g. 4Q365), where it was published (usually in the series Discoveries in the Judean Desert), and a brief characterization of the text type preserved in the scroll.  One peculiarity:  the books of the Bible are listed according to their English order rather than the quite different Hebrew order.  RWK

 Ritual and Cult at Ugarit.  By Dennis Pardee (Society of Biblical Literature, $29.95).  P, one of the best modern scholars of Hebrew and Ugaritic, provides here transliteration, translation, and commentary for some sixty texts relating to ritual at the ancient site of Ugarit (14^th-13^th centuries BCE).  Animal sacrifice was at the heart of Ugaritic ritual.  Although 234 different deities are mentioned in these texts, the most prominent by far is Baal, also known from polemical comments about him in the Old Testament.  The terms used for sacrifice are quite similar to those in the Bible, and the pig was not sacrificed also at Ugarit.  Perhaps the biggest difference between these texts and the Bible is the full-blown polytheism at Ugarit and the monotheism practiced in Israel, at least in the final form of the text.  The differences between Ugarit and Israel reflect in part the geographical separation between the two communities.  RWK

 Just Wives?  Stories of Power & Survival in the Old Testament and Today.  By Katharine Doob Sakenfeld (Westminster John Knox, $14.95).  S. tells the story of eleven women in the Old Testament:  Sarah, Hagar, Ruth, Naomi, Vashti, Esther, Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba, Gomer, and the good wife of Proverbs 31.  The one thing these women have in common is that they are wives, but S. explores here the relevance of their stories for diverse situations beyond marriage.  S. investigates the sociocultural background of the biblical material and the rhetorical design of the texts.  She also brings to the table ways in which each text is viewed by women in cultures very different from her own.  Lots of good insights here for a fresh adult forum.  RWK

 The Origins of Biblical Monotheism.  Israel’s Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts. By Mark S. Smith.  (Oxford University Press, $60).    In recent years, many scholars, S. included, view monotheism as a later phenomenon in Israel than older scholars, such as Albright, proposed.  In part 1, S. studies polytheism in Ugarit and concludes that the notion of a polytheistic divine family was more understandable to many ancients than monotheism.  In part 2, he surveys issues like the strength and size, gender, holiness, and immorality of ancient deities and how these aspects influence the presentation of Yahweh.  In the third part, he investigates the development of monotheistic emphases in Israel, especially in the post-exilic period.  194 pages of text are followed by 131 pages of notes and indexes. Serious scholarship on a very serious subject, since some critics even blame monotheism for a type of discourse that excludes others and is a contributing factor in Western violence.      RWK

 Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible.  By David Instone-Brewer (Eerdmans, $26).  I-B argues that Jesus and Paul accepted the OT grounds for divorce in cases of adultery, neglect, or abuse and allowed for marriage after a valid divorce.  Jesus distanced himself from the position of Hillel, who allowed divorces on any grounds, and he discouraged divorce even for valid grounds, but may have allowed divorce in cases involving lack of material or emotional support (note that Jesus does not countermand Exod 21:10-11).  Paul thought that a believer could divorce and remarry if the unbelieving partner called an end to the marriage.  I-B holds that the background knowledge and assumptions of a first-century reader were already forgotten by the second century, leading to misunderstanding of the biblical texts by the early church fathers.  The author offers many pastoral suggestions and provides additional materials at his web site:  www.Instone-Brewer.com.  RWK

March, 2003

Beyond Babel.  A Handbook for Biblical Hebrew and Related Languages.  Edited by John Kaltner and Steven L.McKenzie (Society of Biblical Literature, $29.95).  The languages treated here—Akkadian, Ammonite, Edomite, Moabite, Arabic, Aramaic, Egyptian, Hebrew (biblical and post-biblical), Hittite, Phoenician, and Ugaritic—are the ones considered most significant for the study of the Old Testament.  Most chapters in the book have a three part outline:  an overview of the language itself; its significance for the study of the Bible; and ancient and modern resources for the study of the language and the literature.  The eleven authors are highly competent in the language they discuss and present their material in an accessible way.  Readers will learn much about these languages and about the major extra biblical documents that are thought to be relevant to study of the Old Testament.  The only unfortunate omission is Sumerian.  RWK

The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls.   By James VanderKam and Peter Flint (HarperSanFrancisco, $34.95.).  Now that all the Dead Sea Scrolls have been published, V. and F. provide an up-to-date introduction in five parts:  Discoveries, Dating, Archeology, and New Methods; The Dead Sea Scrolls and Scripture; The Nonbiblical Scrolls and their Message; The Scrolls and the New Testament; and Controversies about the Dead Sea Scrolls.  A few gleanings:  the Essenes were, after all, the community behind the scrolls; there are 222 biblical and 670 nonbiblical scrolls; John the Baptist may have had some contact with the Qumran community; the scroll writers align themselves with Jubilees and date festivals to a 364-day calendar; the covenanters expected a war in the future in which the Davidic messiah would lead the forces of good to victory and execute the leader of the armies of evil; DNA research will enable scholars to assign a number of tiny fragments to a particular scroll or to determine the number of skins from different animals that are used for the long scrolls; a scroll that was hailed a decade ago as announcing a slain messiah actually has the messiah killing his enemies; the authors provide a list of the best websites on the scrolls.  Throughout the book makes wise use of photographs and explanatory charts.  This is hands-down the best introduction to the scrolls.  RWK

Isaiah 28-39.  By Hans Wildberger.  Translated by Thomas H. Trapp (Fortress, $75).  W’s massive, three volume commentary was published in German between 1965 and 1982 and represents careful and exhaustive research.  T., of Concordia College, St. Paul, has spent the last fifteen years translating the 1,753 pages of this commentary into English and updating the bibliography.  He even typeset the present volume and deserves high praise for a fantastic achievement! The two decades since W. completed his work have seen a revolution in the study of Isaiah, for while scholars still recognize a number of different hands in the book, they have also detected numerous ways in which the whole book has been reshaped into its present unity.  W. represents the harvest of the twentieth century; our new century presents us in many ways with a new Isaiah.  We can profit much from both readings.  RWK

Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament.  XII.  Edited by G. Johannes Botterweck, Helmer Ringgren, and Heinz-Josef Fabry.  (Eerdmans, $55).  The eighty-six articles in this volume range from Hebrew words beginning with the letters pe to qop and cover such topics as Passover, offense or crime (transgression), Pharaoh, hosts (as in Lord of hosts), righteousness, fasting, darkness (traditionally, shadow of death), Zion, thirst, north, grave, holy, congregation, hope, and voice.  The articles address how the words are used in different centuries within the Hebrew Bible, and how they were interpreted in the Septuagint and the New Testament.    RWK

Painted Prints.  The Revelation of Color.  By Susan Dackerman  (The Pennsylvania State University Press, $35).  This is a catalogue for an art exhibit at The Baltimore Museum of Art.  Already Erasmus disparaged the imposition of color on Dürer’s prints, but the technique continued and this dazzling collection shows how color can bring out nuances unseen in black and white woodcuts and engravings.  The cover photo of Dürer’s famous woodcut of St. Jerome in his study is simply stunning.  The paintings in this collection can be dated from 1460-1680.  One intriguing picture shows Luther—in full color—lying in state; the painting was done at least a decade after the Reformer’s death.  RWK

The Psalms.  Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary.  By Samuel Terrien (Eerdmans, $95).  T., who died in 2002 at the age of 91, was a long-time professor at Union Seminary in New York.  Born and educated in France, his love for language and text comes out clearly in this almost 1000-page commentary on the psalter.  For each psalm he provides a title, a fresh translation of the Masoretic Text to which he is (excessively?) loyal, voluminous bibliography, a section called form (which deals with strophes and structures), the commentary proper, and a discussion of the date and theology of the psalm.  Readers will find the commentary accessible and sensitive.   This is altogether a loving legacy, but I would have preferred more explanation of how the strophes he includes so prominently in his translation and exegesis are determined.  And why are “thee” and “thou” retained in a 21^st century fresh English translation?  RWK

December, 2002

Hebrew Bible Slide Set.  Edited by Mary Joan Winn Leith and Michael Coogan (Biblical Archaeology Society, $119.50).  The 139 slides in this collection are accompanied by a 72-page caption booklet written by the editors.  The quality of the photography is very high and many of these pictures have appeared previously in the Biblical Archaeology Review.  The slides are correlated with books of the Bible (34 with the Pentateuch; 46 with the book of Kings), but of course can be used to understand other aspects of ancient Israelite society as well.  The captions describe the date and significance of the object portrayed and provide ample interpretation of how the slide helps us to understand some aspect of the Old Testament.  This is the eleventh such slide set published by BAS,  eight of which are now included on a CD-ROM entitled “Biblical World in Pictures,” that sells for $149.95.  RWK

 Deutero-Isaiah.  By Klaus Baltzer.  (Fortress, $78).  B., long-time professor at Munich and famous for his earlier work on covenant in the Old Testament, believes that Isaiah 40-55 should be classified as a liturgical drama, which was performed for a largely nonliterary public.  B. divides the text into six acts framed by a prologue and an epilogue.  The so-called servant songs appear in acts 1, 4, 5, and 6.  B. departs from the majority of scholars in identifying Jerusalem as the place where the book was composed, but he holds that the book was performed for the exile group in Babylon, heralding Jerusalem as a place of pilgrimage.  The author of the work is unknown, but authorship was probably a group effort anyway.  B. also proposes a radically new date, 450-400 BCE, rather than the usual 547-540 BCE, and sees important continuities between this book and the book of Nehemiah.  B. understands the “servant” as a call to imitatio of his virtues:  renunciation of renown, readiness not to repay evil with evil, avoidance of violence and deception, and intervention for others.  While many will question the overall hypotheses about genre and date, all will profit from this learned philological and exegetical contribution to the Hermeneia Commentary series that has been ably translated by Margaret Kohl.  RWK

 The Complete World of the Dead Sea Scrolls.  By Philip R. Davies, George J. Brooke, and Philip Callaway (Thames & Hudson, $34.95).  It is now 55 years since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls—800 documents from eleven caves—and the five chapters in this lavishly illustrated book—216 illustrations of which 84 are in color—report the conclusions scholars have come to—and still argue about.  The authors tell about the discovery of the scrolls, describe the various Judaisms that were alive at the time the scrolls were written, and discuss what has been learned (more or less) from the excavation of the Qumran community.  They list what was found in each cave and provide an introduction to all the major writings.  Finally, the authors assess the meaning of these discoveries and attempt to identify who wrote these scrolls.  Many scholars now believe that the majority of the scrolls were brought to rather than written at Qumran.  The scrolls contain the seeds of elements that reemerge in both Christianity and rabbinic Judaism and help us to understand the relationship between these two religious systems. This beautiful and relatively inexpensive book contains competent essays in relatively short and digestible chunks.  RWK 

 The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls.  By Jodi Magness (Eerdmans, $60).  Although Qumran, the archaeological site near the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, was excavated in the 50s by a team led by Roland de Vaux, only preliminary findings have been published and de Vaux himself died in 1971.  M. admirably surveys what can be said about Qumran and the scrolls fifty years after that excavation and is confident that her interpretation will hold, except for minor details, when and if de Vaux’s excavation is published in a complete and scholarly fashion.  She carefully guides the readers through controversial questions and publishes ample bibliography at the end of each chapter.  She dates the founding of Qumran to ca. 100 BCE (thirty years later than de Vaux) concludes that the buildings that have been discovered were for community functions and not the place where the Essenes actually lived.  The private toilet discovered at Qumran shows that the people who worked there did not defecate in view of others—unlike most of their contemporaries!  She also concludes that on the Sabbath day they refrained from defecating altogether, without explaining how this is possible.  Women and children were present at Qumran in a minimal fashion though their graves were marginalized.  The pools found at Qumran, to which she gives extensive attention, were originally covered and were used for ritual bathing and not for drinking.  RWK

 Historical Atlas of Islam.  By G. S. P. Freeman-Grenville and Stuart Munro-Hay (Continuum, $50).  Through pictures, text, and black-and-white maps, F-G and M-H describe the history and expansion of Islam from the seventh century to the present.  Early expansion was the result of military conquest and the slow penetration of Muslim merchants.  Very early, Islam reached Spain in the West and Afghanistan in the East.  The spread of Islam brought religious and cultural change, including an extraordinary flowering of literature and the arts.  In chapters tracing the growth of Islam after the Crusades, the authors provide physical and agricultural information about the resulting territories inhabited by Muslims in India, Central Asia, Eastern Africa, Western Africa, and South-East Asia.  Although the spiritual roots of Islam are in Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, and the al-Azhar university mosque in Cairo, its greatest numerical strength today is in Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and the Russian federation.  Because of the presence of large Muslim minorities in the West and the non-fundamentalist stance of much of the Islamic-oriented civilizations, the authors think that fears of polarization between the West and Islam is much exaggerated.  RWK

 Grammatical Concepts 101 for Biblical Hebrew.  By Gary A. Long (Hendrickson, $19.95).  The sub title discloses the approach:  “Learning Biblical Hebrew Grammatical Concepts through English Grammar.”  Way back when, we used to say that we first understood the structure of English when we took high school Latin.  This book turns that epigram on its head and uses analysis of English expressions to help beginning Hebrew students understand direct objects, nominal sentences, verb tenses, etc.  The book is laid out well and the graphics are both pleasing and clarifying.  As the book moves on and things get more complicated, I fear that the struggling student who needs a book like this may get lost in an explanation such as:  “The vayyiqtol commonly functions to discourse a story’s mainline, yet it may also denote something we can label SIDELINE or EXPOSITION.  In written etic discourse, which is, after all, a linear string of syntagms, one may need to “break off” in order to “enflesh” a character….”   I’ll confess I have never used “discourse” as a verb.  RWK

 The Kids’ Cartoon Bible.  By Chaya M. Burstein.  (Jewish Publication Society, $17.95).  B. is responsible for both the text and the drawings and presents the whole Old Testament in comic-book style for pre-schoolers and young readers.  The stories are rendered in straight-forward fashion, with no particular Jewish “take,” so that Christians can easily use this book too.  This absence of theology invites the adult who is helping a child to learn the Bible through the book to stop and reflect.  Even in telling the story of creation the book states no consequences, such as thanksgiving, or care of the earth.  All in all, the concept works much better for story sections of the Bible rather than for Ecclesiastes and Job.  In an era of biblical illiteracy, this approach will help some.  Worth considering for church libraries.  RWK

 Historical Atlas of Jerusalem.  By Meir Ben-Dov (Continuum, $50).  People have lived in Jerusalem for 5,000 years, and since the time of David 3,000 years ago, it has been linked to Israel and/or Judaism.  Jesus and Muhammad created links between it and Christianity and Islam.  This book tells that story, century by century, with hundreds of illustrations and maps, unfortunately only in black and white.  The last three chapters are a detailed recounting of its history since the British Mandate and the founding of the state of Israel, again with very helpful diagrams and maps.  In my opinion B-D is much too confident about the dates in the life of David, and he locates the threshing floor of Nacon (2 Sam 6:6) inside the walls of the present old city (a guess at best).  A slip in the introduction (p. xiv) attributes the temple to David.  These minor flaws aside, this book provides quite good information for a city that is holy for three religions.  RWK

 Theologies in the Old Testament.  By Erhard S. Gerstenberger (Fortress, $30).  The plural “theologies” is central to the thesis of this series of lectures, originally delivered in Germany and Brazil.  S. denies therefore that there is a “center” or even a unity in the Old Testament, and he traces out the contexts of that faith in family and clan, village and small town, tribal alliances, the monarchical state, and the confessional and parochial communities of the exile and beyond.  Not surprisingly, S. envisages theologies today that are ecumenical and contextual, transcending in a sense the limits of Judaism and Christianity.  S. has been a close observer of the role (or lack of it) of women in the Bible and these lectures are peppered with asides that are controversial and worth the price of admission.  Items:  “The exchange of ideas between married couples is said on average still to claim five or six minutes a day.”  The family “has degenerated into a limited place of reproduction and…a repair shop for burdened solitary fighters.”  “The way in which some church statements still regard the family as the only valid norm for human social life is pure wishful thinking.”  Expect to be challenged on the history of Israel’s religion and on the task of church leadership today.  RWK

 Deuteronomy.  By J. G. McConville (InterVarsity Press, $35).  Deuteronomic and Deuteronomistic debates have taken center stage among scholars in recent decades, and M. recounts highlights of those arguments, featuring especially recent efforts to date this literature to exilic and post-exilic times.  But then, and with little detailed critique of two hundred years of scholarship, he proposes a different hypothesis, that sees Deuteronomy or some form of it as a political and religious constitution of Israel from the pre-monarchical period.  M. does not defend Mosaic authorship, but argues instead that Deuteronomy stands on guard against any royal hegemony over the people of Yahweh and is in tension with the kind of royal ideology that comes to expression in the Davidic dynasty (note the circumscription of royal power in 17:14-20; but is not this in reaction to kingship rather than in anticipation of it?).  He denies that the frequent mention of the “place that Yahweh has chosen” in chaps. 12-18 is a program of centralization, but thinks it refers to a succession of places where Yahweh might be encountered.  The commentary itself is influenced by the canonical criticism of Childs and has the usual translation, text and form criticism, verse by verse exposition, and an extended section entitled “explanation,” focusing on theological meaning.  This is volume 5 of the Apollos series designed to provide “tools of excellence” for the academy and “tools of function” for the pulpit.  RWK

 The Pentateuch: An Annotated Bibliography.  By Kenton L. Sparks.  (Baker, $16.99).  Into each life a little manna must fall, and this gem provides short and clear abstracts of 714 articles (and some books) dealing with the Pentateuch.  Students will soon learn which articles deal with topics of interest to them, and one could read these abstracts straight through just to find out what has been going on.  Somehow S. missed my colleague Esther Menn’s 400 page treatment of Genesis 38, but, other than that, he deserves a standing ovation.  This is the ninth volume Baker has published in this bibliographic series.  RWK

August, 2002

Bound for Freedom. The Book of Exodus in Jewish and Christian Traditions. By Göran Larsson (Hendrickson, $24.95). This popular commentary on the second book of the Bible is based on the final, canonical form of the text. Moreover, it focuses on the history of interpretation rather than on the history recounted in the text, with particular attention to ancient Jewish interpretations of the book. Themes like law, election, holy people, and even "eye for an eye" are given extensive explication in the context of Jewish-Christian dialogue. The text is accessible and provocative. L. uses the story of the midwives in Exodus 1, for example, to consider love for neighbor and argues that the national identity of these women is not clear—they may have been Egyptian women who served as midwives for the Hebrews. He also notes that if we follow the Jewish numbering of the Ten Commandments, the first word—I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt—offers a "graceful" foundation for all the rest of the ten words. His discussion of the Decalogue is in a chapter entitled The Miracle of Pentecost. The account in Acts 2 presupposes the Jewish festival of Pentecost which commemorates the giving of the Torah. He frequently criticizes Christians for "arrogant and triumphalist" replacement theology. A great resource for those who teach adult forums. RWK

Social World of the Hebrew Prophets. By Victor H. Matthews (Hendrickson, $24.95). M. introduces each prophet in their chronological setting, sketches out the historical context of the prophet, explains aspects of their historical geography, examines the economic and social forces that dominate the prophet's time, and explains as many of the images and metaphors utilized by the prophets as possible. Frequent references to relevant Ancient Near Eastern literature and customs are cited. In addition to studies on all the writing prophets, including Second Isaiah in the exile and Daniel in the second century, M. also gives attention to Moses, Balaam, Samuel, Nathan, Ahijah, Elijah, and Elisha. A six page glossary helps out with technical terms. The writing style is very "accessible" and would provide a wonderful opportunity for church leaders to refresh their knowledge of the prophets and their relevance for today. RWK

Elements of Biblical Exegesis. A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers. By Michael J. Gorman (Hendrickson, $16.95). G. has written a book for students, teachers, pastors, and others wishing to think and write about the Bible carefully. It offers "basic" information, clearly presented, with helpful chapter summaries, practical hints, and exercises designed to gain insight and practice. His seven elements of exegesis include a survey of the text, contextual analysis, formal analysis, detailed analysis, synthesis, reflection, and expansion and refinement of the exegesis. Five appendices diagram various exegetical methods, walk students through the process of writing an exegetical paper, and provide a number of internet links. Primarily designed for students of the New Testament, this book provides basic insights for Old Testament study as well. RWK

Get Lost in Jerusalem: Explore the Holy City Through Virtual Reality By Ted Hildebrandt. (Zondervan, $29.99). With travel to Jerusalem becoming increasingly dangerous, many will welcome this CD Rom that provides a virtual tour to more than 300 sites covering both testaments. Those brave enough to travel in person will also profit from using this electronic device in advance. A "guided tour" provides an introduction to Jerusalem’s geography, roads within the old city, eight gates, its four quarters and many 360-degree panoramas (including the ability to zoom in and zoom out). "Conquer Environment" gives data on the geography, history, and theology of Jerusalem. There are even games to test your skills after you have learned your way around (matching the names and pictures of the eight gates, identifying forty-three other sites, or carrying out eight rather difficult "missions" that start from a prominent shop and challenge you to find various sites in Jerusalem). This CD might fire the imagination of confirmation students. The author previously produced Greek and Hebrew electronic tutors. RWK

The Jerusalem Archaeological Park. By Ronny Reich, Gideon Avni, and Tamar Witner. (Israel Antiquities Authority, $24). The Jerusalem archaeological park extends to the area south and east of the temple mount, including the Mount of Olives, the city occupied by David, and the Hinnom valley). This guidebook is written with two levels of detail: bold type gives a concise description of the site and regular type provides a more detailed account. Full color-pictures and clear diagrams and maps make this an authoritative guide to this great outdoor museum. This excellent book concludes with a chronological chart of Jerusalem’s history and a helpful glossary. A web site also provides access to this archeological park: http://www.archpark.org.il. RWK

The Israelites. By B. S. J. Isserlin. (Fortress, $23). This work begins with the rise of Israel in the late thirteenth century and ends with the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. Part I deals with geography, the origins and affinities of the Israelites, their history (28 pages), and their social structure. Part II describes Israel’s material culture—towns, agriculture, trades, economy, and warfare. Part III is entitled "The World of the Spirit" and recounts what we know of the Hebrew language and Hebrew inscriptions, religion (with most attention to sanctuaries and cult practices), and representational art. Isserlin has directed archaeological excavations in Israel and elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin and he includes numerous black and white photographs in the text. RWK

Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan. By John Day (Sheffield Academic Press, $73). This book thoroughly examines the biblical and inscriptional evidence dealing with Yahweh and El, Asherah, Baal, Astarte, Anat, and the astral and underworld deities. He concludes, against Frank Cross, that El and Yahweh were originally separate deities, but that Yahweh was eventually credited with many characteristics of El. The golden calves of 1 Kings 12 are held to be images of the deity, rather than pedestals on which the deity was enthroned. The Kuntillet `Ajrud and Qirbet el-Qom inscriptions refer to Asherah’s cult symbol rather than the goddess herself, but in some syncretistic circles Asherah was indeed Yahweh’s consort. Molech, to whom children were sacrificed in the Old Testament, was the name of a deity and not the name of a kind of sacrifice (contrary to Eissfeldt). The worship of other deities was quite frequent in pre-exilic times, but there was a monolatrous party already in those times and absolute monotheism was first given explicit expression by Second Isaiah. Josiah’s reformation played a significant role in the decline of the Canaanite deities in Israel. D. judiciously weighs competing notions about Canaanite deities contained in the nearly thirty pages of bibliography with which the book ends. RWK

The Chronicler as Author. Studies in Text and Texture. Edited by M. Patrick Graham and Steven L. McKenzie (Sheffield, $90). The sixteen essays in this volume deal with Chronicles as literature and are a sequel to The Chronicler as Historian, published in 1997. Two issues may be highlighted in this brief review. The first is covered by two essays that explore the way the Chronicler has used his biblical and extra biblical sources, showing faithful adherence to them and freedom to modify and elaborate them. Ironically, we know less about the Chronicler’s extra-biblical sources than ever before. An essay by M. evaluates various models of redaction and decisively refutes, in my opinion, the proposal of Graeme Auld that Chronicles was not dependent on Samuel-Kings but that they both works used a common source. The second issue that is treated in two essays is the way in which the Chronicler has incorporated canonical Psalms in 1 Chronicles 16. By incorporating and redacting these Psalms the Chronicler has given them a new setting and a distinctively different meaning. The editors are to be congratulated for this sterling collection. RWK

Leviticus 23-27. The Anchor Bible 3B. by Jacob Milgrom (Doubleday, $50). This is the third and final volume in the massive commentary on Leviticus by M. now totalling more than 2700 pages! As with many other scholars, M. identifies chaps 17-27 as "H," but in distinction to many he puts H later than P—but both before the exile, concludes that H polemicizes against P, and H extends into Exodus and Numbers. M. is the acknowledged master of knowledge about Israel’s cultic life and controls not only all modern critical literature, but medieval Jewish commentaries as well. M’s translation of the entire book of Leviticus is included in this volume. The bibliography runs to eighty-six pages and the indexes to one hundred sixty pages! M. endorses the applicability of the biblical jubilee to the cancellation of international debt: "Thus the jubilee laws…offer a realistic blueprint for bridging the economic gap between the have and have-not nations, which otherwise portends political uprisings that can engulf the entire world." An excursus by Lisbeth S. Fried and David Noel Freedman argues that the jubilee year was in fact celebrated in Judah as early as the time of Hezekiah. M’s lifetime of brilliant research here reaches an astounding climax. RWK

Numbers 21-36. The Anchor Bible 4A. By Baruch A. Levine (Doubleday, $45). This completes the commentary on Numbers for the Anchor Bible. In addition to some rather esoteric material (the second census, the daughters of Zelphehad, the festival calendar, the route to the promised land, and the tribal territories), this part of Numbers also contains the story of the brazen serpent, the Balaam account, and the sin at Baal Peor. L. includes a long discussion (pp. 241-275) of the early 8^th century Balaam inscriptions from Deir `Alla (just east of the Jordan River). Written in Canaanite or another Northwest-Semitic language, these incomplete and somewhat obscure inscriptions report a vision experienced by Balaam the son of Beor. Despite their mythological character (a goddess is mentioned and Balaam uses magic), L. concludes that the inscriptions are possibly of (heterodox) Israelite authorship. The community that produced them may have worshipped both Yahweh and E. M. dates the biblical poems of Balaam to the early ninth century, about a half century before the inscriptions. The message of the Baal Peor incident is that living in Transjordan leads to idolatry; L. rejects an orgiastic understanding of the passage. RWK

Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land. Edited by Avraham Negev and Shimon Gibson (Continuum, $39.95). A first edition of this encyclopedia was published in 1972 under the direction of N., but the present, greatly expanded edition enlists more than one hundred international scholars who produced more than eight hundred entries, ranging from Abarim (the peak of Mt. Nebo) to Zuzim and Emmim, two peoples mentioned in Genesis 14. All the major excavated sites are discussed, and there are articles on general subjects such as mosaics, seals, flint tools, pottery, and archaeological methods. The articles are up-to-date, including the Chalcolithic objects found in 1995 at the village of Peqi`in [whose location is not given], the "House of David" inscription from Dan, and the Miqne inscription (biblical Ekron), dating to 604 BCE, which mentions Ikausu son of Padi, both of whom are referred to as kings of Ekron in Assyrian records. There are almost three hundred illustrations and a fine glossary that explains technical archaeological terms. The editor provides an e-mail address to which one can send corrections. Among those is the mention of "Iron" fortifications of Jerusalem, where the writer surely intended "Iron Age" fortifications. RWK

The Essential IVP Reference Collection. (InterVarsity Press, $169.99). This CD Rom contains thirteen large volumes published previously by InterVarsity, plus several English versions of the Bible. The monographs include a one volume commentary, seven Bible dictionaries (primarily focused on the NT), a Bible Background Commentary on each testament (relating the text to the ancient world), an atlas, a treatment of the "hard sayings" of the Bible, and a dictionary of Biblical Imagery. IVP tends to be on the conservative side, especially evident in the fundamentalist solutions to the "hard sayings," but the various dictionaries contain essays by well-known Lutheran exegetes like Frederick Danker and Robert Smith, and many of the evangelicals are of world-class stature (James Dunn [on Romans], Ralph Martin, I. Howard Marshall, and F. F. Bruce). The price is right though it remains to be seen how pastors and others will take to a library in electronic form. RWK

Luther’s Works on CD-Rom. Edited by Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut T. Lehmann. (Fortress Press; Concordia Publishing House, $179). In addition to the complete 55-volume set of the American Edition of Luther's Works, this CD also contains the Tappert edition of the Book of Concord. Not only does this electronic medium save several feet of shelf space and make it possible to use Luther’s works both at home and in the office, but this CD also enables a person to search for a given topic either directly or through the 55^th volume, an index prepared by Joel Lundeen. Some of the searches seemed a bit slow to me and I was disappointed that clicking on Bible verses gave me only the King James Version, but this medium will surely encourage wide reading of Luther and quizzing him—via the search mechanism--about his opinion on everything under the sun. One can highlight memorable passages in yellow (or another color) or copy whole paragraphs to a word processor. RWK

Isaiah 1-39: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. By Joseph Blenkinsopp (Doubleday, $50). This recent volume in the Anchor Bible commentary series brings excellent historical critical and philological tools to the task of exegesis and will be followed by a second volume by B. on Isaiah 40-66. While B. admits that there are late redactional links between the first and last chapters of the book of Isaiah, he opposes the idea that Second Isaiah was written by a school of devotees to the Isaianic tradition and concludes that Second Isaiah’s concern for the reconstruction of Jerusalem made a good fit with the single-minded concentration on the doomed fate of the city in chaps. 1-39. He stands opposed to advocates of a closer relationship between the two books (such as Hugh Williamson, Brevard Childs, and Christopher Seitz). B. is a good, reliable, and relatively succinct guide to the intricacies of this prophet though given the complexities of the book’s origin and exegetical problems, no one would be expected to agree with his every move (I tend to doubt for example that "Immanuel" is a good omen in 7:14 or that B. has correctly understood the messianic titles in 9:6). Still, if I were asked to name the best current commentary on Isaiah 1-39, this would be it. RWK

Introduction to Prophetic Literature, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel. By David L. Petersen, Gene M. Tucker, Christopher R. Seitz, Patrick D. Miller, Anthony J. Saldarini, Kathleen M. O'Connor, and Katheryn Pfisterer Darr (Abingdon, $75). This hefty book (1612 pages) is Volume VI in the New Interpreter's Bible Commentary Series and brings the Old Testament section of that series to completion. As with all previous volumes, the NIV and NRSV are printed at the head of each pericope and then the commentators provide both exegesis and hermeneutical/homiletical helps. While the commentators on the major prophets and the other works do not provide extensive philological or text critical remarks, the editors did provide them much more space than one would expect in such a commentary series and the scholars who wrote on these prophets are well-known figures who have published extensively on these books before: Tucker (First Isaiah); Seitz (Second and Third Isaiah) Miller (Jeremiah); and Darr (Ezekiel). The old literary-critical questions about authentic words, secondary passages, etc. have retreated into the background, almost to the point of disappearing, and pastors and other church leaders will welcome the exposition of the present state of the text and the hermeneutical bridges between then and now offered by these commentators. Those who hunger for more detailed work are referred to the commentary recommendations on individual books on my website at http://www.geocities.com/ralphklein2001. Petersen's introduction provides an authoritative inventory on where prophetic research is going today, and the commentaries on Jeremiah-related works (Lamentations by O'Connor and the two apocryphal books by Saldarini) are also well done. Church libraries and pastors should plan on including all twelve volumes of NIB in their holdings. RWK

Mesopotamia and the Bible. Edited by Mark W. Chavalas and K. Lawson Younger, Jr. (Baker, $29.99). The fourteen essays in this book deal with the light shed on the Bible by the archaeological discoveries, primarily textual, of the last two centuries. "Mesopotamia" is understood broadly and includes portions of Syria that had cultural similarities to the Mesopotamians in antiquity. The articles are provided with voluminous bibliographies and they draw measured conclusions about the ways in which Ancient Near Eastern studies have and have not benefited biblical scholars. Ugarit, for example, has shed invaluable light on Yahweh by its record of the Canaanite god El, but ideas of death and the afterlife at Ugarit are now seen as offering little help for understanding the Old Testament's views on these matters. The thirteen authors record scholars who have made major breakthroughs as well as those afflicted with parallelomania. RWK

ETZ Hayim. Torah and Commentary. Edited by David L. Lieber and others (Jewish Publication Society, $72.50). This annotated Bible has been produced by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and features stellar names like Chaim Potok, Nahum M. Sarna, Baruch A. Levine, Jacob Milgrom, Jeffrey H. Tigay, Harold Kushner, and Michael Fishbaine. It offers the Hebrew text and English translation (JPS version) of the Pentateuch and the related liturgical readings from the Prophets (Haftaroth). Three sets of comments are printed on each page: standard historical and philological notes; gleanings from ancient, medieval, and modern midrashic theological reflections, and ethical advice for today's Conservative Jews. In addition there are forty one essays on aspects of biblical life, religion and law, worship and ritual, and text and context. The commentary is reverential but not apologetic and recognizes that some issues like slavery or the command to kill the Canaanites must be reinterpreted by later generations in light of principles of equity and justice that are central to the Torah. Christian readers too will profit greatly from this Bible. RWK

Commentary on the Torah. By Richard Elliott Friedman (HarperSanFrancisco, $50). F. is well known for his best-selling Who Wrote the Bible, a breezy and somewhat anachronistic introduction to J, E, D, P. Now F. provides the Hebrew text and his own very fresh translation of the Pentateuch and a brief and lively commentary on the Torah as a whole, without distinguishing pre canonical authors or sources. Hence he now tries to show how united and connected the whole Torah is and attempts to relate it to life. In writing this commentary F. attended weekly study sessions for laypersons on the weekly reading of the Torah. He interprets and sheds light on individual words and passages, but also strives to show how essentially connected all of it is. His translation makes a number of bold moves: contractions are used in conversations (God to the snake: "You'll go on your belly"), but not narratives; use of the possessive case (Moses' house); retention of "and" or alternatives at the beginning of most verses; use of italics or exclamation points to translate the infinitive absolute. You'll laugh, sometimes scratch your head, but often say, "I never detected that insight before." RWK

The Face of Old Testament Studies. A Survey of Contemporary Approaches. Edited by David W. Baker and Bill T. Arnold (Baker, $34.99). The sixteen articles in this book trace the ups and downs of Old Testament scholarship during the last three decades of the twentieth century. The articles are broadly based and include also, but by no means exclusively, the insights of conservative scholarship. There are articles on inscriptions relating to the OT, archaeology, history of various periods, and study of particular books (Pentateuch, history books, prophets, wisdom, Psalms, apocalyptic), and various methodologies (textual criticism, literary approaches, historiography). First rate stuff. RWK

Jews in America: A Cartoon History. Written and Illustrated by David Gantz (Jewish Publication Society, $24.95). After a brief note on the crusades, this history begins with the voyage of Columbus to America and chronicles the history of Jews in the United States up until today. In addition to full attention to discrimination and the horrors of the Holocaust (including US inaction), G. also records Jewish religious leaders, as well as leaders in business, entertainment, literature, the arts, politics, and the military. There's plenty on Israel, Camp David, and Soviet Jewry as well. G's own picture appears frequently and offers interpretive comments. A very easy read. RWK

May, 2002

The Illustrated Torah. Paintings by Michal Meron. Edited by Alon Baker. Introductory notes by Ellen Frankel. (Jewish Publication Society, $60). M, an Israeli female folk artist, offers simple and delightful illustrations of the sidrot (Torah/Pentateuch portions) and their paired readings from the Prophets (Haftarot). Each sidrah has an illustration by M in bold colors, excerpts from the standard translation of the Jewish Publication Society, and brief summaries of the biblical content by F. M is working on a second volume that will offer illustrations for each of the Psalms. RWK

An ASOR Mosaic. Edited by Joe D. Seger (American Schools of Oriental Research, $75). This is a pictorial review of the first century (1900-2000) of the American Schools of Oriental Research, including the Albright Institute in Jerusalem, the American Center of Oriental Research in Amman, Jordan, and the Cyprus American Archaeological Institute in Nicosia, Cyprus (earlier there was also a school in Baghdad). S., a well-known archaeologist, is currently president of ASOR. The book is lavishly illustrated with pictures of past and present archaeologists, the hundreds of excavations related in one way or another to ASOR, the schools' centennial celebration in Washington, D.C. Among notable Lutherans in the book are James Sauer, Walter Rast, Paul Lapp, and Albert Glock. RWK

Studies in the Archaeology of the Iron Age in Israel and Jordan. Edited by Amihai Mazar. (Sheffield Academic Press, $85). The thirteen essays in this volume were first delivered at a colloquium in London in 1996. Four essays deal with settlement patterns based on recent archaeological surveys. Six essays report on temples, including the ones at Dan and Arad, and iconography, and a final three essays describe excavation results in Jerusalem, Beth Shean, and Busayra (in Jordan). RWK

The Genesis of Perfection. Adam and Eve in Jewish and Christian Imagination. By Gary A. Anderson (Westminster John Knox, $24.95). A., Roman Catholic and a Harvard professor, draws a comprehensive picture of how Jews and Christians in the first centuries of the Common Era retold and relived the story of Adam and Eve. In addition to ransacking Jewish and Christian commentaries and such ancient works as the "Life of Adam and Eve" (fourth century C.E.) and Jubilees (second century B.C.E.), he explores Milton's Paradise Lost and Christian art (Michelangelo, orthodox frescos). The tradition is divided about where Adam and Eve first enjoyed sex--outside of Eden if the garden was sacred space, or inside Eden if primeval joys were to mirror eschatological joys. He explores the relationship between Eve and Mary and the development of the doctrine of original sin. A. even examines the tradition that Christ grabbed Adam and Eve by the wrists and pulled them to freedom when he descended to Hades. He pays attention both to the history of biblical composition and the history of the Bible's interpretation. Fascinating. RWK

Life in Biblical Israel. By Philip J. King and Lawrence E. Stager (Westminster John Knox, $39.95). This is a book about how everyday life took place in the Iron Age and is written by two of the leading archaeologists of our time. Chapters include the Israelite house and household; means of existence (agriculture, water, arts and crafts, transportation); cities, water systems, and warfare; culture (dress, music, literacy); and religious institutions (altars, feasts, death and burial, afterlife). There are 228 pictures of archaeological finds and artistic depictions of daily life, printed on glossy paper, almost all of them in color. K and S achieve their goal: to recreate the lifeways and mental attitudes of the ancient Israelites. An ideal book for church libraries. RWK

Lutherans and Episcopalians Together. A Guide to Understanding. By G. Scott Cady and Christopher L. Webber (Cowley Publications, $11.95). In a series of votes between 1997-2000, ELCA Lutherans and Episcopalians adopted a proposal known as Called to Common Mission (CCM). This book is intended to help readers understand these two ecclesiastical traditions and explore the consequences of this new agreement. There are chapters on denominational history, theology and tradition, liturgy, administration and authority, the role of bishops, lay and ordained ministry, local congregations, and changes that might enhance our common mission. C. and W., ordained respectively in the Lutheran and Episcopal traditions, are pastors of congregations that together studied CCM. The authors challenge their churches to proclaim the gospel and to address the needs and concerns of the poor, the homeless, the sick, and those in prison. RWK

Witness at the Crossroads: Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary Servants in the Public Life. Edited by Frederick K. Wentz (Lutheran Theological Seminary, $10). Herein are chronicled the godly lives of nineteen lay and ordained Lutherans who in one way or another were associated with the Gettysburg Seminary. Among these "sight-lifters": Daniel Alexander Payne, the first African American Lutheran seminarian, Samuel Simon Schmucker, William A. Passavant (by LSTC emeritus professor Robert H. Fischer), Charles Porterfield Krauth, Abdel Ross Wentz, Stewart W. Herman, Jr. (first president of LSTC), John Garcia Gensel, George E. Mendenhall, and Bertha Paulssen (who fled Nazi persecution and was the first woman tenured at a Lutheran seminary). RWK

Untold Stories. The Bible and Ugaritic Studies in the Twentieth Century. By Mark S. Smith (Hendrickson, $29.95). On May 14, 1929, the first of the Ugaritic tablets was discovered on the Mediterranean coast of Syria, and these tablets have revolutionized our understanding of the religion of Canaan and shed valuable light on the Hebrew language as well. S., who is producing a major commentary on the Baal epic found at Ugarit, tells the story of the finding and decipherment of these tablets and of the progress made in Ugaritic studies over the last seventy years. He chronicles the major scholars (Albright, Pope, Greenfield, Cross, Held, Dahood, Gaster, Gordon, de Moor, Pardee, and many others). He also describes the graduate programs in Ugaritology and the special contributions of these departments. Pastors and seminarians will profit most from his judicious assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the comparative studies between Ugarit and the Old Testament. RWK

Get Lost in Jerusalem: Explore the Holy City Through Virtual Reality By Ted Hildebrandt. (Zondervan, 2000. $29.99). With travel to Jerusalem becoming increasingly dangerous, many will welcome this CD Rom that provides a virtual tour to more than 300 sites covering both testaments. Those brave enough to travel in person will also profit from using this electronic device in advance. A "guided tour" provides an introduction to Jerusalem’s geography, roads within the old city, eight gates, its four quarters and many 360-degree panoramas (including the ability to zoom in and zoom out). "Conquer Environment" gives data on the geography, history, and theology of Jerusalem. There are even games to test your skills after you have learned your way around (matching the names and pictures of the eight gates, identifying forty-three other sites, or carrying out eight rather difficult "missions" that start from a prominent shop and challenge you to find various sites in Jerusalem). This CD might fire the imagination of confirmation students. The author previously produced Greek and Hebrew electronic tutors. RWK

The Jerusalem Archaeological Park. By Ronny Reich, Gideon Avni, and Tamar Witner. (Israel Antiquities Authority, $24). The Jerusalem archaeological park extends to the area south and east of the temple mount, including the Mount of Olives, the city occupied by David, and the Hinnom valley). This guidebook is written with two levels of detail: bold type gives a concise description of the site and regular type provides a more detailed account. Full color-pictures and clear diagrams and maps make this an authoritative guide to this great outdoor museum. This excellent book concludes with a chronological chart of Jerusalem’s history and a helpful glossary. A web site also provides access to this archeological park: http://www.archpark.org.il. RWK

The Israelites. By B. S. J. Isserlin. (Fortress, $23). This work begins with the rise of Israel in the late thirteenth century and ends with the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. Part I deals with geography, the origins and affinities of the Israelites, their history (28 pages), and their social structure. Part II describes Israel’s material culture—towns, agriculture, trades, economy, and warfare. Part III is entitled "The World of the Spirit" and recounts what we know of the Hebrew language and Hebrew inscriptions, religion (with most attention to sanctuaries and cult practices), and representational art. Isserlin has directed archaeological excavations in Israel and elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin and he includes numerous black and white photographs in the text. RWK

Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan. By John Day (Sheffield Academic Press, $73). This book thoroughly examines the biblical and inscriptional evidence dealing with Yahweh and El, Asherah, Baal, Astarte, Anat, and the astral and underworld deities. He concludes, against Frank Cross, that El and Yahweh were originally separate deities, but that Yahweh was eventually credited with many characteristics of El. The golden calves of 1 Kings 12 are held to be images of the deity, rather than pedestals on which the deity was enthroned. The Kuntillet `Ajrud and Qirbet el-Qom inscriptions refer to Asherah’s cult symbol rather than the goddess herself, but in some syncretistic circles Asherah was indeed Yahweh’s consort. Molech, to whom children were sacrificed in the Old Testament, was the name of a deity and not the name of a kind of sacrifice (contrary to Eissfeldt). The worship of other deities was quite frequent in pre-exilic times, but there was a monolatrous party already in those times and absolute monotheism was first given explicit expression by Second Isaiah. Josiah’s reformation played a significant role in the decline of the Canaanite deities in Israel. D. judiciously weighs competing notions about Canaanite deities contained in the nearly thirty pages of bibliography with which the book ends. RWK

The Chronicler as Author. Studies in Text and Texture. Edited by M. Patrick Graham and Steven L. McKenzie (Sheffield, 90). The sixteen essays in this volume deal with Chronicles as literature and are a sequel to The Chronicler as Historian, published in 1997. Two issues may be highlighted in this brief review. The first is covered by two essays that explore the way the Chronicler has used his biblical and extra biblical sources, showing faithful adherence to them and freedom to modify and elaborate them. Ironically, we know less about the Chronicler’s extra-biblical sources than ever before. An essay by M. evaluates various models of redaction and decisively refutes, in my opinion, the proposal of Graeme Auld that Chronicles was not dependent on Samuel-Kings but that they both used a common source. The second issue that is treated in two essays is the way in which the Chronicler has incorporated canonical Psalms in 1 Chronicles 16. By incorporating and redacting these Psalms the Chronicler has given them a new setting and a distinctively different meaning. The editors are to be congratulated for this sterling collection. RWK

Leviticus 23-27. The Anchor Bible 3B. by Jacob Milgrom (Doubleday, $50). This is the third and final volume in the massive commentary on Leviticus by M. now totalling more than 2700 pages! As with many other scholars, M. identifies chaps 17-27 as "H," but in distinction to many he puts H later than P—but both before the exile, concludes that H polemicizes against P, and H extends into Exodus and Numbers. M. is the acknowledged master of knowledge about Israel’s cultic life and controls not only all modern critical literature, but medieval Jewish commentaries as well. M’s translation of the entire book of Leviticus is included in this volume. The bibliography runs to eighty-six pages and the indexes to one hundred sixty pages! M. endorses the applicability of the biblical jubilee to the cancellation of international debt: "Thus the jubilee laws…offer a realistic blueprint for bridging the economic gap between the have and have-not nations, which otherwise portends political uprisings that can engulf the entire world." An excursus by Lisbeth S. Fried and David Noel Freedman argues that the jubilee year was in fact celebrated in Judah as early as the time of Hezekiah. M’s lifetime of brilliant research here reaches an astounding climax. RWK

Numbers 21-36. The Anchor Bible 4A. By Baruch A. Levine (Doubleday, $45). This completes the commentary on Numbers for the Anchor Bible. In addition to some rather esoteric material (the second census, the daughters of Zelphehad, the festival calendar, the route to the promised land, and the tribal territories), this part of Numbers also contains the story of the brazen serpent, the Balaam account, and the sin at Baal Peor. L. includes a long discussion (pp. 241-275) of the early 8^th century Balaam inscriptions from Deir `Alla (just east of the Jordan River). Written in Canaanite or another Northwest-Semitic language, these incomplete and somewhat obscure inscriptions report a vision experienced by Balaam the son of Beor. Despite their mythological character (a goddess is mentioned and Balaam uses magic), L. concludes that the inscriptions are possibly of (heterodox) Israelite authorship. The community that produced them may have worshipped both Yahweh and E. M. dates the biblical poems of Balaam to the early ninth century, about a half century before the inscriptions. The message of the Baal Peor incident is that living in Transjordan leads to idolatry; L. rejects an orgiastic understanding of the passage. RWK

Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land. Edited by Avraham Negev and Shimon Gibson (Continuum, $39.95). A first edition of this encyclopedia was published in 1972 under the direction of N., but the present, greatly expanded edition enlists more than one hundred international scholars who produced more than eight hundred entries, ranging from Abarim (the peak of Mt. Nebo) to Zuzim and Emmim, two peoples mentioned in Genesis 14. All the major excavated sites are discussed, and there are articles on general subjects such as mosaics, seals, flint tools, pottery, and archaeological methods. The articles are up-to-date, including the Chalcolithic objects found in 1995 at the village of Peqi`in [whose location is not given], the "House of David" inscription from Dan, and the Miqne inscription (biblical Ekron), dating to 604 BCE, which mentions Ikausu son of Padi, both of whom are referred to as kings of Ekron in Assyrian records. There are almost three hundred illustrations and a fine glossary that explains technical archaeological terms. The editor provides an e-mail address to which one can send corrections. Among those is the mention of "Iron" fortifications of Jerusalem, where the writer surely intended "Iron Age" fortifications. RWK

The Bible in Translation. Ancient and English Versions. By Bruce M. Metzger (Baker Academic, $14.99). Part 1 of this book describes all of the ancient versions of the Bible that have survived until today, and part 2 discusses a selection of the English versions (there are more than sixty of the whole Bible and more than eighty of the New Testament). Portions of the Bible are available in 1,862 languages and dialects; the entire Bible in 371 languages and dialects. The last complete version described is the NRSV for which M. served as chair of the translation committee. The descriptions and characterizations are clear, fair, and helpful. Belongs in church libraries. RWK

The Book of Jubilees. By James C. VanderKam (Sheffield Academic Press, $14.95). VK. is a professor at Notre Dame and the leading authority in the world on this book, which retells the stories in Genesis and the first half of Exodus. Jubilees was composed about 160-150 BCE apparently in opposition to those who wanted to unite with the gentiles (cf. 1 Macc 1:11-13). Instead of this idea, the author calls for a renewed emphasis on the one ancient covenant which from earliest times separated Jew and non-Jew. Jubilees is an all-out defense of what makes the people of Israel distinctive. Like the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the author was probably an Essene and was a strong supporter of the solar calendar (counting 364 days to the year). In this calendar, every date falls on the same day of the week every year. A lifetime of scholarship is made readily accessible in this volume. RWK

Joel and Obadiah. By John Barton. (Westminster John Knox, $39.95). This is another fine volume in the Old Testament Library commentary series. B. divides Joel into two parts: 1:1-2:27 and 2:28-3:21. The first part deals with the devastating effects of some physical disaster, while the second part is a miscellaneous collection of oracles assembled in no particular order. The book as a whole dates to the 400s BCE though the first part could be somewhat earlier though still post-exilic. B. admits that the book of Obadiah with its xenophobic hatred of other nations and of Edom in particular is hard to love. Obadiah's anger was stirred by an attack on Zion, not by just any nation, but by Israel's brother-nation Edom. In addition to judgment on the enemies of Israel, Obadiah articulates Yahweh's care for the people of Israel and his good purposes for them (vv 17-21). RWK

Worship Music: A Concise Dictionary. Edited by Edward Foley, Capuchin (Liturgical Press, $45). The focus of this dictionary is the worship music of English-speaking North Americans, both Jewish and Christian. There are entries on hymnody; influential composers, performers and scholars; technical terms; and other aspects of worship connected to music. Gleanings: Catherine Winkworth translated 400 hymns and Charles Wesley composed over 6,000; Egeria (4^th c.) provides early information on the use of Kyrie eleison in worship; Richard Allen published the first anthology of hymns for African American Protestant worship in 1801; Zwingli was the best musician among the reformers; chazzan is the Hebrew word for cantor, with the first female cantor appearing in 1976 in Reform Judaism. Entries are authoritative and to the point. There are more than seventy contributors, including a significant number of Lutherans. RWK

David's Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King. By Baruch Halpern (Eerdmans, $30). H., who is writing a full-length history of Israel and is co-director of an archaeological expedition at Megiddo, here writes a biography of David that is at once conservative and excessively daring, popular in style and at times very tough sledding. It is conservative in that it dates 2 Samuel very early (during Solomon's reign) and even thinks 2 Samuel 8 is a transcript of a display description posted by David. David is historical (despite the wild cries from Copenhagen), but ruler of a very modest kingdom. But H.'s David did not kill Uriah, and H.s' Solomon is the son of Uriah and Bathsheba! The second half of the book presents an easy-to-read narrative reconstruction of the life of David, but scattered throughout the first part and in an appendix on the archaeology of the tenth century are highly technical treatments, studded with jaw-breaking words (David attainted Absalom's family) or normal words used in unusual senses (e.g. filibuster is not a long-winded speech in the U. S. Senate, but an irregular military adventurer; Abigail "treats" with David = negotiates). To my taste H. claims to know too much about the history of David and is somewhat inattentive to the literary character of the Davidic picture in the Bible, let alone its theological importance. RWK

Introducing Biblical Hebrew. By Allen P. Ross (Baker, $39.99) and Basics of Biblical Hebrew. By Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt. Grammar (Zondervan, $39.99) and Workbook (Zondervan, $22.99). R's textbook has 54 lessons and has an outstanding layout (large print, clear typeface, wise and selective use of transliteration). Lessons 41-54 feature excerpts from the Hebrew Bible that provide all the helps a beginning student could desire. There is a one page summary of each lesson at the back of the book and Hebrew-English and English-Hebrew glossaries. P and VP present their grammar in thirty-six lessons, also well laid out, and accompanied by a 300 page workbook. Their paradigms use different shades of type to teach the "recognition points" used in identifying verbs and a CD in the back of the grammar provides an answer key to the exercises in the workbook and full-color printable paradigm charts. A web-site complements both the grammar and workbook at http://www.basicsofbiblicalhebrew.com. This textbook is meant to be a companion to Mounce's widely used Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar.

The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. Volume 5 Mem-Nun. Edited by David J. A. Clines. (Sheffield Academic Press, $165). This massive and expensive lexicon is now half done. This volume alone runs to 957 pages and boasts more than 3,500 bibliographical references. This volume also contains 720 "new words," not occurring in the BDB lexicon, and stemming from their appearance in Ben Sirach, the Dead Sea Scrolls, or Hebrew inscriptions, or new words proposed by modern scholars. Every occurrence of the words in this volume is cited, except for the preposition min, which occurs more than 9,000 times in Classical Hebrew. Words are defined by their meanings in specific contexts, with no attention to their appearance in cognate Semitic languages. RWK