More than one biblical scholar has urged people to attempt to read the Bible with “fresh eyes.”
The problem is that it’s tough to do that.
Everett Fox has scholars praising his translation of the first five books of Moses for its technical merits, but it really shines in its ability to display the “foreign-ness” of this literature, which comes to us from across the millennia and the other side of the cultural spectrum.
Familiar names are rendered in their Hebrew – YHWH and Moshe; Avraham, Yaakov and Yosef.
The structure of the original Hebrew is retained. For example:
“They said to Moshe:
is it because there are no graves in Egypt
that you have taken us out to die in the wilderness?
What is this that you have done, bringing us out of Egypt?
Is this not the very word that we spoke to you in Egypt,
saying: Let us alone, that we may serve Egypt!
Indeed better for us serving Egypt
than our dying in the wilderness!”
Excellent linguistic commentary is added:
“God made the dome*
and separated the waters that were below the dome from
the waters that were above the dome
It was so.
God called the dome: Heaven!
(*dome: Hebrew, raki’a, literally a beaten sheet of metal.)”
This translation offers a unique opportunity for those without knowledge of Hebrew to catch a glimpse of the language’s beauty and glean insight.
This book was once over $100 but was recently made available as a paperback for under $20 from vendors such as Amazon.com.
Recent Comments
Mar 11 Rev. John Sawtelle on Genesis 3:1-24 | Total Depravity
Stan I don't think these questions you would like to dialogue about are to racey for the web page, so go ahead, and let's start our dialogue by dealing with the first question, "have we sold our inheritance to politics?". Let's have a reasonable dis… continue reading »
Mar 11 Stan De Leeuw on Genesis 3:1-24 | Total Depravity
Rev. Sawtelle... Call me old-fashioned but I like the reverend more than the pastor moniker for reasons we will explore at some other point in time and in a different discussion...I am just glad that you responded...so many others only have opinio… continue reading »
Mar 10 Rev. John Sawtelle on Genesis 3:1-24 | Total Depravity
Stan, Let me begin by saying that I am happy to hear that you have not "lost your faith" as you put it. It sounds like you have struggled with sin in a very profound way and have come to know by your experience what the "total depravity" is which you… continue reading »
Mar 10 Stan De Leeuw on Genesis 3:1-24 | Total Depravity
I am a true Prodigal Son!!! Born and raised in the CRC, I have struggled with my Faith all my life...my struggles are not in the believing arena but in the implementation of my faith on a daily basis!!! I have left God many times but He has never lef… continue reading »
Feb 27 Brian Cochran on Heidelberg Catechism for iPhone now available
Thanks for this app! What a resource! Brian… continue reading »
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