The Former Prophets

Chronicles the ancient history of Israel and its prophets, from Samson to Elijah.

Robert Alter’s award-winning translation of the Hebrew Bible continues with the stirring narrative of Israel’s ancient history. To read the books of the Former Prophets in this riveting Robert Alter translation is to discover an entertaining amalgam of hair-raising action and high literary achievement. Samson, the vigilante superhero of Judges, slaughters thousands of Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. David, the Machiavellian prince of Samuel and Kings, is one of the great literary figures of antiquity. A ruthless monarch, David embodies a life in full dimension as it moves from brilliant youth through vigorous prime to failing old age. Samson and David play emblematic roles in the rise and fall of ancient Israel, a nation beset by internal divisions and external threats. A scattering of contentious desert tribes joined by faith in a special covenant with God, Israel emerges through the bloody massacres of Canaanite populations recounted in Joshua and the anarchic violence of Judges. The resourceful David consolidates national power, but it is power rooted in conspiracy, and David dies bitterly isolated in his court, surrounded by enemies. His successor, Solomon, maintains national unity through his legendary wisdom, wealth, and grand public vision, but after his death Israel succumbs to internal discord and foreign conquest. Near its end, the saga of ancient Israel returns to the supernatural. In Elijah’s fiery ascent to heaven many would find the harbinger of a messiah coming to save his people in their time of need.

The Former Prophets of the Hebrew Bible includes the books of Joshua through 2 Kings; it is a narrative of ancient Israel's history of some seven hundred years from the 'conquest' of Canaan to the exile, when Israel lost the land. Thomas Mann adoptsa critical perspective and incorporates many distinct literary sources from different times into his work. The result is a compelling example of ancient historiography as well as an impressive artistic achievement. The book contains fascinating (andoften horrifying) stories of war, religious fanaticism, terror, and disaster, as well as stories of deep personal loyalty, friendship, and faith. Finally, in a deeply thoughtful and constructive way, The Former Prophets addresses perennial questionslike, amongst others, 'What is the relationship between divine sovereignty and human political institutions?' or 'In what sense are historical events the result of human acts and also of divine Providence?'

Founded on a lifetime’s research and creative thought, this is the crowning work of an internationally celebrated Hebrew Bible/Old Testament scholar. Part I provides an engaging running commentary on the text from a final-form, canonical perspective, and Part II deals with a range of thematic issues, including: creation, covenant and election, the patriarchs, the promised land, torah, cult, Moses, David, Zion, language about God, prophecy, wisdom, Israel’s historical consciousness, hermeneutics, Jewish and Christian theology of the Hebrew Bible. It is both an invaluable tool for students and a significant work demanding the attention of professionals.

Biblical Foundations Award Finalist The Old Testament, particularly the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings), has frequently been regarded as having a negative attitude towards foreigners. This has meant that these texts are often employed by those opposed to the Christian faith to attack the Bible—and such views can be echoed by Christians. While the story of David and Goliath is cherished, other episodes are seen to involve "ethnic cleansing" or "massacre" and are avoided. David Firth's contention is that this approach emerges from an established interpretation of the text, but not the text itself. In this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume, he argues that the Former Prophets subvert the exclusivist approach in order to show that the people of God are not defined by ethnicity but rather by their willingness to commit themselves to the purposes of Yahweh. God's purposes are always wider than Israel alone, and Israel must therefore understand themselves as a people who welcome and include the foreigner. Firth addresses contemporary concerns about the ongoing significance of the Old Testament for Christians, and shows how opponents of Christianity have misunderstood the Bible. His reading of the Former Prophets also has significant ethical implications for Christians today as they wrestle with the issues of migration and what it means to be the people of God. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.

This work assembles contributions from North America's leading Hebrew Bible/Old Testament scholars in honor of a highly respected biblical scholar, whose work on biblical prophets has been especially influential. Within the list are former teachers, current colleagues, and former students who are now colleagues in their own right, representing a wide range of denominational traditions represented—Roman Catholics, Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, etc. The book is divided into major two sections with a brief introduction by the editors, John Ahn and the Stephen Cook. Here, a brief biography and the academic career of Robert Wilson's contribution to the guild (with a bibliography at the end of this section) and more over, at a personal level, his ceaseless work in helping to transform and reform the "new" Yale Divinity School and his impact in molding the Ph.D. program in HB/OT in the Religious Studies Department of the Graduate School at Yale University. Part I hold the essays on the Former Prophets and Part II on the Latter Prophets.