Understanding the Hebrew Bible: A Reader's Guide

Rabin, a scholar of comparative and Hebrew literature based in New York City, says that the Bible conveys its simple message in such a long and complicated series of stories from over so long a time that many people get lost. He offers a guide to help general readers orient themselves from wherever they find themselves in the text, identifying six major genres--storytelling, law, history, prophecy, wisdom, and poetry--each with its own style and reflecting the perspectives of different groups within ancient Israel. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Based on his belief that people need to discover the meaning of the Bible for themselves, Rabin offers this guide to help them "navigate its passages." Administrator of an adult education center at the 92nd Street Y in New York, he is a specialist in Hebrew literature who has taught in Indiana and Kentucky as well as New York. Rabin uses non-technical language to bring together biblical scholarship, archaeology and literary analysis as the basis for his manual. He concentrates on the Hebrew Bible, differentiating it from the "Old Testament" as used by Christians, pointing out that both the order of the books and their significance are at variance. Asserting that the Bible is primarily a book of questions, the author holds that it is best approached by recognizing that it contains six types of writing: storytelling, law, history, prophecy, wisdom and poetry. A chapter is devoted to each, except for history, which is divided into sections on history in the Bible and the history of the Bible. Rabin cites and analyzes passages from the Bible, but he emphasizes the reader's responsibility for interpretation and dissection. In the end, he points the way but remains true to his objective of placing the ultimate onus on the reader. He succeeds handsomely in providing a handbook that will make it easier to grasp the Bible.
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