Abraham & Family: New Insights into the Patriarchal Narratives

By Various scholars and Hershel Shanks

Some of the greatest modern minds-including Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel and Pulitzer Prize winner Jack Miles-wrestle with the Biblical test in this unique look at the patriarchs and matriarchs of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1880317575
• ISBN13: 9781880317570
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Biblical Archaeology Society
• Length: 181 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

It was a delight to go these stories

A nice collection of 15 essays on Abraham and his family ranging in quality. One talking of a possible ancient telescope, which no-one took credit for I thought was stupid. On the other hand some like Bodoff Lippman on "Was Abraham really ready to kill his son" made me think. I certainly did delight in going over some of these stories.

Innovative Bible Essays in a Single Volume

This is a great book that was recommended to me in the preparation for a college course I am teaching on the Book of Genesis. Now I wish I had made it the course textbook. The short- to medium-length essays are from diverse perspectives, both Christian and Jewish, and bring new insights into the Genesis narratives. For example, one essay suggests that the "angel" that Jacob struggled with was, in fact, Esau. The book is accessible to everyone with an interest in the Bible, from new students to Bible scholars. This is one of the best of its kind that I have encountered.

An excellent introduction to Biblical scholarship concerning Abraham and his immediate lineage

Abraham & Family is a collection of essays by fifteen Biblical experts, each offering a different path to understanding the chapters in Genesis about Abraham, who was called by God to leave his home and his country and venture into the unknown. A handful of black-and-white and color illustrations, particularly those of classic artworks depicting Biblical scenes, add a visual touch to the matter-of-fact text. Essays cover such topics as whether Abraham was really ready to kill his son Isaac, the story of Hagar's expulsion, the question of whether Jacob's wrestling match was with an angel or with Esau, the sibling rivalry between Rachel and Leah during their marriage to Jacob, and much more. The discussions are thoughtful and literate, balancing both Judaic and Christian interpretations of Genesis as well as presenting ancient theological puzzles (such as how Jacob could have married two sisters when, even though polygamy was permitted, polygamy with two siblings was supposedly against Tora law) and different suggested solutions, all in simple-to-follow layman's terms. An excellent introduction to Biblical scholarship concerning Abraham and his immediate lineage.