Flame of Yahweh: Sexuality in the Old Testament (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Flame of Yahweh offers a thorough exploration of gender relationships and sexual activity in the Old Testament. Topics include sexuality in Eden, the elevation vs. the denigration of women, exclusivity vs. adultery and premarital sex, permanence vs. divorce and remarriage, intimacy vs. incest, and sexuality in the Song of Songs.

Written from a theologically conservative perspective, Richard Davidson provides a meticulously researched work which makes extensive use of other Ancient Near Eastern documents on subjects ranging from homosexuality to gender relations. At the same time, the author offers clear explanations of terms and historical context that make the work accessible to the reader.

About the Author

Richard M. Davidson is Chair of the Old Testament Department at Seventh- Day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs,Michigan and J. N. Andrews Professor of Old Testament Interpretation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 844 pages
• Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers (June 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565638476
• ISBN-13: 978-1565638471
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #365,787 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource, November 27, 2007

By	Lynni - See all my reviews

There are few things that young people wonder about today besides sexuality. For many years Pastors and Bible teachers have struggled with texts in the Bible regarding sexuality. Hence this book is a MUST for all who teach Bible. Not a single allusion to sexuality is missed in this work. It is not a book to read from cover to cover, but rather a giant one-book reference tool for Bible teachers to use when needed. Finally pastors can preach on sexuality with a solid theological base, rather than mere opinions on the topic. This is a book for you who are interested in solid Bible answers to difficult and sometimes embarrassing texts.

This book is thorough and complete in itself.
Kudos to the Indexes too.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and valuable, if a little verbose, November 13, 2008

By	Tony Zbaraschuk "Tony Zbaraschuk" (Riverside, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a comprehensive study of sexuality in the Old Testament, discussing social, legal, ethical, and theological factors. There is an extensive discussion of the interrelationships between various parts of the Old Testament. Davidson starts with Eden as a model for human sexuality, gives a close analysis of the laws in the Torah in light of that experience, and then moves exhaustively into a topic-by-topic discussion of how things functioned in ancient Israel, mining all parts of the Old Testament for whatever light can be shed on the topic, and finally concluding with the Song of Solomon as a model for fulfilled sexual experience.

While the primary focus is on the Old Testament, Davidson occasionally addresses the New Testament outlook and discusses application to contemporary ethical questions. Discussions with other theologians are usually carried on in the footnotes, but no less enlightening for all that. This is not a complete Christian theology of sexuality, but it is a necessary building block for any such effort.

The book would probably have benefited from a better editing job, as it is frequently somewhat repetitive. This does make it more useful as a reference source, however, as you don't have to read the whole thing to pick up every nuance of the topic you're investigating.

Highly recommended for those interested in the history of sexuality, the theology of sexuality, contemporary pastoral issues, gender history, and the social history of ancient Judaism

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!, October 30, 2008

By	Mark Bresee (Chattanooga, Tennessee) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been a pastor for more than 25 years and I have never read anything this comprehensive on sexuality in the Scriptures. The breadth and depth of this volume is breathtaking!