Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006
especially strong and give a good overview of
the varied positions available to the early mod-
ern moral agent, none of which seems able to
completely integrate theological imperatives
with moral behavior. This text should be of
most interest to literary scholars working on
late Renaissance religious poetry and prose or
to religious scholars particularly interested in
post-Reformation soteriology.
Heather G. S. Johnson
Southern Illinois University
Ancient Near East
FROM REVELATION TO CANON:
STUDIES IN THE HEBREW BIBLE AND
SECOND TEMPLE LITERATURE. By
James C. VanderKam. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2000.
Pp. xii + 604. Cloth, $175.00, ISBN 978-90-
04-11557-6; paper, $59.00, ISBN 978-0-391-
04136-3.
This is a collection of twenty-nine previ-
ously published (with two exceptions) articles,
which appeared between 1977 and 1996. Three
concern material from the traditional Hebrew
Bible (David, Psalm 2, Ezra-Nehemiah) and the
remainder address Second Temple Jewish his-
tory and literature. While VanderKam is well-
known for his Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship,
this collection represents his many excellent
studies not directly concerned with the Scrolls.
Beyond the Hebrew Bible, the articles deal with
“Calendar and Festivals,” “High Priesthood,”
and “Apocalyptic Studies.” The final section,
“Studies in 1 Enoch and Jubilees,” comprises
about half of the book. In his studies of 1 Enoch
and Jubilees, VanderKam has made some of his
most formative contributions to our understand-
ing of Second Temple Judaism. The articles that
begin and end the book appear in this form
for the first time. The first, “Revealed Literature
in the Second Temple Period,” critiques views
of the formation of a Jewish canon that consider
the canon closed by the second century BCE.
VanderKam demonstrates openness to new
authoritative writings during this period, and he
calls for more accurate assessment of the evi-
dence and comparative study with ancient
Mesopotamian and Alexandrian phenomena.
VanderKam’s scholarship is consistently judi-
cious and clear, and this excellent collection
will be appreciated by all Second Temple
researchers.
James E. Bowley
Millsaps College
UNDERSTANDING OLD TESTAMENT
ETHICS: APPROACHES AND EXPLORA-
TIONS. By John Barton. Louisville, KY: John
Knox Press, 2003. Pp. xi + 212. $24.95, ISBN
0-664-22596-9.
Barton’s timely book is actually a compila-
tion of a series of articles that have been
published over the course of the author’s
distinguished career. Each chapter of the book
represents a separate article that Barton has
written and each one touches on a different
aspect of the emerging field of Old Testament
ethics. Barton begins the book by, first of all,
acknowledging the foundational contributions
of German scholars to the field, and then he,
secondly, sets the course for a new direction in
the study of Old Testament ethics. In charting
a new research agenda, Barton suggests that
scholars interested in the field of Old Testament
ethics should take into consideration the often
neglected narrative sections of the Hebrew
Bible as opposed to developing an Old Testa-
ment ethic primarily from the poetic materials
of the prophets. Barton moves beyond his initial
proposal in the next few chapters to discuss
important issues centered on Old Testament
ethics: 1) the notion of natural law and poetic
justice; 2) methodological models for develop-
ing Old Testament ethics; and 3) the potential
narrative texts can lend to moral reflection. The
second half of the book is devoted to analyzing
several ethical concepts from the biblical text.
Barton begins this portion of the book with a
study on the ethical implications of the oracles
of nations in Amos 1:3-2:5 and he then pro-
ceeds in the next two chapters to discuss the
ethics of Isaiah of Jerusalem (i.e., justice for the
poor, trust in God, humility, and piety) and
the Isaianic tradition. Lastly, Barton closes out
the book with a review of the theological ethics
in the book of Daniel and the message it con-
tains for both Jews and Gentiles. On the whole,
this book will serve as a valuable resource for
anyone interested in the study of biblical ethics.
Kevin Mellish
Olivet Nazarene University
JUDGES, RUTH. By W. Gary Phillips. Edited
by Max Anders. Holman Old Testament Com-
mentary, 5. Nashville, TN: Broadman and
Holman, 2004. Pp. xiii + 364. $19.99, ISBN
978-0-8054-9465-5.
Phillips has written a commentary on
Judges and Ruth that fulfills the stated purpose
of the Holman Commentary series: to provide
a valuable resource to those in the church who
desire to teach the Bible and to put it in an
“easily digestible” format. Written in a style
that is amenable to a lay audience, this volume
is specifically designed to equip an individual
or team to lead a group Bible study. Phillips
begins his book by offering an introductory
chapter on Judges and Ruth. Although not
overly technical or weighed down by scholarly
jargon, this chapter admirably acquaints lay
readers with the chief historical and theological
issues surrounding these books. The remainder
of the commentary is dedicated to providing an
exegetical evaluation and theological interpre-
tation of the biblical material. Each chapter of
the book is intended to serve as an individual
lesson (twenty-one chapters/lessons), and
Phillips follows a consistent methodology that
guides the reader through each text: introduc-
Religious Studies Review / 253
tion, commentary, conclusion, life application,
prayer, deeper discoveries, teaching outlines,
and issues for discussion. Phillips not only
creatively titles each chapter to catch the
audience’s attention, but he also provides
appropriate illustrations which tie the lessons to
real life. This is an excellent resource for teach-
ers and leaders in a church setting who wish to
conduct a dynamic Bible study.
Kevin Mellish
Olivet Nazarene University
A STORY OF THE PSALMS: CONVERSA-
TION, CANON, AND CONGREGATION.
By V. Steven Parrish. Collegeville, MN: Litur-
gical Press, 2003. Pp. viii + 151. $14.95, ISBN
0-8146-2906-7.
As the title of his book would suggest, Par-
rish sets out to tell the story of the Psalms and
he performs this task in a manner that is useful
for pastoral ministry and the church. In the
opening chapter, the author lays the foundation
of his thought by demonstrating how the vari-
ous books in the Psalter actually retell the nar-
rative of Israel’s past. According to Parrish,
Psalms 1-2 recount Israel’s emergence as a
nation living in fidelity to the Torah, books 1-2
signify the establishment of the Davidic mon-
archy, book 3 represents Israel’s collapse and
the Babylonian exile, books 4-5 denote Israel’s
reemergence from exile which is inspired by
the claim that Yahweh reigns. In chapters two
to five, the author follows his initial argument
by providing detailed information from various
Psalms to support his claims. As Parrish suc-
cessfully delineates and defends his fourfold
schema (emergence, establishment, collapse,
and reemergence), he concludes each chapter
by showing how the lessons learned from the
Psalter can be simultaneously applied to the life
of the church. The results of his work demon-
strate the notion that the various narrative ele-
ments of Israel’s past tell also the story of the
church. By constructing his comparison/
contrast model on the book of Psalms, Parrish
builds a bridge between an ancient context and
a modern one, thereby making it possible for
the church to be in communication with the
biblical text. This creative study of Israel’s past
and the church is highly recommended for
those in pastoral ministry.
Kevin Mellish
Olivet Nazarene University
PSALMS IN COMMUNITY: JEWISH AND
CHRISTIAN TEXTUAL, LITURGICAL,
AND ARTISTIC TRADITIONS. Edited by
Harold W. Attridge and Margot E. Fassler.
SBL Symposium Series, 25. Atlanta, GA:
Society of Biblical Literature, 2003. Pp. xiii
+ 474; photographs. $49.95, ISBN 1-58983-
078-4.
This edited volume of twenty-five essays is
the result of a conference on the Psalms in
Jewish and Christian traditions held at Yale
University in 2002. These essays provide a rich
254 / Religious Studies Review
interfaith discussion on the use of the Psalms
in community from the practical and theoretical
perspective, as well as from the scholarly and
the performative perspective, for the purpose of
studying the contribution of the Psalms in the
lives of Jews and Christians throughout the cen-
turies. The purpose of the book as stated in the
preface is “to help worshipping congregations
restore their psalmody where it is lost and to
understand it more fully where it is not.” The
book begins with sections that provide a histor-
ical and practical framework of the Psalms in
the life of ancient Israel, in Christian origins,
and in formative Judaism and Christianity. Sub-
sequent sections offer essays demonstrating the
use of the Psalms in the Middle Ages and the
Reformation, followed by case studies of con-
temporary practice, and the Psalms as they are
used in preaching and prayer today. Many of
the essays emphasize how the Psalms offer
believers a theologically grounded model for
praise and for understanding the divine–human
relationship. This volume provides illuminating
and thought-provoking material gleaned from
the disciplines of biblical studies, liturgical
studies and theology, and is beneficial for theo-
logical education, as well as for the editors’
stated purpose of helping worshipping congre-
gations understand and restore their psalmody.
Tricia Aven
Claremont Graduate University
CONGRESS VOLUME: LEIDEN 2004.
Edited by André Lemaire. Vetus Testamentum
Supplements, 109. Boston: Brill, 2006.
Pp. vii + 470; 1 plate. $169.00, ISBN 978-90-
04-14913-7.
This volume publishes the papers presented
at the 2004 Meeting of the International Orga-
nization for the Study of the Old Testament,
Leiden, under the presidency of A. van der
Kooij. Papers include those of van der Kooij,
“The City of Babel and Assyrian Imperialism:
Genesis 11:1-9 Interpreted in the Light of
Mesopotamian Sources”; G. J. Brook, “The
Twelve Minor Prophets and the Dead Sea
Scrolls”; C. Dogniez, “Le reconstruction du
Temple selon la Septante de Zacharie”; A.
Schenker, “Die Textgeschichte der Königs-
bücher und ihre Konsequenzen für die Textge-
schichte der hebräischen Bibel”; Z. Herzog,
“Beersheba Valley Archaeology and its Impli-
cations for the Biblical Record”; M. Köckert,
“Die Geschichte der Abrahamüberlieferung”;
N. Na’aman, “The Temple Library of Jerusalem
and the Composition of the Book of Kings”; E.
Noort, “Der reissende Wolf: Josua in Überlief-
erung und Geschichte”; G. I. Davies, “ ‘G-d’ in
Old Testament Theology”; J.-M. Husser,
“Scribes inspires et écrits célestes”; C. A.
Newsom, “Rhyme and Reason: The Historical
Résumé in Israelite and Early Jewish Thought”;
J.-M. Auwers, “Anciens et modernes face au
Cantique des cantiques. Un impossible dia-
logue?”; C. H. J. van der Merwe, “Biblical Exe-
gesis, Cognitive Linguistics and Hypertext”;
B. M. Levinson, “The Manumission of Herme-
neutics: The Slave Laws of the Pentateuch as a
Challenge to Contemporary Pentateuchal The-
ory”; J. S. Y. Pahk, The Role and Significance
of dbry h?ps? (Qoh. 12:10a) for Understanding
Qohelet”; and E. van Wolde, “Towards an ‘Inte-
grated Approach’ in Biblical Studies, Illumi-
nated with a Dialogue between Job 28 and Job
38.” An appendix includes papers on World
Christianity and the Study of the OT by J. Sev-
erino Croatto, A. Kabasselle Mukenge, C. Y. S.
Ho, and a response by J. Barton.
Marvin A. Sweeney
Claremont School of Theology and
Claremont Graduate University
THE STANDARD BABYLONIAN CRE-
ATION MYTH: ENV VMA ELIT T. By Philippe
Talon. State Archives of Assyria Cuneiform
Texts IV. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press,
2005. Pp. xx + 138. $34.00, ISBN 952-10-
1328-1.
This volume is intended to be a pedagogic
edition for the Assyriological community of the
important text of En9ma Elit and is a welcome
addition to the field. The format of this volume,
like the others in the series, provides a brief
introduction to the volume (in English), a list
of the extant manuscripts, a cuneiform tran-
scription, and a translation of the text (in
French). Also included are a glossary (in
French) and a sign list. The author honors the
base of Lambert’s publication for many of the
reconstructions. The only slightly odd presen-
tation in this useful volume is that the author
places his variant apparatus after each four-line
stanza rather than at the bottom of the page.
This follows his thesis that the poem, with a
few exceptions, follows a four-stanza pattern.
While I have not had time to critique the idea
extensively, and the placement of the apparatus
may be helpful, upon first reading it looks odd.
For research libraries.
Tammi J. Schneider
Claremont Graduate University
WHO WERE THE BABYLONIANS? By
Bill T. Arnold. Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical
Literature, 2004. Pp. ix + 148. N.p., ISBN
1-58983-106-3.
This volume provides a compendium of the
history of the Babylonians in their geopolitical
and ethnic context. The objective of the book is
to provide a general survey of current knowl-
edge concerning the Babylonians specifically,
rather than the ancient Mesopotamia in general,
in order to answer the question, “Who were the
Babylonians?” The book is divided into six
chapters. The first chapter sets the stage for the
survey by giving an overview of the geography
of Babylonia, the ethnicity of the Babylonians,
the significance of the Babylonians for biblical
studies, and the sources of study of the Baby-
lonians. The next five chapters cover the history
of Babylonia beginning in the third millennium
BCE and continuing through the Old Babylo-
Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006
nian Period, the Middle Babylonian Period, the
Early Neo-Babylonian Period, and the Neo-
Babylonian Period, ending with the successors
of Nebuchadnezzar. This volume fulfills its
objective of providing a general survey of
Babylonia and is a useful introductory text for
students of history and archaeology, as well as
for biblical scholars interested in the signifi-
cance of the Babylonians in ancient Near East-
ern history in general, and their significance in
biblical studies in particular.
Tricia Aven
Claremont Graduate University
CHAOS UNCREATED: A REASSESS-
MENT OF THE THEME OF “CHAOS” IN
THE HEBREW BIBLE. By Rebecca A.
Watson. New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2005.
Pp. xix + 504. $159.30, ISBN 3-11-017993-8.
This revised Oxford dissertation deals pri-
marily with “chaos” in the Psalms. Watson
argues that the notion of “chaos” is derived
from the Greeks, that divine combat is not
explicit in the First Testament and that in any
case it does not automatically result in “cre-
ation.” She thus proposes “to proceed . . . with
caution, and strictly on the basis of what the
biblical text may, on its own terms and in its
own context, reasonably be thought to convey.”
To this end, she devotes separate chapters to
various groups of Psalms: “Archaic Hebrew
Poetry” (Psalms 29, 68, and 114); “Individual
Laments”, “Royal Laments”, and related
“Thanksgiving Psalms” (Psalms 18, 32, 42-43,
69, 88, 124, and 144); the “Protection of Zion”
(Psalms 24, 46, 65, and 93); “National
Laments” (Psalms 44, 74, 77, and 89 [+ 87]);
“Universal Praise” (Psalms 96, 98, 135, and
148); “Creation of ‘Chaos’ ” (Psalms 24, 33,
95, 104, 146, and 148); and “Crossing the Red
Sea” (Psalms 78, 106, and 106). On the basis
of her detailed examination of each Psalm, she
concludes that none, in and of themselves,
reflect the Chaoskampf motif, chaos in itself, or
a “clear causal link” between chaos and cre-
ation. This is supported by the other biblical
texts most often proposed as containing the
Chaoskampf motif, namely Job plus Isaiah 27,
30, and 51; her analysis of these indicates that
Leviathan and Rahab are not linked to chaos
nor do all of those biblical texts even entail
Yahweh defeating the dragon in battle. While
not all will be persuaded by this treatment of
the biblical texts in total isolation from the
comparative literature, this book is recom-
mended for scholars and advanced students
interested in the topic of chaos and creation.
John L. McLaughlin
University of St. Michael’s College
THE OLD TESTAMENT APOCRYPHA:
AN INTRODUCTION. By Otto Kaiser.
Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2004.
Pp. xiii + 125. $16.95, ISBN 1-56563-693-7.
In the first sentence, Kaiser untangles a knot
of terms (“deuterocanonical,” “apocrypha”)
Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006
and clarifies a confusing history of transmission
(included in the Greek Bible but not in the
Hebrew Bible and handled differently by
Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protes-
tant churches) that generally complicate the
study of OT apocryphal literature. The book
provides the beginning and intermediate bibli-
cal student with a clear, well-organized
approach to the OT works that arose in the
period when Judaism came into contact with
the Greeks and ended when the Romans con-
quered Jerusalem and with the final, failed Bar
Kokhba revolt. In the literature of this era, the
thinking on angels and eschatology is fully
developed and new works of prophecy and
theodicy enter the scriptural canon. Kaiser
organizes the OT apocryphal works in sections:
historical works, which include 1 and 2 Macca-
bees; narratives such as the Book of Tobit;
prophetic books, including Baruch and The
Letter of Jeremiah; postbiblical psalms like the
Prayer of Manessah; and the apocryphal wis-
dom books, which are Sirach and the Wisdom
of Solomon. The discussion on each book
includes the author’s thesis statement, a synop-
sis of the book and a discussion of the scholarly
and theological issues attached to each work
(e.g., chronology and sources; language and
witnesses to the text; theological character; date
and author; literary and historical character;
significance of the text; and transmission of the
text). Furthermore, each section ends with a
useful and thorough bibliography of its subject
text. The book is recommended reading for all
biblical studies students. Biblical studies teach-
ers and professors will also find that the book
is an excellent teaching resource.
Susan E. Bond
Claremont Graduate University
THE LORD HAS SAVED ME: A STUDY
OF THE PSALM OF HEZEKIAH (ISAIAH
38:9-20). By Michael L. Barré, S.S. The Cath-
olic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series, 39.
Washington, DC: The Catholic Biblical Asso-
ciation of America, 2005. Pp. x + 294. N.p.,
ISBN 0-915170-38-8.
In this volume, the author makes use of tex-
tual and rhetorical criticism to resolve textual
difficulties in the psalm of Hezekiah. Barré’s
purpose is to arrive at the clearest possible
understanding of this psalm in order to restore
it to the “original text.” Chapter one gives an
overview of the structure of the psalm, while
chapters two to seven deal with a specific sec-
tion of the psalm by discussing the MT, fol-
lowed by textual remarks concerning that
section and an emended text and translation
resulting from the textual criticism. The
emended text is then followed by rhetorical-
critical observations which focus on the poetic
aspects of the section. Each chapter concludes
with general comments, providing commentary
on the section of the psalm discussed in that
chapter. Chapter 8 deals with the issues of lit-
erary genre, composition date, and authorship.
In this chapter, Barré argues against the prevail-
ing view of this psalm as a postexilic com-
position and points out based on linguistic
indicators that the psalm contains features that
classify it as standard biblical Hebrew, resulting
in a preexilic date for the psalm. Chapter nine
looks at the psalm in the context of Isaiah 36-
38, and chapter ten summarizes the author’s
achievement of a more accurate understanding
of the psalm as a piece of ancient Hebrew
poetry, an understanding further demonstrated
by the emended text and translations in the
appendix that follow. This volume provides an
in-depth scholarly approach for any student or
scholar interested in a critical study of the
psalm of Hezekiah.
Tricia Aven
Claremont Graduate University
THE LEVITICAL AUTHORSHIP OF
EZRA-NEHEMIAH. By Kyung-jin Min. New
York: T&T Clark, 2004. Pp. xii + 179. $120.00,
ISBN 0-567-08226-1.
From gatekeepers to prophets (Jeremiah),
the Levites ascended the ladder of priestly suc-
cess—careful study of biblical text reveals the
story of the rise (and fall?) of the Levitical
priesthood in relation to the Zadokite and
Aaronite priestly classes. In his analytical
study, Min argues that Levitical priests wrote
the book of Ezra-Nehemiah, which is evidence
of their elevation of status in the early Second
Temple period. He further argues that Ezra-
Nehemiah is a unity of text and that it is dis-
continuous with Chronicles. Min develops his
arguments in two ways: he documents the his-
tory of scholarship and he analyzes word usage.
In the first level of argument, Min gives a
detailed account of scholarship on issues of
authorship, priesthood, and unity of text. He
builds his own arguments by examining,
Aquinas-like, each assertion of scholarship and
refutes or agrees, giving his reasoning and con-
clusions on each point. On the second level of
argument, Min examines word usage statistics
to argue for unity of text and Levitical author-
ship in Ezra-Nehemiah. Min’s work is an excel-
lent piece of scholarship on the Levitical
priesthood. The book, however, would benefit
from an introductory narrative line in each sec-
tion to help the reader give meaning to the
scholarship. For example, he should tell the
reader the difference between the Levites and
the priests up front, rather than burying it in
scholarly argumentation. This work will be of
interest to biblical scholars and students of the
early Second Temple period.
Susan E. Bond
Claremont Graduate University
READING BIBLICAL POETRY: AN
INTRODUCTORY GUIDE. By J. P. Fokkel-
man. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox
Press, 2001. Pp. viii + 280. $24.95, ISBN
0-664-22439-3.
Religious Studies Review / 255
One-third of the Hebrew Bible is poetry.
Most of it is in Psalms, Proverbs, and Job; the
Song of Songs and Lamentations are also
poetry and the prophets often speak in poetic
lines, some of which famously recur in the New
Testament (e.g., Mary’s song of praise and
Zachariah’s prophecy on John the Baptist).
Fokkelman’s work is an in-depth introduction
to this important literary form of biblical writ-
ing for readers who rely on English translations
of Hebrew. Fokkelman notes that poetry is
dense language and that Hebrew is especially
dense—compared to English, Hebrew is pithy
and concise, which affects the way Hebrew
poets shape their poetic forms. The work dis-
cusses the Hebrew poets’ use of parallelism
with its endless ability to play with language
and to draw out meaning through repetition and
variation; the use of the numbers two and three
to give mathematical precision and rhythm to
their work; and their three essential building
blocks of poetry: 1) colons that carry poetics;
2) verses that structure meaning; and 3) stro-
phes that direct rhetoric. Fokkelman’s insight-
ful analysis of strophe is a welcome addition to
the much-analyzed use of parallelism in
Hebrew poetry. Finally, Fokkelman contextual-
izes his discussion of Hebrew poetry in light of
recent literary theories that take into account
audience, reader, the whole of the text and,
concepts of signifier/signified, which makes
this work lively and up-to-date. The glossary of
literary terms at the back is a useful resource
for beginning and intermediate students of
literary forms. This work is an introduction
“plus”—it will serve all levels of students and
scholars of Hebrew Bible poetry.
Susan E. Bond
Claremont Graduate University
LAMENTATIONS. By F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp.
Edited by James Luther Mays. Interpretation:
A Biblical Commentary for Teaching and
Preaching. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press,
2002. Pp. xiv + 159. $ 24.95, ISBN 0-8042-
3141-9.
Can any biblical book speak to our present
times as well as Lamentations? Dobbs-Allsopp
gives a scholarly and perceptive literary analy-
sis of Lamentations with a keen ear for the way
the voice of the ancient poet speaks to the
anguish of our age. The purpose of the Abing-
don Press Interpretation Series, of which this
work is a part, is to complement the ongoing
historical and theological work of biblical stud-
ies with extra sources that enlarge on the work
of scholarship. This work fulfills that purpose.
Dobbs-Allsopp has a deep understanding of
biblical lyric poetry which he communicates to
the reader with brilliant, imaginative images:
“Grief, guilt, forgiveness, anger, compassion,
hope, despair and shame . . . erupt as a complex
of separate streams like wadis in a desert, each
following its own course through the poetry.”
He eloquently notes the distinctive capacity of
lyric poetry to express the suffering of nation
256 / Religious Studies Review
and human persons facing the abandonment,
silence, and even violence of God. The work
includes an excellent analysis of the Lamenta-
tion poet’s literary tools: 1) enjambment to give
a sense of forward movement; 2) alphabetical
acrostic to structure outpouring emotion; and
3) the use of the metaphor of Jerusalem as a
grieving woman to give personhood to the
city’s grief. He makes an intelligent case for
the literary unity of Lamentations without
insisting on it; he effectively describes Hebrew
word sounds so that the English-speaking
reader can understand the way Hebrew poetry
uses sound as lyric. Pastors, counselors and
ministers charged with helping those who suf-
fer will find this work an excellent meditative
study-guide for deepening thought on the expe-
rience of suffering in light of faith. Biblical
students and professors who are studying the
way biblical poetry addresses the problem of
suffering and theodicy will find this work lively
and compelling.
Susan E. Bond
Claremont Graduate University
DEFENDING GOD: BIBLICAL
RESPONSES TO THE PROBLEM OF
EVIL. By James Crenshaw. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2005. Pp. x + 275. $37.50,
ISBN 0-19-514002-8.
Crenshaw’s volume is a compilation of his
thoughts and works on problem of evil. He
explores the long-standing struggle of compre-
hending the persistence of evil by presenting
various trends in responding to the issue: to
deny the existence of God, to acquiesce to tra-
dition, or to postulate the existence and domi-
nance of a demon. Having set that foundation
in part one, part two examines the definition of
God as the chief agent in a system where evil
persists. Included in this exploration is a discus-
sion of God’s character and power, for example,
vulnerability, control, order of creation, punish-
ment, and tension between justice and mercy.
Finally, part three looks at the human agents as
respondents to the presence of evil and the
attempts to address the issue, including appeal
to the mystery of evil and deferred justice.
Crenshaw dialogues with the biblical and extra-
biblical texts and thus grounds the discussion
within specific ideological frameworks, e.g.,
Job and his friends, Psalms 14, 73, and 82,
Ecclesiastes, Daniel 12, Isaiah 52-53, 4 Ezra,
and Wisdom of Solomon 11:15-12:27. Because
of his clear perception of the complexity of the
subject matter and his comprehensive look at
the range of perspectives, Crenshaw illustrates
that the problem of evil, while addressed by
Israel and other ancient cultures, is part of the
ongoing human dialogue and challenge. This
book compels a place in contemporary theolog-
ical and exegetical discussions on the problem
of evil.
Mignon R. Jacobs
Fuller Theological Seminary
HANDBOOK ON THE WISDOM BOOKS
AND PSALMS. JOB, PSALMS, PROV-
ERBS, ECCLESIASTES, SONG OF
SONGS. By Daniel J. Estes. Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Academic, 2005. Pp. 448. $34.99,
ISBN 0-8010-2699-7.
Intended for advanced undergraduates,
seminary students, pastors, and lay teachers,
this handbook does three things: 1) it offers a
brief introductory analysis of each of the five
poetic books; 2) it gives an extensive commen-
tary (for Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs),
thematic treatments (Proverbs), or examination
of select textual units (Psalms); and 3) it pro-
vides a full bibliography on each book. The
latter is limited to English works on the
assumption that readers will be unable to
understand books in other languages, but this
practice seriously limits the analysis. The con-
servative view of the author is also a limiting
factor, although somewhat mitigated by Estes’s
policy of citing the exact words of major inter-
preters. That is especially true with respect to
the analysis of Ecclesiastes, which is by far the
most thorough of the five chapters. Despite a
long bibliography on Job, the interpretation
demonstrates considerably less dialogue with
modern authors on Estes’s part. Perhaps the
most surprising, and least convincing of all his
interpretive turns, is the claim that Song of
Songs 4:1-5:1 depicts a wedding between the
two lovers. Given his intended readers, one can
excuse the flirting with Solomonic authorship
for the three books that bear an inscription con-
taining his name. Nevertheless, the salvaging
of Ecclesiastes by distinguishing between what
is under the sun and what is the transcendental
realm above the sun strikes me as a refusal to
accept the radical pessimism of Ecclesiastes.
The result removes the sting of this extraordi-
nary questioning of traditional religion. Still, I
find this handbook useful for evangelical read-
ers and I applaud Estes’s openness to different
voices.
James L. Crenshaw
Duke University
CREATION AND DESTRUCTION: A
REAPPRAISAL OF THE CHAOSKAMPF
THEORY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. By
David Toshio Tsumura. Winona Lake, IN:
Eisenbrauns, 2005. Pp. xviii + 214. $32.50,
ISBN 1-57506-106-6.
The first part of this volume is a revision of
The Earth and the Waters in Genesis 1 and 2:
A Linguistic Investigation (Journal for the
Study of the Old Testament Supplements, 83;
Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1989). After detailed
comparative studies of the etymology and
usage of the terms in the biblical, Sumerian
and Semitic literature, he concludes that t8hû
w/b8hû does not denote chaos but simply the
earth’s emptiness before God’s creative activ-
ity begins. Similarly, tĕhôm derives from the
common noun meaning “ocean” and refers to
the subterranean water; it is not a depersonifi-
Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006
cation of a divine name. Thus, the creation
stories in Genesis 1-2 are not linked to chaos,
and therefore not to the Chaoskampf motif.
Moreover, in Genesis 1 the earth is totally
under water while in Genesis 2 only the land
(’ ăd/mâ) is under water; the two chapters
present subsequent stages of creation. The sec-
ond part of the book supplements the first by
analyzing poetic texts that have been suggested
as reflecting the Chaoskampf, specifically
Psalms 18, 29, and 26, and Habakkuk 3. In
each case, Tsumura concludes that the relevant
passages “use the language of storms and
floods metaphorically.” Tsumura calls for a
distinction between creation myths that do not
involve divine combat and myths in which
divine combat occurs separately from creation.
For scholars libraries.
John L. McLaughlin
University of St. Michael’s College
FROM PROPHECY TO TESTAMENT:
THE FUNCTION OF THE OLD TESTA-
MENT IN THE NEW. Edited by Craig A.
Evans. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers,
2004. Pp. xx + 280. $22.95, ISBN 1-56563-
765-8.
This volume brings together twelve essays
by well-known scholars, all of which illuminate
an important aspect of New Testament theology
and the ways NT authors interpreted and made
use of Old Testament Scripture. Each author
relates their topic to the thesis of the book that
every significant theological element in the NT
is a development of theology expressed in the
Christian OT, the Jewish Tanakh, or the schol-
ars’ Hebrew Bible. The first two essays exam-
ine the Aramaic version and how it aids NT
interpretation, while the next two essays inves-
tigate the role of the OT in the infancy narra-
tives in Matthew’s gospel. The following three
essays look at the function of the OT in the
gospels of Luke and John. Subsequent essays
explore elements of the OT found in the book
of Acts, as well as examining two highly con-
troversial subjects found in the letters of Paul.
An essay by B. Kahl deals with the story of
Hagar and the history of the Church’s interpre-
tation or misinterpretation of the Galatian
account of the Genesis story. In “The Culpabil-
ity of Eve: From Genesis to Timothy,” G.
Anderson examines several options for the
interpretation of Eve’s culpability addressed in
I Timothy 2. While this book provides a very
informative introduction for students to the
function of the OT in the NT, each essay also
contains technical work that introduces new
ideas, making it quite useful for students and
scholars alike.
Tricia Aven
Claremont Graduate University
MAJOR POEMS OF THE HEBREW
BIBLE: AT THE INTERFACE OF PROS-
ODY AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS.
VOLUME IV: JOB 15-42. By J. P. Fokkel-
Volume 32 Number 4 / October 2006
man. Studia Semitica Neerlandica: Volume 47.
Edited by W.J. van Bekkum, et al. The Nether-
lands: Van Gorcum, 2004. Pp. 215. 466.
$109.50, ISBN 90-232-4072-3.
Fokkelman has written the as yet undiscov-
ered Manual of Style for Hebrew Bible poets
by working in reverse from the text. In this
fourth volume of studies on biblical poetry,
Fokkelman masterfully completes his argument
that numerical perfection is an essential feature
of the art of the biblical poet. In doing so, he
gives his reader a rigorous lesson on the ele-
ments of poetry: 1) syllables and words; 2) cola
and verses; 3) strophes and stanzas; and 4) the
way the mathematical aspect of these forms
give structure and meaning to the poetry of Job.
For his study, Fokkelman uses unpointed
Masoretic (“pre-Masoretic”) text, which
slightly reduces the number of syllables in
words. (The unpointed text of Job 15–42 is
included in the appendix.) Among his many
interesting discoveries, Fokkelman finds that
the number eight is the basic organizing num-
ber of Job poetics and in chapter fifteen, Elip-
haz and Job each speak exactly 557 syllables
(!). This work is a valuable addition to the con-
versation about how language works on two
levels: to evoke image and structure thought.
Fokkelman analyzes the mathematical element
of Hebrew poetry to show how it undergirds
and structures the evocative function of this
poetry. He shows how the Job poetry buffed the
diamond of his/her work to sparkling precision.
This work is for scholars and students working
on a structural analysis of Job; and for all stu-
dents who wish to deepen their understanding
of Hebrew Bible poetry.
Susan E. Bond
Claremont Graduate University
THE DISSENTING READER: FEMINIST
APPROACHES TO THE HEBREW BIBLE.
By Eryl W. Davies. Burlington, VT: Ashgate,
2003. Pp. viii + 143. $29.95, ISBN 0-75460-
890-5.
Davies begins with a helpful and sympa-
thetic survey of feminist biblical interpretation,
including both an overview of some current
positions and a history of their development. He
points out that feminism’s resistance to patriar-
chy is not limited to the biblical texts alone but
extends to the practice of academic biblical
scholarship as well. Taking feminist concerns
seriously, he seeks a way forward with the help
of reader-response criticism. Specifically, he
offers a model of the resisting or “dissenting
reader” as one who practices a hermeneutic of
suspicion to read “against the grain” of the
text’s ideology. Davies notes that such an
approach to reading can be of value for resist-
ing not only the text’s patriarchy but other
destructive ideologies as well. To counter the
objection that such an approach is problematic
for the authority of the biblical text, he affirms
that such resistance is present already within
the texts and traditions of the Bible itself. Well-
written and accessible, this book could serve as
an introduction for those new to feminist inter-
pretation, and it provides an especially helpful
guide to the work of discerning a text’s ideol-
ogy and then engaging critically with it.
Shane Kirkpatrick
Anderson University
WHEN HEROES LOVE: THE AMBIGU-
ITY OF EROS IN THE STORIES OF GIL-
GAMESH AND DAVID. By Susan Ackerman.
Gender, Theory, and Religion. New York:
Columbia University Press, 2005. Pp. xvi +
353. $45.00, ISBN 0-231-50725-9.
Ackerman closely reads narratives of male
bonding in the Epic of Gilgamesh (Gilgamesh
and Enkidu) and the biblical story of David
(David and Jonathan). Paying attention to at
times conflicting scholarly perspectives, Acker-
man takes the narratives seriously in their own
historical context and, paying close attention to
ideologies of gender and sexuality, urges read-
ers to resist the temptation of seeing in the
ancient heroes prototypes for modern gay
homosexual bonding. The first chapter presents
a good summary of existing approaches to
studying homosexuality in ancient times and
should be useful to readers unfamiliar with the
debates in the field. Ackerman demonstrates
with carefully researched detail that erotic
imagery and sexual language need to be con-
textualized in Mesopotamian and ancient Isra-
elite culture and in specific narrative strategies
of the texts. Turner’s anthropological work on
rites of passage provides a framework for
understanding some of the conflicting aspects
of the narratives: Gilgamesh and David are
each portrayed as liminal heroes “betwixt and
between.” While carefully pointing out struc-
tural similarities, Ackerman suggests that the
two narratives’ use of ambiguity and liminality
ultimately serve different literary and political
agendas. An engaging and accessible book rich
with carefully documented detail from biblical
and literary scholarship, anthropology, and his-
torical gender studies, When Heroes Love is
an important contribution to interdisciplinary
approaches to narratives of gender and sexual-
ity in the ancient Near East.
Claudia Schippert
University of Central Florida
Greece, Rome,
Greco-Roman
Period
CLASSICAL ATHENS AND THE DEL-
PHIC ORACLE: DIVINATION AND
DEMOCRACY. By Hugh Bowden. Cam-
bridge, MA: Cambridge University Press,
2005. Pp. xviii + 188; illustrations, maps.
Religious Studies Review / 257
Cloth, $70.00, ISBN 0-521-82373-0; paper,
$27.99, ISBN 0-521-53081-4.
Bowden’s book is a well-researched, lucid
exploration of the role of the Delphic Oracle in
Athenian democracy. It is written for scholars
but accessible enough to be read in an under-
graduate classroom where it could serve as a
foil to R. Rorty’s Philosophy and Social Hope
in provoking a discussion of the role of religion
in a democratic society. Bowden argues that
classical Athens was highly motivated by reli-
gious concerns and that the Delphic Oracle had
a central position in guiding public policy on
the most important issues, making the institu-
tions of religious life central rather than periph-
eral in Athenian democracy. Far from being
the prototype of modern secular democracy,
Bowden argues, classical Athens was in some
sense theocratic. Bowden establishes this by
looking at the literary/inscriptional evidence to
reconstruct what Athenians thought about the
Oracle, to determine the manner in which they
consulted the Oracle and on what questions,
and finally to provide an overall assessment of
the Oracle’s place in Athenian society. While
Bowden’s method appears to be sound and
his research thoroughly and painstakingly exe-
cuted, his rhetoric can be both ideological and
provocative. He claims, for instance, that clas-
sical Athens was more like the Taliban of
Afghanistan than a contemporary Western
democracy and accuses scholars who believe
Athenian democracy was secular of having a
“liberal agenda.” While Bowden’s politics and
rhetoric are ancillary to his main argument, they
may distract readers hoping for a less politi-
cally freighted treatment of the subject matter.
P. J. Johnston
University of Iowa
ANONYME DE SEGUIER: ART DU DIS-
COURS POLITIQUE. Edited and translated
by Michel Patrillon. Collection des Universites
de France publies sous le paronage de l’Asso-
ciation Guillaume Bude. Paris: Les Belles
Lettres, 2005. Pp. xcxi + 150. €47.00, ISBN
2-251-00526-9.
This anonymous rhetorical treatise deals
with political oratory. Its title comes from its
discoverer, Séguier de St Brisson, who pub-
lished the editio princeps in 1840. Patillon’s
edition is outstanding; it should now be the
standard edition for scholarly research. The
introduction first gives a detailed description of
the character and content of the treatise, then
discusses the “indirect textual tradition.” It con-
tains a description of earlier rhetoricians cited
or referred to in the treatise (Neokles, Alexan-
dros, son of Noumenios, Harpokration, Apol-
lodoros of Pergamum, Theodore of Gadara,
Zeno of Athens, and possibly Cornutus). After
discussing the content as a discussion of gener-
ally accepted rhetorical doctrine, a manual
based on tradition, he surveys the textual tradi-
tion and earlier editions. The Greek text has an