Digital Logos Edition
Most studies of how early Judaism related to the non-Jewish world and how others perceived it start no earlier than the Hellenistic period. Joseph Blenkinsopp argues that we must go further back to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and its temple and the liquidation of the political and religious infrastructure—monarchy, priesthood, scribalism, prophecy—that had sustained the Judean state for centuries. Judaism, the First Phase is a fresh—and potentially stunning—look at Jewish origins, tracing the legacy of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Delve into God’s Word like never before! With the Logos edition of Judaism, the First Phase, Scripture references link directly to the Bibles in your library—both to the original-language texts and to the English translations. Double-clicking any word automatically opens your lexicons to the relevant entry, making Hebrew words instantly accessible.
. . . presented with typical clarity, incisiveness, and breadth of scholarship. No student of early Judaism will fail to learn much from the numerous insights of this book. Blenkinsopp’s unique combination of wide learning and elegant argumentation makes his scholarship pleasurable as well as instructive.
—Philip R. Davies, professor of biblical studies, University of Sheffield
Blenkinsopp’s profound knowledge of biblical (and related) texts and their potential interrelationships is displayed prominently throughout the volume. The combination of thoughtful detailed analysis and an approach in which the “big historical picture” is always at the center ensures that this book will be widely read and cited both by historians of the period and by scholars researching particular texts relevant to the period.
—Ehud Ben Zvi, professor, University of Alberta