Synopses & Reviews
The narratives of Solomon and Jeroboam, of Elijah and Ahab, have fascinated readers for millennia. Even apart from questions of historical authenticity, they are gripping stories of richly drawn characters caught up in the complex tale of God's dealings with Israel. This study explores the narrative world created by 1 Kings' ancient Israelite Author - the people who inhabit it, the lives they live, the deeds they do, and the face of God who is revealed in their stories.
An introduction explains the significance of 1 Kings as a historical narrative. Originally intended as a literal history, after centuries of writing and rewriting it is now as much a literary work as a historical one: The views of those who formed it can be discerned and studied. Walsh also explains how the rich traditions of Hebrew prose narrative and the Hebrew language itself affect our reading of 1 Kings.
Review
. . . thorough and even exciting. The scholarship and the research are impressive.The Priest
Review
. . . a good beginning for a series that promises to treat the entire Hebrew Bible from a narrative-critical perspective.America
Review
These new commentaries should be very helpful for both translation officers and translators. Walsh pays close attention to the structure of the text but also comments on individual words and phrases, especially when showing connections between different verses in the Hebrew text which may not be clear in most translations. . . . There is no other series - in English at least - which gives such careful attention to literary critical matters in reading the text.The Bible Translator
Review
Moving away from dry exposition, [Walsh] displays the storyteller's flair and thus draws the reader into the intricate interplay of events and characters. In so doing, he releases the narrative's power to work on its reader.Ashland Theological Journal
Synopsis
The narratives of Solomon and Jeroboam, of Elijah and Ahab, have fascinated readers for millennia. They are the principal foundation of our knowledge of the history of Israel during the early years of the divided monarchy, and their reliability and verifiability as historical sources have long been the subject of intense scholarly analysis and debate. But even apart from questions of historical authenticity, they are gripping stories of richly drawn characters caught up in the complex tale of Yahweh's dealings with Israel: Solomon the wise is the builder of Yahweh's Temple, yet he becomes an idolater; Jeroboam is chosen by Yahweh as king, yet he worships the golden calves; Elijah is a prophet second only to Moses, yet he tries to renounce his calling; and Ahab is the worst of Israel's kings, yet shows traces of greatness. This study explores the narrative world created by the ancient Israelite author - the people who inhabit it, the lives they live and the deeds they do, and the face of God who is revealed in their stories.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 376-379) and indexes.
About the Author
Jerome T. Walsh, PhD, is a professor of theology and religious studies at the University of Botswana. He is the author of 1 Kings in the Berit Olam (The Everlasting Covenant) Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry series for which he is also an associate editor.