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Hebrew Studies 41 (2000) 311 Reviews good deeds. the bet midrash as a key institution. the home. and more. Given the relatively few statements in tannaitic literature on the synagogue in general. placing it at the very core of rabbinic concerns requires a more fully worked out argument. In sum. this is an excellent and important book. and if the above comments have managed to touch on a few important issues. it is only because Fine has succeeded not only in advancing his particular thesis. but also in incorporating some crucial insights into many aspects of the nature and functioning of what was the most important Jewish communal institution of late antiquity. Both his analysis of synagogue sanctity and the rich trove of primary sources and archeological material that he has assembled will constitute a lasting contribution to a wide variety of discussions on the nature and essence of ancient Judaism. Lee Levine Hebrew University ofJerusalem Jerusalem, Israel levine@h2.hum.huji.ac.il ZION, CITY OF OUR GOD. Richard S. Hess and Gordon Wenham. eds. Grand Rapids. MI: Eerdmans. 1999. Paper, $22.00. This book. a collection of eight essays concentrating on the Jerusalem of the First Temple, grew out of a meeting of the Tyndale Fellowship Old Testament Study Group at Cambridge in 1996. In "The Temple of Solomon: Heart of Jerusalem" John M. Monson evaluates the archaeological data concerning tenth century Jerusalem and the Temple. He notes that comparative study with other contemporary temples shows that Solomon's temple was "one of the largest ever built in the Levant" and that it is more fully described than any other. A distinct feature of the article is the survey of elements of the Zion tradition which became attached to the temple, and the chapter as a whole is a very useful summary of information about the Temple of Solomon. In "Hezekiah and Sennacherib in 2 Kings 18-20" Richard S. Hess discusses a pivotal passage which appears also in two other versions (Isa 36-39 and 2 ehr 32). The chapter is a valuable summary of recent research in this area and summarizes three approaches to the issues: historical . critical and literary. There is a reference to the archaeological work done on that period, but the focus of the chapter is on literary studies of the event recorded in these passages. Hebrew Studies 41 (2000) 312 Reviews In "Jerusalem in Chronicles" Martin J. Selman looks at the ways Jerusalem is used in Chronicles to show God's continued purpose for his people after the Exile. It represents the new opportunities for the people of God in the new era. In "Jerusalem at War in Chronicles" Gary N. Knospers deals with the treatment of Yahweh's participation in war in Chronicles. Gerhard von Rad has taught that holy war was completely a cultic phenomena in Chronicles. Knospers sees the Chronicler's purpose in emphasizing the role of the Temple in all phases of Jerusalem's life. In contrast to the conquest stories in Exodus through Joshua, Yahweh fights against Israel's and Jerusalem's enemies on behalf of the Temple and the people. The experiences of Jehoshaphat and his prayers in the temple are central to Knosper's studies. Thomas Rentz explores the use of the Zion Tradition in the book of Ezekiel. This is remarkable because the term "Zion" does not appear in the book. The article first describes and defmes that "Zion Tradition" and the motifs that constitute it. He then asks what the function of the "Zion Tradition " was and finally looks at the way it has been used in the book of Ezekiel. The article concludes with an appendix concerning possible ways of conceptualizing the use of the Zion Tradition in Ezekiel. Philip E. Satterwaite writes about Zion in the Songs of Ascents (Pss 120-134). He argues for the unity of the group and for a progression of purpose and meaning through the group. The mood of recent catastrophe lies over the group, yet they emphasize Yahweh's continued purpose for the city, for David's son on the throne, and the worshipers who gather there. Zion includes all the tribes of Israel for...

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