The Divine Symphony: The Bible's Many Voices [Hardcover]

Dr. Israel Knohl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2003

In this fascinating book, Knohl shares his understanding of how the Torah was edited into its final form. He bridges the gap between ancient Israel (c.1400-586 B.C.E.) and Second Temple times (c.536 B.C.E.-70 C.E.) by showing the continuity between these eras and the gradual evolution of the biblical worldview, which formed the foundation of later rabbinic Judaism. The book focuses on the editing of the Torah, interpreting the textual evidence, most notably contradictions and redundancies, to show that the idea of a pluralistic understanding of Revelation can be traced back to the editing of the Torah itself. Knohl’s interpretation of biblical composition challenges a popular trend in contemporary biblical scholarship: the idea that ancient Israel never existed as a historical reality, but was invented and “retrojected” back in time by later Israelite priests as part of their national myth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is to be praised as an invigorating celebration of the different voices of the biblical tradition."—Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology

(Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology )

"Through judicious use of critical scholarship and Jewish exegetical traditions, [Knohl] explores and even celebrates diversity of opinion on core issues. . . . Well worth reading."—Religious Studies Review

(Religious Studies Review )

"There is much to like about this short work. . . . provocative and worthy of consideration."—Theological Studies

(Theological Studies )

From the Publisher

Ground-breaking scholarship about how the Torah became the Jewish canon. The author brings to his book an impressive background in Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship, research in messianism, and a thorough grounding in Rabbinics—a breadth of expertise rare among academics.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: The Jewish Publication Society (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 082760761X
• ISBN-13: 978-0827607613
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #793,475 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knohl carries the J,D,E,P hypothesis to a new height, August 26, 2007

By 

D. Goodpasture (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Divine Symphony: The Bible's Many Voices (Hardcover)

Knohl gives a breakdown of the rocky road to monotheism and the many factions involved. Knohl separates and analyzes the different factions involved in authorship of the (Hebrew) Bible. The different factions J, D, E, P, and H had different linguistics and sometimes competing ideologies. Knohl maintains that harmony can be achieved by looking at the big picture, hence the divine symphony which can only function with all its members partaking and cooperating. This book appears to be scholarly and well-researched. It is also very short, easy to read (for those familiar with Bible basics), and I found it very enjoyable.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Drawing upon specific Bible texts, February 7, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Divine Symphony: The Bible's Many Voices (Hardcover)

Bible scholar Israel Knohl presents his opposing viewpoint to the fundamentalist perspective of the Bible as a monolithic document in The Divine Symphony: The Bible's Many Voices. Drawing upon specific Bible texts, literary works in Israel between the time of Solomon's Temple and the return from Babylonian exile, The Divine Symphony explores opposing views of humanity's place in the universe, the origin and meaning of evil and suffering, the role of free will and predestination, and a great deal more. A welcome contribution to philosophy and religious studies shelves, The Divine Symphony is an excellent and recommended addition to Judaic Studies reading lists and Biblical Studies reference collections.