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Abraham Joshua Heschel
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The Prophets Volume II by Abraham J Heschel (1971-06-03) Mass Market Paperback

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 514 ratings
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According to popular definition, prophets accurately predict the future. In Jewish tradition, as Abraham Joshua Heschel explains in The Prophets, they earn the title by witnessing the world around them with outstanding passion. Prophets are those whose "life & soul are at stake" in what they say about "the mystery of [God's] relation to man." They're "some of the most disturbing people who have ever lived." Yet they're also "the men whose image is our refuge in distress & whose voice & vision sustain our faith." This book, a classic text on the subject, contains sophisticated, straightforward discussions of each of the Hebrew prophets, the primary themes of their preaching & comparisons of Israel's prophets to those of other religions'. Throughout, he avoids the two great temptations in any discussion of overstating the supernatural quality of a prophet's epiphany ("A prophet is a person, not a microphone") & reducing prophesy to a merely human phenomenon. Instead, he describes the prophet's peculiar status as God's spokesman in a way that does justice to its "He speaks from the perspective of God as perceived from the perspective of his own situation."--Michael Joseph Gross (edited)
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  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01FEOGOUQ
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.7 ounces
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 514 ratings

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Abraham Joshua Heschel

Abraham Joshua Heschel

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Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-72), one of the foremost Jewish savants of our time, was internationally known as scholar, author, activist, and theologian.

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4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
514 global ratings

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Customers find the content insightful and one of the best books ever written. They also describe the author as a writer who writes beautifully and intellectually.

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41 customers mention "Content"41 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's content insightful, helpful for reading the prophets, and well-researched. They also say it's one of the best books ever written.

"Fantastic and insightful read. Highly recommend for someone wanting a classical perspective of the pre-exilic prophets...." Read more

"...Abraham Heschel's writings are not only profound and moving but also written in a flowing prose style that attracts the modern reader...." Read more

"I am presently studying Hosea, so this book has given me a good interpretation vs that of the Bible...." Read more

"This is the perfect complement to serious Christian thought (e.g. Brueggeman) about the prophets and their validity for our generation; a profound..." Read more

17 customers mention "Readability"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautifully written and intellectually. They also say it's intimate and lyrical.

"A man who writes beautifully and intellectually. His books are a gift to the reader. I am a Catholic lay member of the Dominican Order...." Read more

"...'s writings are not only profound and moving but also written in a flowing prose style that attracts the modern reader...." Read more

"...Heschel is a vivid and engaging writer with a unique mind and amazing insight...." Read more

"...despite the years that have passed since its first publication, an eloquent and heartfelt examination of one of the most beautiful and influential..." Read more

4 customers mention "Value"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book worth every penny and every moment.

"...Not an easy/light read, but worth every penny and every moment...." Read more

"...This is not a light read.Well worth the time if you are looking for a deeper understanding about the biblical prophets of Israel...." Read more

"...I've found it invaluable and the insights are wonderful. Mr. Heschel conveys his information in an easy to read and understand manner...." Read more

"I had to buy this book for a class and it was ok. It was cheaper on amazon than my school bookstore so that was a huge plus." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Trooper
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding! Insightful!
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2022
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A man who writes beautifully and intellectually. His books are a gift to the reader. I am a Catholic lay member of the Dominican Order. We place great emphasis upon scholarship as we seek Truth and Wisdom where ever she is to be discovered. As an avid student of Judaism, Abraham Joshua Heschel has become a major recourse for my studies.
12 people found this helpful
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Stephen Wagner
5.0 out of 5 stars In depth dive into the prophetic mindset
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2022
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Fantastic and insightful read. Highly recommend for someone wanting a classical perspective of the pre-exilic prophets.

The book is divided into two parts. The first half is composed of chapters which are general commentaries on the individual books of the pre-exilic prophets (Dr. Herschel also covers the second half is Isaiah which he dates as post-exilic). The second half contains chapters of topical discussions probing the prophetic mindset and culminating in a defense of the Hebrew prophetic revelation as an unprecedented and incomparable ancient phenomenon.

Highly recommended for the in-depth Bible reader
9 people found this helpful
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Chris Kane
5.0 out of 5 stars A Modern Prophet
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2010
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Before reading The Prophets by Abraham Heschel, I had thought of the writings of the Prophets as angry diatribes against the people they were intended for, but Heschel sees these men, on the one hand, as passionate lovers of God who must relate to their people the wrath of God and the consequences of their behavior, and on the other hand, vulnurable human beings themselves whose compassion for these same people moves them to beg God for mercy, for one more chance.

One is also able to see, through Heschel's eyes, the tremendous love of God for these same people and even though they bring their troubles on themselves, God is always compassionate, forgiving, and eternally loving.

Abraham Heschel's writings are not only profound and moving but also written in a flowing prose style that attracts the modern reader.

I heartily recommend this book to fans of Heschel as well as to those who might see the Old Testament as a book of judgment and condemnation. Heschel will cure you of that.
15 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Comparison background of the Prophets.
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2022
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I am presently studying Hosea, so this book has given me a good interpretation vs that of the Bible. Background history of the subject, is always good to have when you are reading the Bible
5 people found this helpful
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Ruah
4.0 out of 5 stars Classic for anyone studying the prophets
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2015
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The first part of the book was wonderful--and I see why this is a classic in the field that anyone interested in the Prophets- or prophecy itself - would do well to read. He opens up the relationship the prophets had with God and with the people-- a very moving picture of the pathos of God. My only caveat is that in the second half of the book when he is speaking about mysticism, he makes the mistake many activists make. He assumes that all mystics are just interested in their own personal experiences and journey with God. I don't know enough about Jewish mysticism to speak much here- so maybe he is only intending to write about his own tradition - but in Christianity, one of the primary ways mystical experiences are tested for their genuineness is by their fruit. Theresa of Avila-- herself a mystic/reformer/activist/writer - said that if the experiences did not bear the fruit of increased love and service to others then they were not to be trusted. Christian mysticism in never just about the individual- increased love of God and intimacy with God is seen as enhancing love of neighbor. I would be surprised if Jewish mysticism did not also have that caveat- as so much of the richness of Christian spirituality is rooted in Jewish soil, which is also founded in loving God and one's neighbor as oneself..
17 people found this helpful
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Norm Wetterau
5.0 out of 5 stars I reach a class on Justice at Northeastern Seminary in ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2018
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I teach a class on Justice at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY Most commentaries on the Old Testament Prophets give a verse by verse interpretation. In this book, Abraham Heschel, a Jewish scholar and civil rights activist in the 1960s, looks at themes .
He also looks at the difficult job that a prophet has: speaking to people who do not want to hear, and then pronouncing punishment which his friends and countrymen will need to endure. Through this analysis one looks at the problem of evil and how a loving God could punish people and allow tragedy. The book helps us to realize that it is not loving for God to be silent, as we often are, in the face of unending and widespread injustice. Injustice is just as important as our traditional sins. Herschel has passed away but the book has been reprinted and is something that any serious reader of the Bible should look at.
29 people found this helpful
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AnnBarbie
5.0 out of 5 stars Profound
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2018
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This is the perfect complement to serious Christian thought (e.g. Brueggeman) about the prophets and their validity for our generation; a profound Jewish perspective. Heschel is a vivid and engaging writer with a unique mind and amazing insight. Grounded in ancient tradition and Rabbinic thought, Heschel translates the message of the prophets for today and points us toward the job of working to create a better future. This belongs on the bookshelf of every serious student of Hebrew scriptures.
19 people found this helpful
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Genghis
5.0 out of 5 stars Profundity squared.
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2015
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Where to start with this one? First this is not a book that is easy to read from cover to cover. Though I suggest you should do just that, just to get the broad themes of what Heschel is trying to say. Then read it more slowly. For me, I could only read three or four paragraphs before having to come up for air while i reflected on the new ideas he sets out. This is a book full of profundity and you will gain value from it every time you pick it up even though you may have read it 5-10 times.
15 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Victor Antonio Valdo
5.0 out of 5 stars Livro Novo
Reviewed in Brazil on October 14, 2020
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Livro novo conforme descrito pelo vendedor.
One person found this helpful
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Marlene Osterberg
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on May 26, 2017
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A very enlightening book about the minor prophets.
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Alex Kertesz
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and inspirational
Reviewed in Australia on February 16, 2022
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Great to study this book!
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DAV
5.0 out of 5 stars Si les idées religieuses comptent plus pour vous que le rituel... à lire par ces temps obscurs d’extrémisme religieux!
Reviewed in France on April 8, 2016
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C'est un chef d'oeuvre. Depuis 40 ans je cherchais un penseur qui pourrait réconcilier l'idée religieuse avec le sens moral, l'universalité de certaines valeurs, voire un engagement politique. Et j'ai lu Heschel!
Pour les prophètes, l'essence de la religion ce n'est pas un rituel ou un autre, mais c'est l'indignation contre l'injustice, l'engagement contre la corruption et les abus de pouvoirs, la lutte contre l'indifférence.
L'engagement d'Heschel dans le mouvement des droits civiques de Martin Luther King en tant qu'acte religieux illustre parfaitement cette tradition prophétique.
Je trouve aberrant que ce livre ne soit pas encore traduit en Francais... Triste signe des temps ou les grenouilles de bénitiers de toutes religion s'aiment de haïr ensemble!
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Franklin Pereira
5.0 out of 5 stars Un grande livro
Reviewed in Italy on May 24, 2013
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sto facendo un corso sul i profeti e questo libro sarà come una luce. Abraham Heschel è molto bravo. Avete questo libro in italiano? Vorrei averlo anche in italino. Grazie
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