Lamentations And The Song Of Songs

This latest volume in the popular Belief series considers two very different types of biblical writings and two very timely subjects—violence and sex within the context of Scripture. Well-known theologian Harvey Cox draws on a wide array of sources in his commentary on Lamentations— including poetry, novels, films, paintings, and photography—to offer a contemporary theological reading that is provocative and sure to stir numerous theological reflections and responses. The biblical book of Song of Songs has historically been seen as a book pointing to Christ's love for the church and has been interpreted in allegorical ways. Yet, it is unique in the canon for its use of erotic poetry, celebrating the human body and human love in graphic terms. Author Stephanie Paulsell suggests that the Song can still have profound meaning for us, teaching us "to love not only what we can see shining on the surface but also those depths of the other which are out of our reach."

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction—covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography—a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation—the author’s own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes—the author’s notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting—a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment—verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation—brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography—occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.

Irene Nowell's lively and thoughtful exploration of these poetic and powerful books promises to ignite appreciation and understanding in the hearts and minds of readers. The five books abound with vivid stories of faith. The Song of Songs, dedicated to Solomon, celebrates the wonder of human love. The book of Ruth, a masterpiece of storytelling, tells of two valiant women who move from emptiness to fullness, desolation to redemption. Lamentations, telling of the destruction of Jerusalem, recognizes that the Lord has struck and that only the Lord can heal. Ecclesiastes teaches the futility of vanity and storing up riches. The book of Esther tells the story of a Jewish woman and her uncle who, by their courage and wit, deliver the Jews from threatened genocide. Gathered together and artfully explored, this volume offers readers a wealth of information to inspire deeper understanding of the human journey and God's presence in the lives of those who trust in him.

In Lamentations, well-known theologian Harvey Cox draws on a wide array of sources including poetry, novels, films, paintings, and photography to offer a contemporary theological reading of Lamentations which is provocative and sure to stir numerous theological reflections and responses. The biblical book of Song of Songs has historically been seen as a book pointing to Christ's love for the church and has been interpreted in allegorical ways. Author Stephanie Paulsell suggests that the Song can still have profound meaning for us, teaching us "to love not only what we can see shining on the surface but also those depths of the other which are out of our reach."