Exodus : a new translation with introduction and commentary /
William H.C. Propp.
- New York : Doubleday, (c)2006. New York, New York : Doubleday, (c)1999.
- xxx, 865 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm. xxxvii, 680 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.
- The Anchor Bible. .
Includes bibliographical references.
CHAPTERS 1-18 -- Part I. Israel in Egypt (1:1-11:10) ; -- Part II. Liberation from Egypt (12:1-15:21) ; -- Part III. Sojourn in the wilderness (15:22-18:27) CHAPTERS 19-40 -- Part IV: The first covenant (Exodus 19-24) ; -- Part V: The tabernacle directions (Exodus 25-31) ; -- Part VI: The covenant broken and restored (Exodus 32-34) ; -- Part VII: Building the tabernacle (Exodus 35-40) ; -- Appendix A: The documentary hypothesis ; -- Appendix B: The historicity of the Exodus from Egypt ; -- Appendix C: The origins of monotheism ; -- Appendix D: The theme of Exodus in the Bible ; -- Appendix E: Afterthoughts.
"Exodus 19-40 sets a new standard in biblical scholarship. It is the first commentary on Exodus to include critical textual evidence from the recently edited Dead Sea Scrolls. Informed by Propp's deep understanding of ancient cultural mores and religious traditions, it casts new light on the Israelites' arrival at Sinai, their entry into a covenant with God, their reception of the Law, their worship of the golden calf, and their reconciliation to God. The inclusive commentary on the building of the Holy Tabernacle - God's wilderness abode - is supplemented by numerous illustrations that clarify the biblical text." "Propp extends the scope and relevance of this work in five appendices that discuss the literary formation of the Torah, the historicity of the Exodus tradition, the origins of Israelite monotheism, the Exodus theme in the Bible, and the future of Old Testament scholarship." "By taking an anthropological rather than strictly theological approach, Propp places familiar stories within a fresh context. The result is a fully accessible guide to one of the most important and best-known books of the Bible."--Jacket. Exodus is the heart of the Hebrew Bible, the defining moment in Israel’s birth as a people, the dramatic triumph of their God. Yahweh, Pharaoh, Moses, Aaron, the Hebrew slaves, the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea—these larger-than-life characters and epoch-making events capture the imagination of everyone from biblical scholars to moviemakers. However, the meaning and significance, the beauty and nuance, of this captivating biblical book are lost unless we have a world-class Scripture scholar to open our eyes to its riches. In Exodus 1-18, William H. C. Propp translates the original text in all its grandeur, then provides a masterful exploration and analysis of the book's first eighteen chapters. Here the fate of the Hebrew slaves hangs in the balance of the dramatic conflict between the God of Israel and the Pharaoh of Egypt. From the discovery of Moses in a basket made of bulrushes to the story of the Burning Bush, from the ten plagues visited upon Egypt by God to water from the rock and quail and manna from the skies, Exodus is filled with the miraculous and the dramatic.