This is an introduction to the narrative books of the Old Testament (Genesis to Nehemiah), explaining their sources and the nature of their composition. Setting aside speculative elements of recent studies to establish an entirely scholarly, factual basis for students in the field, this text is clear and readable - and no knowledge of Hebrew is presupposed. Reinhard Kratz explains the sources of the books and the nature of their composition. He seeks to do this as far as possible without presupposing any hypotheses and on the basis of a few undisputed basic assumptions: a distinction between Priestly and non-Priestly text in the Pentateuch, the special position of Deuteronomy, a Deuteronomistic revision of Joshua - 2 Kings, and the literary use of the books of Samuel and Kings by Chronicles. Any further distinctions are based on observations of the text which are well-established and not on literary or redaction-critical distinctions. Kratz argues that what is important is how the text is read.

About the Author
Reinhard G. Kratz is Professor of Old Testament, University of Goettingen .

Reviews
"Without dismissing the benefits of historical criticism, Kratz espouses a kind of canonical criticism, attending to the final form of the traditions. Beginning with a literary blue-print of the Bible's narrative books, he treats the Chronicler's History, then the Law and the Historical Books, and only then the Priestly work known as the Pentateuch. Each chapter opens with a short bibliography of the major studies of the material in that section. A very detailed and critical commentary follows." -The Bible Today, May/June 2006
'Kratz's analysis of the way in which the narrative books of the Old Testament reach their present form constitutes a radical challenge to long-accepted views...A short review cannot do justice to either the importance or the intricacies of Kratz's thesis...This monumental work deserves the widest readership.' ~ Canon Dr Phillips, Church Times -- Canon Dr Phillips * Church Times *
'With its mixture of close detail and a big argument The Composition of the Narrative Books of the Old Testament...is a bold book...the detailed argument[s] will fascinate.' ~ Graeme Auld, Expository Times, 2007 -- Graeme Auld, University of Edinburgh * Expository Times *
"...It is without a doubt a most important study, worthy to be set alongside Wellhausen and Martin Noth, whom Kratz describes as his 'constant companions'. The scope is nothing less than the whole narrative from Genesis to Nehemiah. The method is a detailed dissection of the text with a very sharp scalpel." -- C.S. Rodd * Theology *



Book Information
ISBN 9780567089212
Author Reinhard G. Kratz
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint T.& T.Clark Ltd
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 590g