Outstanding read. ( )

James Kugel, of Harvard University, offers a compelling vision of the ancient development of Biblical interpretation through his far-reaching exploration "The Bible as It Was." Using Jewish and Christian writings dating from roughly 200 BC to AD 100, Kugel traces how the interpretations of Torah were fused onto retellings of the scriptures themselves, shaping how the holy writings were read thereafter.

The breadth of Kugel's examples is astounding, incorporating much of the extant Jewish and then Christian writing of the roughly 300 year period he focuses upon. Story by story, especially when covering Genesis (roughly half of the book), Kugel lays out the scriptural text and then shows how early interpreters shaped the reading of it.

Kugel's analysis is important for several reasons, especially to practicing Jews and Christians and to those who would understand their canonized scriptures. Kugel demonstrates that the writings have always been interpreted texts, which means that the sermons and meditations of modern faith have a heritage that can be traced back to the earliest days. For Christians, Kugel offers an intriguing account of the Bible, and its interpretation, that would have been prevalent during Jesus' lifetime, which offers a much better context for understanding his teaching and ministry.

This book is an outstanding resource for students of the Bible (both Jewish and Christian) and is enthusiastically recommended. ( )

A Guide to the Hebrew Bible.

NO OF PAGES: 680 SUB CAT I: Bible Study SUB CAT II: SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: This is a companion to the Bible like no other. Leading us chapter by chapter through Biblical stories-from Creation and the Tree of Knowledge through the Exodus from Egypt and journey to the Promised Land.NOTES: SUBTITLE: