Reviews (1)

A "Head's Up"
Having Purchased the fine edition of the Book of Enoch by Vanderkam and Nickelsburg, I was looking forward to reading this text, hoping to find a copy of the actual _text_ of Jubilees masterfully translated for me. I didn't. It's a commentary, and I'm sure it meets the Vanderkam standard of excellence. If you're looking for the text of Jubilees, however, after getting tantalizing glimpses of it in the articles of people like Fletcher-Louis ("The Cosmology of P and Theological Anthropology in the Wisdom of Jesus Ben Sira"), Margaret Barker and others, you'll need to look elsewhere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible - Hermeneutics    2. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    3. Book of Jubilees    4. Criticism, interpretation, etc    5. Religion    6. Religion - Biblical Studies - Language   

Reviews (23)

Rescuing a writer
Unlike many I suppose, I did not find the idea that J was a woman of royal blood particularly shocking.The Torah never seemed to me a work of the people and by the people; the people who wrote it and commented on it were nothing if not the elite.I had always taken that pretty much for granted.But Bloom did present a hypothesis that I found startling.For in this book he claims that the author of what many consider to be the core of the Torah/Old Testament conceived of her work as an epic, a kind of Iliad.Indeed, that she could do little else--for she (Bloom asserts) was not a terribly religious person herself.
The Book of Junk
"The Book of J" is an attempted restoration and critique of the original source document of the Pentateuch. Bloom first introduces the proposed author of this book - an original and provocative ironist, a lady of Solomon's court, who has been totally misunderstood. The next section is a translation of the reconstructed book of J by Rosenberg, who has also authored a brief appendix about the translation. The following two sections include Bloom's commentary on the book of J, its narrative, personalities and themes.
Not For Me
I quit reading this book after 225 pages. Like most of the books I give 2 stars, I'm going to leave that one statement as a major testament to what this book did for me. I don't know if it's fair or not. I'm sure scores of Bloom fans will say I'm too ignorant to understand it. Maybe I am. But the purpose of writing a review is to be consistent in rating the books I read. I find the lack of lower ratings on many books puzzling. If you read a book and it isn't to your liking, you should say so. For me, this was of very little interest, and just wasn't a very good book.
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Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    3. Bible - Study - Old Testament    4. Bible.    5. Criticism, interpretation, etc    6. J document (Biblical criticism    7. J document (Biblical criticism)    8. O.T    9. O.T.    10. Pentateuch    11. Religion    12. Religion - Biblical Studies    13. Biblical concordances & commentaries    14. Religion / Bible / Stories / Old Testament   

Editorial Review

Stephen Mitchell, author of Read more

Features

• Audiobook

Reviews (3)

Wildly uneven
If you asked Stephen Mitchell to translate the telephone book, he'd probably come up with a brilliantly lucid work bristling with insights into the nature of spiritual reality. But you'd have to wade through an introduction that reads: "I found that the entirety of K-N was a later interpolation by a talented but spiritually inferior redactor, and moreover J is clearly a doublet of I just as V is a doublet of U. I have therefore taken the liberty of rearranging the alphabet in a way that felt authentic to me, following the spirit rather than the letter." Very necessary
As someone who has recently been fascinated with new translations of the book of Genesis, I found Mitchell's to be one of the best.I call it 'very necessary' because I believe that whether or not one reads the Bible asliterature or religious truth, this translation does a superb job inrecovering the text from centuries of doctrinal interpretation andpositioning the reader for an honest assessment of Genesis.The God ofthese stories is a complex, capricious, and ultimately unpredicatablecharacter.The Lord is not a likeable deity.And, in my opinion, for aChristian or Jew who has problems with this portrayal of the Lord, read theolder versions again.They more or less can reveal the same interpretationto an intelligent reader, and even provoke an interest in how these storieshave been read and misread through the discourse of doctrine, of everydaymedia, and why.This is how I find Mitchell's translation andinterpretation valuable, because it questions this Lord.Mitchell looks atthe stories of the rejected Cain, the slighted Esau, the destruction ofSodom and Gomorrah, and others and reevaluates them with a critical butfully appreciative approach.

If there is a translation in this, I missed it
I really tried to finish this book, but there is only so much preaching one can take. The feeling reading this is that there is less of a translation being presented than the author's interpretation of the work. After being told several times what God thinks, or must have thought, or what God really meant but was misstated as the stories were passed along and re-written, the entire basis for a "new translation" seemed suspect. Most people will be better served by reading mainstream translations (with study notes for in-depth analysis).Many of these are written by scores of biblical scholars collaborating together and working with original texts. NIV, NASV, or other respected translations should be baseline reading...then interpretations such as this one can be read critically. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Audiobooks    3. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    4. Bible.    5. Commentaries    6. Genesis    7. O.T.    8. Religion   

Reviews (2)

Lots of inspiring and engaging stories...
If you're wondering who Shamgar is, you're not alone.I had no clue until I read this fun and fast-paced uplifting and challenging book.Shamgar is the third judge to the nation of Israel and there are two verses that tell a very brief story of this man and how he saved Israel.I thought this was going to be another Prayer of Jabez - find some obscure Old Testament reference, write a book expounding on the biblical reference and bam - best seller!Well, while the first two parts are true, this book is completely different than the Prayer of Jabez - it is a challenge for every Christian to allow God to use them for His glory.The book is filled with short snippets of men and women who have taken a small step of faith and God has done miraculous things in them and through them...but the key to this book is the encouragement to take that first step!
Simple & Powerful
This book provides a great lesson in remembering that no matter how bad things seem, that if you 1. Start where you are 2. Use what you have 3. Do what you can - that you can persevere through any situation.This book is filled with great stories of perseverance.It starts a little slow but really builds momentum. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (Biblical figure)    2. Bible    3. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    4. Bible.    5. Christianity    6. Christianity - Christian Life - General    7. Criticism, interpretation, etc    8. Inspirational    9. Inspirational - General    10. Inspirational - Gifts    11. Judges    12. O.T    13. O.T.    14. Personal Growth - Success    15. Religion    16. Religious aspects    17. Shamgar    18. Success    19. Religion / Bibles / Other   

Reviews (3)

GreatBiblicalstories from the comic book of the same name!
"Picture Stories from the Bible" collects stories from the 1940's comic book series of the same name. It was the brainchild of publisher M. C. Gaines, who is literally the man who invented the comic book in the early 1930's for Dell Publishing.
A great book for children young and old
This book, and its companion volume, are great additions to anyone's library. Children are drawn to comic books, and it never hurts to encourage kids to read on their own. The stories are a bit simplified, but that's actually a plus. The stories stick to the main point, and anyone interested in the stories after reading this can go to a standard bible for further information. For those who do not "support" the bible, the stories are still captivating, filled with drama, heroes and villains, adventure and challenges. Parents may want to scan the books before letting their children read them so they can see what's inside, but these stories are harmless entertainment and the children may end up better people for reading them.

This is a great edition of a great book.
I bought this for my son for his 9th birthday and he was absolutely drawn into it.Above and beyond other attempts of depicting Biblical stories in comic book form, this one does it right.I don't know why, but even as anadult, I had a hard time putting it down. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    2. Bible stories    3. Bible stories, English    4. Bible.    5. Comic books, strips, etc    6. O.T    7. O.T.    8. Religion   

Subjects:  1. 1200-953 B.C    2. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    3. Bible - Study - Old Testament    4. History    5. Jews    6. Kings and rulers    7. Politics and government    8. Religion    9. Religion - Biblical Studies    10. To 70 A.D    11. Books of the Old Testament   

Reviews (2)

Insightful, detailed and groundbreaking analysis
Jacob Milgrom, a Conservative rabbi and modern Bible scholar, is a, if not the, leading authority on Leviticus. Milgrom's painstakingly thorough commentary on the first sixteen chapters of Leviticus has revolutionizedthe modern understanding of the rituals and practices described in thebook. A brilliant, profound and absorbing commentary
Jacob Milgrom, a Conservative rabbi and modern Bible scholar, is a, if not the, leading authority on Leviticus. Milgrom's painstakingly thorough commentary on the first sixteen chapters of Leviticus has revolutionizedthe modern understanding of the rituals and practices described in thebook.Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Commentaries - Old Testament    3. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    4. Bible - Study - Old Testament    5. Bible.    6. Commentaries    7. Leviticus I-XVI    8. O.T    9. O.T.    10. Old Testament - Single Book Studies    11. Religion    12. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    13. Biblical concordances & commentaries    14. Books of the Old Testament    15. Religion / Bible / Commentaries / Old Testament   

Reviews (1)

Being honest with God
Rachel's Cry; Prayer of Lament and Rebirth of Hope, by Billman and Migliore, seeks to recover the biblical tradition of lament and protest, and exemplify its importance in one's spiritual life, especially for those who grieve while facing irrational suffering. The biblical figure Rachel is seen as metaphor "of the wholeness of prayer and spirituality that needs to be reclaimed by Christians today." Rachel's cry, her laminations, "need to be reclaimed in Christian prayer, the liturgy of the church, and pastoral ministry." The prayer of lament is the "unsettling tradition of prayer that includes expressions of complaint, anger, grief, despair and protest to God," found throughout the Bible, most often in the Psalms. One who did not believe in God could not have written these laments; they are honest, open conversations with a living, listening, God. The prayer of lament can co-exists with the prayer of praise and joy; in fact, it must if those that suffer are to be honest with them and with God. "How can the prayer of lament be free and joyful if the realities of broken human life are not named and lamented?" Lament adds to the wholeness of Christian life, and has its place with praise and thanksgiving in a holistic understanding of prayer. I highly recommend this book for those that are grieving or are seeking to comfort those that are suffering. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    2. Blessed Virgin, Saint    3. Christianity    4. Christianity - Theology - General    5. Devotional    6. Doctrinal Theology    7. Laments in the Bible    8. Mary,    9. Prayer    10. Rachel (Biblical matriarch)    11. Religion    12. Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality    13. Religious aspects    14. Suffering   

Subjects:  1. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    2. Bible stories    3. Bible stories, English    4. Children's 4-8    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. General    7. N.T    8. N.T. Gospels    9. Biography    10. Jesus Christ    11. Juvenile literature   

Subjects:  1. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    2. Bible - Study - General    3. Bible - Study - Old Testament    4. Bibles    5. Religion    6. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    7. Religion / Bible / Commentaries / Old Testament   

Subjects:  1. Bible - Apocrypha    2. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    3. Religion    4. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    5. Biblical concordances & commentaries    6. Books of the New Testament    7. Religion / General   

Subjects:  1. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    2. Bible - Study - Old Testament    3. Criticism, interpretation, etc    4. Judaism - General    5. Religion    6. Religion - Biblical Studies    7. Wisdom (Biblical personification)    8. Wisdom literature    9. Books of the Old Testament   

Subjects:  1. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    2. Bible - Study - Old Testament    3. Faith    4. Religion    5. Religion - Biblical Studies    6. Biblical studies, criticism & exegesis    7. Books of the Old Testament   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    2. Bible - Study - Old Testament    3. Bibles    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Religious - Other    7. BIBLE STORIES_O.T.    8. Bible stories    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Religion / Bible / Stories   

Subjects:  1. Bible - Language Studies    2. Bible - Stories - New Testament    3. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    4. Criticism, interpretation, etc    5. Religion    6. Religion - Biblical Studies - Language    7. Testaments of the twelve patriarchs   

Subjects:  1. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    2. Bible - Study - Old Testament    3. Judaism    4. Judaism - General    5. Judaism - History    6. Judaism - Sacred Writings    7. Religion    8. Religion - Judaism    9. Jewish studies    10. Myths & mythology    11. Science / Environmental Science   

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Commentaries - Old Testament    3. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    4. Bible - Study - Old Testament    5. Bible.    6. Commentaries    7. Ether    8. Ezra    9. Nehemiah    10. O.T    11. O.T.    12. Religion    13. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    14. Biblical studies, criticism & exegesis   

Reviews (15)

Bad Rationalizations but Good Facts To Back Up the Bible
LikeExcavating Jesus, this book, ironically, contains facts that support the Bible as being historically accurate, yet the author ignores that fact and pushes for a conclusion which hasbeen disproved (look up Black Sea flood on a search engine.)
The Biblical Flood
The entire book is devoted to a list of places and people who at some time in the past have had a flood. It hardly even discusses the biblical flood and appears to just put it into the broad catagory of just another flood.Boring to read

The real origin of civilization?
This fascinating book investigates a lost culture that thrived in northern Turkey before an inundation in 5600BC turned a freshwater lake into what is now the Black Sea by connecting it to the Mediterranean. Such a cataclysmic event must have caused major destruction and caused the death of thousands of people. It would also not have been restricted to the area under consideration.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Ancient World History    3. Antiquities    4. Bible    5. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    6. Bible.    7. Bibles    8. Deluge    9. Genesis    10. History    11. History: World    12. O.T    13. O.T.    14. Religion / History   

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    3. Bible - Study - Old Testament    4. Bible.    5. Jonah    6. Micah    7. Nahum    8. O.T    9. O.T.    10. Old Testament Study Guide    11. Religion    12. Religion - Biblical Studies    13. Study and teaching   

Reviews (2)

Profound and fascinating ideas and images
Here is a book of profound and fascinating ideas and images. Amazon has excerpted a long quote above, which is a good indication of the depth of the book, for instance, the reference to "Ancient Near Eastern dove symbolism in the New Testament's accounts of Jesus' baptism at the Jordan." Immediately, one thinks also of the image of Mary in Anunciation scenes reading a book, when she is touched by the Dove. If you know scripture, all sorts of wonderful new insights like this get sparked by comments on every page!

Check it out from the Library, but don't buy it.
I checked this book out from the Library, and I just finished it today.I found this book hard to stick with and a couple times I just wanted to stop reading it all together.The author reapeated herself many time and kept noting that the view of Sophia was influnced by Egpytian Goddesses.But I did learn a little, so I guess it was worth my time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - General    2. Bible - Stories - Old Testament    3. Ecumenism    4. Feminist theology    5. Religion    6. Religion - Biblical Studies    7. Wisdom (Biblical personificati    8. Wisdom (Biblical personification)    9. Bible readings or selections    10. Biblical studies, criticism & exegesis    11. Old Testament