How to Read Genesis (How to Read Series How to Read) [Paperback]

Tremper Longman III (Author)

Book Description

Series: How to Read Series How to Read | Publication Date: May 12, 2005

Honored in 2006 as a "Year's Best Book for Preachers" by Preaching magazine. Creation in six days Woman from the side of man "Sons of god" taking "daughters of men" A massive disaster and an animal rescue boat of biblical proportions Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and the ongoing saga of a dysfunctional family These are just a few of the episodes that Genesis conjures up. But we miss the point if we focus on what seems strange to us. And we distort the message if we demand that this book answer questions that are strange to it. To read Genesis intelligently, we must consider the questions, the literature and the times in which Genesis was written. In How to Read Genesis Tremper Longman III provides a welcome guide to reading and studying, understanding and savoring this panorama of beginnings--of both the world and of Israel. And importantly for Christian readers, we gain insight into how Genesis points to Christ and can be read in light of the gospel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (May 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877849439
• ISBN-13: 978-0877849438
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tremper Longman III (PhD, Yale University) is the Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies and the chair of the Religious Studies department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, where he lives with his wife, Alice. He is the Old Testament editor for the revised Expositor's Bible Commentary and has authored many articles and books on the Psalms and other Old Testament books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of The Best Books On Genesis Out There Today, June 28, 2008

By 

FBRobertson "fbrobertson2" (SC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Read Genesis (How to Read Series How to Read) (Paperback)

"How to Read Genesis" is a gem of a book. As mentioned by the other reviewer, this is a commentary that tries not to be a commentary. That is to say it does not go into intricate detail verse by verse, but the book does desire to explore the major views, considerations, and theological concerns found in the Book of Genesis. Which is a good thing indeed. A lot of people, especially, as I say kindly to the Young Earth theologians, try to work eisegesis instead of exegesis, trying to put into Genesis what they want to put into Genesis while not allowing the book to speak for itself, for itself as would have been toward those Jews who first received the Torah and toward those of us today as we read the Book of Genesis with what we know about science and theology in today's world. Longman is probably one of the best Old Testament scholars out there. I've read several of his works already and have enjoyed them all. As a seminary student who desires to gain a MATS degree in order to teach theology, especially Old Testament theology, this is definitely one of the books I will have my students read in order to understand and appreciate what God has to say in the Book of Genesis. I realize this is a short review, but I think that you the reader of this review will gain a lot of new knowledge about Genesis by reading Longman's book (then again, you'll gain a lot of information by just reading any of Longman's works). This is a quick read but, like any good boxer, it hits the points dead on.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Commentary (Author Disagrees), August 22, 2007

By 

Kevbo (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Read Genesis (How to Read Series How to Read) (Paperback)

Tremper Longman wrote this book and didn't want to admit that it was a commentary in the scholarly sense of the word. Well, I gotta tell ya, Tremper... the book's a commentary in the scholarly sense of the word!

Granted, Longman does not do a verse-by-verse exegesis or an elaborate Hebrew translation, but he does provide ample commentary on the subject in the Book of Genesis, some using professional scholarship as insight.

Even if the book is a professional commentary, I have to say that it certainly sets itself into a unique class amongst Biblical study texts. Longman writes How to Read Genesis for simple reading, and he does cover all topics of Genesis (some more than others). His writing style and what he found important to comment on was sometimes different than what I wanted to read. I found myself disagreeing a whole heck of a lot with his comments, too! (Maybe that's what he meant when denying that this book is a commentary - he added his opinion to some concepts that he felt were left open to speculation.)

Anyway, the greatest value I received from this book wasn't so much "how to read" the great Book of Genesis (because I found myself disagreeing so much with Longman), but from the background and comparative stories that the author provided. He didn't just present a straight commentary on Genesis - he offered insight to other civilizations, religions, and cultures during the supposed times that Genesis was written or was referencing. This, in many ways, offered a sort of "side story" which is great for adding to your Bible study.

I would recommend this book to anybody who has already read the Book of Genesis. I tried reading Longman's book alongside reading Genesis to see if I could get better insight that way, but it didn't work. The best value in Longman's book, I found, was just reading the Biblical version first, having those stories relatively fresh in my mind, and then going to Longman's book. In this way, my memory was not only jogged, but, like I said, the author's insights really opened my eyes even more to this ancient Scripture.

I would also recommend this book for group Bible study. Again, still read Genesis first, not alongside. Then, in Bible study, Longman's book will bring out certain issues for the group to discuss. I think you would have fun disagreeing (or agreeing) with the author on some of his points, all the while drawing out the full color of the Book of Genesis thanks to Longman's commentary.

So don't think of this as a "how to" book as the title would mislead us into thinking. This is a commentary and a comparative work, and certainly a very worthy one for all Bible students.

0 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Genesis, July 18, 2010

By 

Jeffrey Fullam (Germany) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Read Genesis (How to Read Series How to Read) (Paperback)

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