Get an in-depth look into the first five books of the Bible with this accessible introduction to their content, significance, and themes.
From Paradise to the Promised Land
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
This new edition includes updated references and added material that reflect recent pentateuchal research as well as the author's refined judgments.
Praise for previous editions
"In this up-to-date and scholarly work, Alexander shows how the first five books of the Bible make sense and hang together. More than that, they lay the foundations of Christian theology so that no one can properly understand the rest of the Bible who has not come to terms with them. Alexander will be found to be a lucid and reliable guide to this vital part of Scripture."
--Gordon J. Wenham, Trinity College, Bristol
"Two virtues about From Paradise to the Promised Land have especially struck me. One is the comprehensiveness of the way it seeks to help us grasp the Pentateuch. The other is the way Alexander shows us how different themes hold these books together--themes such as the sanctuary, kingship, and the land. Both these features open up possibilities in grasping the Pentateuch as a whole."
--John Goldingay, Fuller Theological Seminary
"Desmond Alexander provides an introduction that considers the Pentateuch as a whole, both thematically and theologically. The Pentateuch is presented as a unity, yet the variety of topics within it receive substantial and penetrating treatment. It is the sort of study that many readers and their teachers have long wanted on this first section of the Old Testament."
--J. Gordon McConville, University of Gloucestershire
"There is no doubt that theology undergraduates and anybody who takes an interest in the riches of the Pentateuch are indebted to Alexander for providing us with a highly readable, informative, and at times even innovative book."
--Michael Widmer, Themelios
"[A] wealth of useful and accessible information on the Pentateuch. . . . This book is especially welcome as a solid introduction accessible to undergraduate students."
--Eric W. Bolger, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Praise for previous editions
"In this up-to-date and scholarly work, Alexander shows how the first five books of the Bible make sense and hang together. More than that, they lay the foundations of Christian theology so that no one can properly understand the rest of the Bible who has not come to terms with them. Alexander will be found to be a lucid and reliable guide to this vital part of Scripture."
--Gordon J. Wenham, Trinity College, Bristol
"Two virtues about From Paradise to the Promised Land have especially struck me. One is the comprehensiveness of the way it seeks to help us grasp the Pentateuch. The other is the way Alexander shows us how different themes hold these books together--themes such as the sanctuary, kingship, and the land. Both these features open up possibilities in grasping the Pentateuch as a whole."
--John Goldingay, Fuller Theological Seminary
"Desmond Alexander provides an introduction that considers the Pentateuch as a whole, both thematically and theologically. The Pentateuch is presented as a unity, yet the variety of topics within it receive substantial and penetrating treatment. It is the sort of study that many readers and their teachers have long wanted on this first section of the Old Testament."
--J. Gordon McConville, University of Gloucestershire
"There is no doubt that theology undergraduates and anybody who takes an interest in the riches of the Pentateuch are indebted to Alexander for providing us with a highly readable, informative, and at times even innovative book."
--Michael Widmer, Themelios
"[A] wealth of useful and accessible information on the Pentateuch. . . . This book is especially welcome as a solid introduction accessible to undergraduate students."
--Eric W. Bolger, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
About the Author
T. Desmond Alexander is Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Director of Post-Graduate Studies, Union Theological College, Belfast, and formerly lecturer in Semitic studies at The Queen's University in Belfast. He is the coeditor of the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology.
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More About the Author
Dr Desmond Alexander is senior lecturer in Biblical Studies at Union Theological College and associate director for Post-graduate Studies in the Institute of Theology at Queen's University, Belfast. He currently chairs the Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical and Theological Research, as well as the board of Southern Theological Seminaries, a UK based charity committed to the establishment of a centre for theological education and vocational training in the south of Argentina. His research interests are in the Pentateuch and in Biblical Theology. He may be contacted via the website of Union Theological College, Belfast.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Alexander brings a usable piece of scholarship to the world of academia with this book. It is a step above entry level texts on the Pentateuch, and is a good read. This book will help you figure out the themes in the beginning of the Old Testament, and point you in the direction of deeper sources for themes that you want to dig deeper into. I view this book as fairly progressive, not overly conservative and certainly not liberal scholarship. So, depending on what school of thought you are from, this book falls somewhere in the middle, which I appreciate.
Joseph Dworak
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Truly this volume is one of the great contributions to the theology of the Pentateuch. Alexander tediously attacks the crumbling foundations of the Documentary Hypothesis and old school liberalism. He shows the weakness of their arguments and posits that we take the Pentateuch at face value and attempt to look at it as a cohesive whole with a story to tell and underlying messages for the reader.
It is this story and the messages of the Pentateuch that Alexander then displays for his readers. Moving through the Pentateuch both historically and topically, the writer deals masterfully with the genealogies, the blessing and cursing in Eden, the nature and import of the Abrahamic Covenant, the significance of the Passover, the impact of the Covenant of Sinai both for Israel and for believers today, the implications of the tabernacle, the command to be holy, the significance and symbolism of the sacrificial system and dietary laws, the gift of the Promised Land, the reason why the murmuring of the people was so important to God, the Semitic view of the topics of love and loyalty as treated in the Pentateuch, and the question of the election of Israel. In all of these areas, Alexander carefully lays out the theology of the Pentateuch and then follows this up with a connection to the New Testament. It is in these New Testament connections, Alexander shows his true prowess as a biblical scholar.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this work for the student of the Pentateuch who is struggling to find the purpose and application of this most difficult, yet seminal, section of Scripture to his or her life in the 21st century.
It is this story and the messages of the Pentateuch that Alexander then displays for his readers. Moving through the Pentateuch both historically and topically, the writer deals masterfully with the genealogies, the blessing and cursing in Eden, the nature and import of the Abrahamic Covenant, the significance of the Passover, the impact of the Covenant of Sinai both for Israel and for believers today, the implications of the tabernacle, the command to be holy, the significance and symbolism of the sacrificial system and dietary laws, the gift of the Promised Land, the reason why the murmuring of the people was so important to God, the Semitic view of the topics of love and loyalty as treated in the Pentateuch, and the question of the election of Israel. In all of these areas, Alexander carefully lays out the theology of the Pentateuch and then follows this up with a connection to the New Testament. It is in these New Testament connections, Alexander shows his true prowess as a biblical scholar.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this work for the student of the Pentateuch who is struggling to find the purpose and application of this most difficult, yet seminal, section of Scripture to his or her life in the 21st century.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Very well written & scholarly approach to the Pentateuch (Torah). We are using this book as a study guide at an adult Bible study class in our Presbyterian Church. The first portion is a very detailed explanation (using a lot of Hebrew & Greek words - which I have been studying on the side) of how the Torah was written & put together by the original authors. It describes the methods of criticism used. The rest of the book is a history of Genesis thru Kings, since there is a "carryover" from Deuteronomy thru Kings.
This is well worth the time & effort to really study, since the end of each chapter gives a N.T. connection with the Apostles & points on to Jesus the Christ.
This is well worth the time & effort to really study, since the end of each chapter gives a N.T. connection with the Apostles & points on to Jesus the Christ.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent volume for anyone studying the subject
The core of this book is exegetical-literary analysis of the themes of the Pentateuch, which was very helpful to me in guiding my study of the first five books of the Bible. Read more
Published 3 months ago by David
4.0 out of 5 stars
From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch
This book was a good aid to deepening my understanding of the first five books of the bible and how it is the foundation to understanding the rest of the bible.
Published 3 months ago by Mike Upton
5.0 out of 5 stars
a MIGHTY WIND!
i have recently immersed myself in the "hebrew roots" schema. chapter 8: "God's Temple-City motivated the purchase of the book. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Daniel Ochoa III
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book! Extremely educational.
Wonderful resource for learning about the events from the Pentateuch. I recommend this for future pastors or for those simply interested in increasing their knowledge.
Published 7 months ago by hadarrow7
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great experience
I had a great experience with this purchase. I received it on-time and at a great price! Thank you for your service!
Published 19 months ago by rbettwy
4.0 out of 5 stars
keep your eyes open
Overall I would say this book is well written and well organized. However, we used this book as a text in one of my college courses and several of the "higher ups" including my... Read more
Published on January 19, 2011 by Jason Groen
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best short introductions I have seen
Alexander has done a great job with this book. Like most intros to the Pentateuch/ OT he discusses source-critical issues, but unlike most other such intros he does not... Read more
Published on October 28, 2007 by augsburg gate keeper
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book on the overview of the themes of the Pentateuch.
This book is divided into 2 sections. The first section deals with the criticisms on the authorship and source of the Pentateuch. Read more
Published on January 19, 2007 by B. Chan
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