The Prophetic Literature: Interpreting Biblical Texts Series

As a rabbinical student, I have had the great pleasure of studying with Professor Sweeney in several classroom settings. The enthusiasm with which he so lovingly teaches/shares his vast knowledge of Tanakh, in general, and the Prophets, in particular, to his seminary students is palpable in the pages of this wonderful publication. Professor Sweeney has the unique ability to present an academically sound explication of prophetic literature while simultaneously breathing life into the written names of the people and places that populate the text. To paraphrase the words of my esteemed and humble teacher, these biblical writings did not occur in a vacuum. Professor Sweeney's grasp of the biblical world, the languages and cultures of both the Hebrews and their surrounding neighbors, and the linguistic/grammatical secrets embedded in the text of prophetic literature, are distilled into a delightfully challenging read in Prophetic Literature. If one is not fortunate enough to study and learn with Professor Sweeney in person, this book is the next best thing!

This is a tough book to read. It is filled with history and dates. I had to use it for a course; otherwise I would have put it on the shelf, never finishing reading it. It is not what you want to read if you want to know personal information about the prophets. It is best suited for the theology student, already having a background in wars, historical events and dates.

Pretentious, with occasional forays into mildly interesting. Spelling God as G-d because the ancient Hebrews left the vowels out? Really!

It was for a class, but a very good book. Thorough, insightful, yet easy to read. Not overly analytical or cerebral.

Quality

Everything was just great--came in a timely manner and was in the condition that was described.

Biblical texts create worlds of meaning, and invite readers to enter them. When readers enter such textual worlds, which are often strange and complex, they are confronted with theological claims. With this in mind, the purpose of the Interpreting Biblical Texts series is to help serious readers in their experience of reading and interpreting by providing guides for their journeys into textual worlds. The controlling perspective is expressed in the operative word of the title--interpreting. The primary focus of the series is not so much on the world behind the texts or out of which the texts have arisen as on the worlds created by the texts in their engagement with readers. Although these books of the prophets are based upon the careers and experiences of some of the most talented and provocative individuals of their times, the books must be read first as literature. Each book displays its own unique organization, literary characteristics, and theological outlook in presenting the prophets. In the case of Jeremiah, interpreters must even consider two distinctive forms of the book in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint. By guiding the reader through the literary structure and language of each of the prophetic books as well as the social roles of the individual prophets, this volume opens the reader to greater understanding and appreciation of the prophets of Israel and Judah. Fact packed and crystal clear, this particular volume invites readers to tour the landscape of ancient Israel's Latter Prophets corpus. The author serves as a first-rate guide, equipping readers with basic knowledge to grasp, and grapple with, the literary legacies of the canonical prophets. True to the series title, he interprets texts with an eye to major, dynamic themes in Jewish and Christian traditions. The volume proves a reliable guidebook for readers wishing not only to survey, but also to engage in dialogue with, ancient Israel's canonical prophets.

This is a thorough and insightful introduction to the prophetic literature that is theologically sensitive and up to date with current biblical scholarship. Highly Recommend.