Genesis: a commentary

Abstract

The profound learning, accurate scholarship, and deep Christian feeling evident on every page of the commentary make it of the greatest value to the student of the Old Testament, and one of the most important contributions to biblical scholarship in recent times' (Times Literary Supplement). 'The warm welcome given by this journal and many others to von Rad's Genesis when it was first translated into English, in the Old Testament Library series, has been amply justified. During the last decade its usefulness on particular points has often been helpful; now the opportunity to read it right through once more has brought a fresh reminder of its broader insights and penetrating analysis. In particular, one is impressed by the very positive assessment of so many of the religious traditions of the patriarchal period. This revised edition has had the introduction and the commentary on chapters 1-11 completely reset; elsewhere the changes are limited to what was possible in a photographic reproduction . , . in general the most striking change is that many judgments are expressed with more caution and less precision than was formerly the case. New material includes an interesting section on the historicity of the patriarchs . An important expansion of what was previously a very brief statement shows how the theological significance of Genesis 1 far outruns the mere statement that God created the world, and how that chapter does much to elucidate Israel's understanding of her status before her God. There are numerous other detailed changes, and the opportunity has also been taken to remove some of the infelicities of the translation. All in all, then, this revision is most welcome' (Theology). Gerhard von Rad, who died in 1971 after completing this revision of Genesis, was for many years Professor of Old Testament in the University of Heidelberg.

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