Jewish Literature Between the Bible and the Mishnah

by George W. E. Nickelsburg

Publisher:

Fortress Press

, 2005

Overview

In this fully revised and expanded edition, Nickelsburg introduces the reader to the broad range of Jewish literature that is not part of either the Bible or the standard rabbinic works. This includes especially the Apocrypha (such as 1 Maccabees), the Pseudepigrapha (such as 1 Enoch), the Dead Sea Scrolls, the works of Josephus, and the works of Philo.

Praise for the Print Edition

This well-written book provides excellent introductions to both the Jewish literature of the Second Temple period, written in various languages, and the history of the era. The general overviews of the historical background and the content analysis of many literary compositions are essential for an in-depth understanding not only of this literature but also of the background of early Christianity and, in a way, of civilization as a whole. . . . This is an excellent textbook for university and college courses.

—Emanuel Tov, J. L. Magnes Professor of Bible at the Hebrew University

When Jewish Literature between the Bible and the Mishnah was first published in 1981 it quickly became a standard. Nickelsburg's second edition is a thorough revision and reorganization that updates all of the bibliographies and substantially expands the treatment of Qumran documents. Lucidly written, this second edition offers a reliable and clear map of the complex and varied terrain of the literature of second Temple Judaism. Ideal for teaching purposes.

—John S Kloppenborg, Associate Professor of New Testament at the University of St. Michael's College, Toronto School of Theology

George Nickelsburg has taken an authoritative text that has served us all so well for more than two decades and has performed the great service of updating and expanding it. Now the reader will find not only his judicious treatments of the latest scholarly studies but also coverage of more texts from the Qumran and other Second Temple literature. He has taken what was very good and made it even better.

—James VanderKam, John A. O'Brien Professor of Hebrew Scriptures at the University of Notre Dame

A terrific book made even better by this extensive updating. Nickelsburg is a superb guide to this wide body of texts, their literary forms and historical contexts, and why they matter for religious history. . . . Rarely does the same book provide both a foundational introduction for students to a field of inquiry and make significant contributions to advance that field. This book does just that.

—Margaret M. Mitchell, Associate Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature at the University of Chicago

The re-edition of George Nickelsburg's introduction updates and expands an extremely valuable tool for the study of Jewish literature of the Second Temple Period. Nickelsburg carefully sets a wide range of literature within the complex political and social context of the history of Israel in this period. Nickelsburg deftly introduces the primary sources and the problems of their interpretation. He does so in magisterial dialogue with an impressive array of recent scholarship, which will provide a solid foundation for any students engaging in the study of this phase of Jewish life and letters.

—Harold Attridge, Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament and the Dean of the Divinity School at Yale University

George Nickelsburg has been at the forefront of scholarship on Second Temple Judaism for more than thirty years. No one knows this literature better than George Nickelsburg, and no one is more judicious in evaluating the scholarly literature. This revised edition of his classic textbook will serve students well for a generation to come.

—John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School

Product Details

• Title: Jewish Literature between the Bible and the Mishnah
• Author: George W. E. Nickelsburg
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2005
• Pages: 450

About George W. E. Nickelsburg

George W. E. Nickelsburg is Emeritus Professor of Religion at the University of Iowa, where he taught for more than three decades. He is the author of seventy articles and several hundred dictionary and encyclopedia entries. Among his many works are Faith and Piety in Early Judaism (co-editor; Fortress Press, 1983) and Early Judaism and Its Modern Interpreters (co-editor; 1986).