And God Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible's Original Meaning [Hardcover]

Dr. Joel M. Hoffman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Author Hoffman, a linguist and a translator, uses his knowledge and his skills to correct some of the common errors in translating the language of the Bible from Hebrew into English. His initial three chapters are devoted to explaining linguistics and translation theory, skillfully clarifying complex concepts. The remaining five chapters ably apply these ideas to biblical phrases that, according to Hoffman, require rewording. He begins with the important commandment, And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. He convincingly claims that the Hebrew words for heart and soul have been severely mistranslated and should be rendered as mind and body. Similarly, Hoffman effectively demonstrates errors in rendering shepherd, my sister, my bride, two of the Ten Commandments, and virgin. Attentive readers will find this book to be valuable for properly understanding the Bible. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

PRAISE FOR AND GOD SAID

"A sensitive . . . discussion of the structure of languages in general and of Biblical Hebrew in particular."

--The Jerusalm Post

“A wise and important book, and a lot of fun to read.”

--Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

“Hoffman is wise and gentle as he exhibits the issue of distortion by way of translation. Short of all readers learning Hebrew, Hoffman’s work is the best gift for a careful reader of a text that defies easy contemporary rendering.”

--Walter Brueggemann, author of The Prophetic Imagination

"[Hoffman] unites Biblical scholarship and translation theory, embracing modern science and modern linguistics, to help us understand what the Prophets and our forebears were doing and how they wrote.  He retrieves what the Bible really was and what it can be for us now."

 

--The Very Reverend James A. Kowalski, The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine

 

 

PRAISE FOR IN THE BEGINNING

 

"Hoffman has a flair for explaining how languages work."

 

--The Times Literary Supplement (London)

 

"Written in an energetic style with a commitment to exploring the evolution of Hebrew from ancient times to the present in ways that a broad audience can comprehend."

 

--Religious Studies Review

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1 edition (February 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312565585
• ISBN-13: 978-0312565589
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #124,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Understanding Biblical Hebrew, February 28, 2010

By	David Joslin - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: And God Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible's Original Meaning (Hardcover)

Joel Hoffman's book, And G-d Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible's Original Meaning, is just invaluable for in-depth study of the Bible, especially in the original language. I had thought the book was going to be some sort of analysis and criticism of the standard translations out there--he does that, mostly in the appendix, but that's not what the book is about. It is really about how to understand Biblical Hebrew. Using linguistics (in a remarkably clear and non-intimidating way), Hoffman describes the different kinds of information conveyed by a Biblical text, and then works out the methodology by which one can best understand the text. No big secret: he argues that context, the comparison of the text with other examples of the same word or phrase, is the only sure way to make sense of a doubtful passage. In the second half of the book, he uses his approach to go after some of the biggest mistranslations in the Bible: "lev" and "nefesh" from the Shema (KJV's "heart" and "soul"), "ratzach" and "chamad" from the Aseres ha'Dibros (NIV's "murder" and "covet" in the "Ten Commandments"), "achotah, kalah" from the Song of Songs (NIV's "my sister, my bride"), "alma" from Isaiah (NIV's "virgin"), among others. In other words you get some really outstanding Torah study, that can really raise your understanding of the Bible.

Just as outstanding book. Really, a necessary book. I haven't been so impressed by a book since first reading James Kugel.

You all have to read it.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lively and Fascinating Read, March 10, 2010

By	David Frank (Livingston, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: And God Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible's Original Meaning (Hardcover)

This is one of those eye-opening books that is thoughtful, provocative, learned, and a whole lot of fun to read. Along the way you gain startling insights into the issues and difficulties of translating not only the words from one language to another, but also connotations, cultural realities. And these insights come to you in an examination of some of the best known and deeply felt prose in English or any language - the Bible. The author, Joel Hoffman is such a natural teacher and guide through what might have been an arcane or dry academic dissertation. But Hoffman turns it into an exciting conversation and a fascinating search for just the right turn of a phrase that can unlock the ancient meaning of the Biblical stories. I highly recommend it. Its like a college course in linguistics taught by a major-league raconteur.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent tool in clarifying the Bible, July 6, 2010

By	Sacramento Book Review "Sacramento Book Review" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: And God Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible's Original Meaning (Hardcover)

The Bible is still the most popular book ever created. It has sold more copies than any //New York Times// bestseller could ever dream of selling. This is not surprising though, since it's been on the market for over a thousand year.

It is a book so many of us own but very few understand. But this is not entirely our fault. When, at the behest of King James I, the book was translated into "modern" English, many errors were made. The scholars who tirelessly worked on this daunting task did the best they could with what they reckoned to be the truth. For example, Eve may not have actually eaten an apple; it could have been any kind of fruit. In Latin, the word //malum// means both apple and evil, so they just called it an apple to make things simple.

Some of the original words in the text are no longer relevant; some have retained their meaning; some, perhaps, mean nothing at all. Because of this, we can only guess what the original authors were trying to say. It reminds me of the game Telephone, where the last person to get the message may hear something completely different from what the first person said.

//And God Said// is an excellent tool in clarifying the Bible. It helps it make sense. And really, what good is the Bible if you can't understand it? It's nice to be able to recite some Bible verses, but much more impressive if you actually know what they mean!

Dr. Joel M. Hoffman does an excellent job of helping the reader understand what the original texts were all about. His clear and concise tone makes this a very interesting read. This is an excellent companion for every Bible owner -- 92% of Americans have at least one. It would even make a fantastic textbook in a college-level class.