Creating the Old Testament: The Emergence of the Hebrew Bible

Preface xi

Introduction xiii

Note on Texts and Transliteration xviii

List of Abbreviations xix

Part I Introductory 1

1 The Hebrew World 3

2 The Authority and Use of the Hebrew Bible 23

The History of the Text 23

A Jewish Perspective 31

A Christian Perspective 37

A Muslim Perspective 43

A Humanist Perspective 47

3 Symbol and Metaphor in the Hebrew Bible 51

Part II The Torah 81

4 Genesis: History or Story? 83

The Torah: Some Preliminary Remarks 83

Genesis: the Story 86

Genesis: the Evidence 90

5 Moses 117

6 Covenant and Law 135

Part III Nebi'im: the Prophets 149

7 The Former Prophets 151

8 Jerusalem 169

9 Stories of the Prophets 185

10 Prophecy and the Prophets 203

Part IV Kethubim: the Writings 227

11 After the Exile 229

12 The Psalms 251

13 The Wisdom Books 269

14 The Five Megilloth 293

15 The Other Books 319

Glossary 345

References and Bibliography 351

Index 360