Tanakh English

Can the Bible be approached both as sacred scripture and as a historical and literary text? For many people, it must be one or the other. How can we read the Bible both ways? The Bible and the Believer brings together three distinguished biblical scholars--one Jewish, one Catholic, and one Protestant--to illustrate how to read the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament critically and religiously.

Author Jennifer Rothschild has a story for you. It's about an unlikely couple, an unusual courtship, a beautiful wedding, and an illicit affair. Despite this situation, the marriage did not fail. It flourished. Here is the story of Hosea's love for Gomer - a woman who might have disappeared into her transgressions if not for the love of her husband. It's a beautiful illustration of the story of God and Israel.

The God of the Old Testament commanded and endorsed many practices that we find morally reprehensible today. High on the list was the institution of slavery, which features prominently in several sections of the Hebrew Bible. Fathers could sell their daughters into slavery, masters could beat their slaves, creditors could carry off children for failure to repay a debt, and foreigners could be kept for life, passed down as inherited property. How are we to make sense of all of this from our modern point of view?

Does the Tanakh (the “Old Testament”) teach the divinity of the Messiah (the Christ)? The answer is “yes!” and this book will show how. The development of the Messiah theme in the Tanakh is a subtle progressive revelation, but there is nevertheless plenty there to demonstrate that a great king will one day come who will reconcile Jews and Gentiles back to God and will rule the earth as not only the son of David but also as the Son of God. To our natural minds, this seems impossible: the infinite God coming to us as a finite man; “but with God all things are possible.”

Brennan W. Breed claims that biblical interpretation should focus on the shifting capacities of the text, viewing it as a dynamic process rather than a static product. Rather than seeking to determine the original text and its meaning, Breed proposes that scholars approach the production, transmission, and interpretation of the biblical text as interwoven elements of its overarching reception history.

“I didn’t think he’d do it. I really didn’t think he would. I thought he’d say, whoa, hold on, wait a minute. We made a deal, remember, the land, the blessing, the nation, the descendants as numerous as the sands on the shore and the stars in the sky.” So begins James Goodman’s original and urgent encounter with one of the most compelling and resonant stories ever told - God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

What if an angel hadn't stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac? What does Genesis seem to be telling us about taking revenge? Or what is it saying about capital punishment? Drawing on biblical commentary from throughout the ages, Alan Dershowitz shines a brilliant legal light on the stories that comprise the foundation of our society.

A multitude of Biblical stories have been censored, mistranslated, ignored, and even banned by religious authorities due to their erotic, violent, or mysterious content. Here, Jonathan Kirsch recounts some of the most startling and explicit writings from the Old Testament.

Also: The Old Testament: An Introduction, Part 1 and Part 2

A scientist and former evangelical argues that holding onto a belief in a literal, historical Adam has forced many Christians to reject science and become intellectually isolated from the modern world.

During its 2,500-year life, the book of Genesis has been the keystone to almost every important claim about reality, humanity, and God in Judaism and Christianity. And it continues to play a central role in debates about science, politics, and human rights. With clarity and skill, acclaimed biblical scholar Ronald Hendel provides a panoramic history of this iconic book, exploring its impact on Western religion, philosophy, science, politics, literature, and more.

The God of the Old Testament commanded and endorsed many practices that we find morally reprehensible today. High on the list was the institution of slavery, which features prominently in several sections of the Hebrew Bible. Fathers could sell their daughters into slavery; masters could beat their slaves; creditors could carry off children for failure to repay a debt; and foreigners could be kept for life, passed down as inherited property. How are we to make sense of all of this from our modern point of view?

Some people find the Old Testament to be confusing, out of date, and essentially replaced by the New Testament. They are missing out. The Old Testament offers us a grand narrative that reveals God's work, God's purposes, and God's wisdom. Christopher J. H. Wright fits the pieces together and shows us the coherent whole. Using seven key sentences drawn straight from the Old Testament, he connects the dots and points us toward Jesus.

While arguing with the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; . . .” In this book we will examine the Tanakh in order to assess the validity of Jesus’ claim. Hesed Volume One is the first book in a four volume series written for Jewish people who want to know the truth about Jesus.

Witnessing the burning bush. Crossing the Red Sea. Collecting manna in the wilderness. Surviving the fiery furnace. Each miracle reminds us that the Old Testament is applicable in our lives today. Take an in-depth look at the divine acts the Lord and his prophets performed.

This book explores the concept of prophecy in Judaism as defined by two great figures of Jewish history. Moses Maimonides and Abraham Joshua Heschel are two influential scholars who have impacted the many streams of Judaism. A simplistic dichotomy could be made between their two perspectives labeling Maimonides as a rational philosopher and Heschel as a mystical one. Both the study of Jewish prophecy and the approaches of both of the scholars are complex topics, but not impossible to decipher. The nature of revelation is also part of this discussion.

Marijuana in the Bible: Cannabis in the Tanakh, Divine Mathematics and the Cure for Cancer delves into the historical, linguistic, and spiritual contexts of cannabis in the Hebrew Bible, offering a fresh perspective on a plant that has been both venerated and vilified throughout history. The book provides compelling evidence and scholarly interpretations that suggest cannabis was a significant component in the sacred anointing oil and other holy applications.

This is a book that questions the stories in those scriptures and challenges their historicity. Sound interesting? The author thinks so too! Listen to The Case of History VS the Tanakh and the Bible and learn about how these books compare to history.

On a visit to Jerusalem, Bruce Feiler has a revelation: the stories of the Bible occurred in real places, places he could visit today. So he sets out on a perilous 10,000 mile journey retracing the greatest stories ever told.

In biblical times, culture was all about patriarchs. A person’s ancestors were identified by the fathers, marriages were arranged when girls were 12 years old, and when they became women, they were rarely seen. They only had worth if they were married and a mother. In this study, you will learn how the stories of biblical women relate to us today. All of the women have one thing in common: Jesus. By listening to their stories, you will learn why as believers, it is imperative to remember that God extends grace to all.

The goal of this book is not to convert individuals to any specific religion, but to open up our understanding of how to hear God’s voice for ourselves within whatever group we live in. Think of it like this: each of us has been given a piece of paper. None of us has a whole piece of paper because there is no way we could totally understand Him. So, each of us is missing parts of the paper: some more than others.