Tanak: A Theological and Critical Introduction to the Jewish Bible

by Marvin A. Sweeney

Publisher:

Fortress Press

, 2012

Overview

Though biblical theology has long been considered a strictly Christian enterprise, Marvin A. Sweeney here proposes a Jewish theology of the Hebrew Bible, based on the importance of Tanak as the foundation of Judaism and organized around the major components: Torah (Law), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Kethuvim (Writings). Sweeney finds the structuring themes of Jewish life: the constitution of the nation Israel in relation to God; the disruption of that ideal, documented by the Prophets; and the reconstitution of the nation around the Second Temple in the Writings. Throughout, he is attentive to tensions within and among the texts and the dialogical character of Israel’s sacred heritage.

The Logos Bible Software edition of Tanak: A Theological and Critical Introduction to the Jewish Bible is designed to encourage and stimulate your study of the Hebrew Bible. With Logos, every word is essentially a link. That means clicking on any Scripture reference brings you straight to the Hebrew text or your preferred English translation, and double-clicking on any Hebrew word automatically searches your Hebrew lexicons for a match—instantly providing a wealth of linguistic and textual data. That makes Tanak: A Theological and Critical Introduction to the Jewish Bible ideal for both English-only study and advanced Hebrew scholarship.

Key Features

• A critical and theological introduction to the Hebrew Bible
• Analysis of each book’s historical setting from a Jewish theological perspective

Contents

• Introduction
  • The Tanak as the Foundation of Judaism
  • Christian Old Testament Theology
  • Jewish Biblical Theology
  • The Task of Jewish Biblical Theology
• The Torah
  • Overview
  • The Toledoth/Generations Sequence of the Torah
• The Former Prophets
  • Overview
  • The Book of Joshua
  • The Book of Judges
  • The Book of Samuel
  • The Book of Kings
• The Latter Prophets
  • Overview
  • The Book of Isaiah
  • The Book of Jeremiah
  • The Book of Ezekiel
  • The Book of the Twelve Prophets
• The Ketuvim/Writings
  • The Book of Psalms
  • The Book of Proverbs
  • The Book of Job
  • The Five Megillot
  • The Book of Daniel
  • The Book of Ezra–Nehemiah
  • The Book of Chronicles
• Conclusion

Top Highlights

“the efforts of Nehemiah ben Hacaliah as governor of Judah,” (Page 459)

“to limit the human population for their own comfort” (Page 63)

Praise for the Print Edition

Throughout his fruitful scholarly career, Marvin A. Sweeney has repeatedly demonstrated his alert capacity to read biblical texts in knowing and penetrating ways. Now he brings that learning to bear on an extended book–by–book reading of the Jewish Bible that is both critical and theological, making a major contribution to the interpretive task that Jews and Christians share together. Tanak is an important move beyond critical study to Jewish sources and modes of interpretation, showing how the Bible arises from and attends to Jewish faith and identity. It will be of special interest to Christian readers as well, however, who will be led into new perspectives and consequently to important theological insight about their own faith by this magnificent rendering.

—Walter Brueggemann, Emeritus William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary

This exhaustive survey of the Hebrew Bible is based on the most current scholarship. Drawing on a remarkable breadth of knowledge, Sweeney describes the historical setting of the biblical books from a Jewish theological perspective.

—Frederick E. Greenspahn, Gimelstob Eminent Scholar in Judaic Studies, Florida Atlantic University

In Tanak one of the most learned biblical scholars of our time offers a highly intelligent, intellectually honest, and readable introduction to the Jewish Bible. Among its many strengths is its capacity to locate that set of books within the world of its composition without losing sight of its foundational role in the Jewish tradition and the deeper theological issues at stake. I highly recommend Tanak to general readers, scholars, students, and clergy alike.

—Jon D. Levenson, Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies, Harvard University

Product Details

• Title: Tanak: A Theological and Critical Introduction to the Jewish Bible
• Author: Marvin A. Sweeney
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress
• Publication Date: 2011
• Pages: 464

About Marvin A. Sweeney

Marvin A. Sweeney is professor of Hebrew Bible at the Claremont Lincoln University and Claremont School of Theology, and professor of Bible at the Academy for Jewish Religion in California. He is the author of 12 books, including Isaiah 1–39 in The Forms of the Old Testament Literature series, New Visions of Isaiah, and Zephanaiah in the Hermeneia commentary series.