Interpreting Israel’s Scriptures: A Practical Guide to the Exegesis of the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament

by Matthieu Richelle

Publisher:

Hendrickson Academic

, 2022

Overview

Many readers find exegeting a passage from the Old Testament to be a mysterious process. How should one begin? What methods should one use? Written in a pragmatic style, Interpreting Israel’s Scriptures guides the reader by offering concrete methods for exegesis that are illustrated by numerous examples and accompanied by well-chosen references to secondary sources.

This English translation of the 2012 original French version of Richelle’s book has been expanded and revised and has been reorganized to have a tripartite structure: the making of the text, the various facets of the text, and “the reader in front of the text.” The book is designed for use in exegesis courses or for personal study, and it is designed to be used both by students who know Hebrew and by those who do not. The book explores a variety of themes relevant for exegesis, including poetry literary genre, literary context, geographical context, historical context, structure, narrative analysis, intertextuality, and reception history. For those who know Hebrew, the book also includes chapters on translation, textual criticism, and compositional criticism. Finally, this English edition has two new chapters: one on feminist and gender studies, and one on postcolonial criticism.

Key Features

• Offers concrete methods for exegesis that are illustrated by numerous examples and accompanied by well-chosen references to secondary sources
• Includes chapters on translation, textual criticism, and compositional criticism
• Explores a variety of themes relevant for exegesis

Contents

• Part One: The Making of the Text
• Part Two: The Various Facets of the Text
• Part Two: The Various Facets of the Text

Praise for the Print Edition

The English edition of Matthieu Richelle’s guide for interpreting the Hebrew Bible is a very welcome and comprehensive working tool for biblical scholars. It offers philological, historical, and hermeneutical perspectives and is replete with illustrative textual examples. I have no doubt that this book will be used and read widely

—Konrad Schmid, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism

Matthieu Richelle’s introduction to exegesis is a real gem. Many primers on method lose sight of the biblical text amidst the various technicalities. In contrast, Richelle’s guide is packed full of examples. Not only will readers come away with an outstanding knowledge about how to read the biblical text, but they will also acquire a deeper appreciation of the richness and subtlety of the Hebrew Bible.

—Nathan MacDonald, Professor of the Interpretation of the Old Testament

“Matthieu Richelle has written a much-needed primer that unlocks the key ideas and methods of biblical exegesis through concrete examples, useful resources, and practical exercises. He takes readers on an incredible journey into the historical and literary worlds of the Hebrew Bible, and also reveals the fascinating afterlives of its texts. I can’t wait to share this book with the students in my classroom!

—Lydia Lee, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Fudan University

Product Details

• Title: Interpreting Israel’s Scriptures: A Practical Guide to the Exegesis of the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament
• Author: Matthieu Richelle
• Publisher: Hendrickson Academic
• Print Publication Date: 2022
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Resource ID: LLS:NTRPRTNGSCRPTRS
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2023-12-05T19:13:24Z

About Matthieu Richelle

Matthieu Richelle (PhD, EPHE, Sorbonne) is professor of Old Testament at the Faculté de théologie évangélique in Vaux-sur-Seine, France, and has written Le testament d’Elisée. He is married to Sarah, who works as pastoral assistant at the Tabernacle Baptist Church, Paris.