Digital Logos Edition
The past 40 years have witnessed profound changes in the study of early Israel as the pendulum of scholarship has swung toward literary and theological readings not significantly informed by the literature of the ancient Near East. Jack M. Sasson’s commentary on the first 12 chapters of Judges is a refreshing reversal of this trend. It aims to expand comprehension of the Hebrew text by explaining its meaning, exploring its contexts, and charting its effect over time.
Sasson addresses issues about the techniques that advance the text’s objectives, the impulses behind its composition, the motivations behind its preservation, the diversity of interpretations during its transmission in several ancient languages, and the learned attention it has gathered over time in faith traditions, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim.
Sasson does not shy away from citing variant or divergent readings in the few Judges fragments and readily calls on testimonies from diverse Greek, Aramaic, and Latin renderings. This impressive new appreciation of Judges will be of immense interest to bible specialists, theologians, cultural historians, and students of the ancient world.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
“The research of military historians, therefore, indicates that no matter how we explain the metal armaments, the ‘iron chariots’ in our passage, as elsewhere (Josh 17:18; Judg 4:3, 13), are likely anachronistic and cannot report on the true reason for the Hebrews’s failure to conquer the plains.” (Pages 159–160)
“Hebron becomes deeply associated with Hebrew royalty, with David (2 Sam 2:11, 5:5) and Absalom (2 Sam 15:10) beginning their careers there. We are told that Hebron was fortified under Rehoboam (2 Chr 11:10).” (Page 141)
“The pairing of Seir and Edom is natural, for the two areas are practically synonymous in the Hebrew geographic lexicon (” (Page 286)
“The Hebrew God himself engages Gideon, apparently without any physical changes to make his divinity obvious.” (Page 331)
“also from the same plunder come the precious artifacts people surrender for producing a tabernacle” (Page 371)