Book Review: Finding Beauty in the Bible – An Aesthetic Commentary on the Song of Songs

Robert D. Miller II, Finding Beauty in the Bible: An Aesthetic Commentary on the Song of Songs (McMaster Biblical Studies Series 11; Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2023).  Robert Miller was a professor of Old Testament at the Catholic University of America. He passed away a few months ago from cancer. It is a honour to…

Note on the Book Historical Depth of the Tiberian Reading Tradition of the Hebrew Bible

I have just finished reviewing Aaron D. Hornkohl's book, The Historical Depth of the Tiberian Reading Tradition of Biblical Hebrew (Cambridge Semitic Languages and Cultures 17; Cambridge: Open Book Publishers, 2023). The book is available as an open access book here. Hornkohl demonstrates masterfully that both the written and oral tradition are ancient (i.e., they…

Book Review: Exegetical Gems from Biblical Hebrew

H. H. Hardy II, Exegetical Gems from Biblical Hebrew: A Refreshing Guide to Grammar and Interpretation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2019). Hardy is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Hardy has several works focusing on ancient Hebrew linguistics that are just published or getting ready to be…

Brief Comments on 2 Kgs 1:9-18

I went over 2 Kgs 1 in class today with my students. There are several fascinating aspects of this narrative that are worth noting. In 2 Kgs 1:2-8, Ahaziah is in bed after falling through the latticework. He sends to Ekron to inquire of Baal-Zebub (בַּעַל־זְבוּב) whether he will get better. Elijah meets Ahaziah's messengers…

Theological Reflections on רֵאשִׁית in Gen 1:1

The implications of the beginning phrase “in the beginning (רֵאשִׁית)” (Gen 1:1) in the Hebrew Bible is manifold. In Gen 1:1-2:3, YHWH creates a beautiful garden characterised as “good.” Sin, however, corrupts YHWH's good world and people quickly (Gen 3) producing exile (Gen 3:22-24; Isa 59:1-2) and death (Gen 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20,…

A Note on the Name Rum/Rom Rosh

I have always enjoyed the novels of Mitch Albom. In his recent novel, The Stranger in the Lifeboat (New York: Harper, 2021), one of the characters is named Rum or Rom Rosh. In the book, this name is explicitly said to be a Hebrew name from the Psalms. The translation given is "God lifted my…

Book Reviews: The Mother of the Infant King Isaiah 7:14; Biblical Hebrew Word Order Debate; Why Read the Bible in the Original Languages?; Shadal on Leviticus

As a result of several pressing academic projects, I have not been able to post in the last few weeks. There are several books I have been wanting to review here. Realising that I will not be able to devote a significant amount of time to a thorough review of these books, I discuss a…

Brief Linguistic, Literary, and Theological Notes on Neh 5

Nehemiah rebukes the Jews for enslaving their brothers after having gone through an extensive process to free them from their captivity.  Three different groups speak their complaint as introduced by the phrase וְיֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר אֹמְרִים in Neh 5:2, 3, and 4 (cf. the use of the Qal wayyiqtol of √אמר in Neh 4:4, 5, 6,…

Book Review: Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary in Context

Miles V. Van Pelt and Gary D. Practico, Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary in Context: Building Competency with Words Occuring 50 Times or More (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2019). Introduction Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary in Context allows the student to read the Hebrew lexemes which appear most often in the Hebrew Bible in a controlled environment. This…

Comparing Gen 3:5 in G and MT

I was reading through the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible in Gen 3 over the weekend. One aspect of G's translation in Gen 3:5 caught my attention. The more I read the verse the more I was convinced there was no real difference between the MT and G. I offer a brief description of…