Brief Notices

BRIEF NOTICES THE STUDY COMPANION TO OLD TESTAMENT LITER· ATURE: AN APPROACH TO THE WRITINGS OF PRE·EXILIC AND EXILIC ISRAEL. By Anthony F. Campbell. Old Testament Studies 2. pp. viii + 504. Wilmington, DE: Michael Glazier, 1989. Paper, $19.95. This reference book is a serious attempt to explain the Documentary Hypothesis (JEDP) for the benefit of students. The author of The Ark Narrative and Of Prophets and Kings represents the views of Noth, Elliger, Lohfink, von Rad, and Wolff, while not broaching the dissenting views of the later Germans and Israelis. The approach is to inquire for the "phenomena " of a text: that is, the little signals in the text which contribute pointers for interpretation and understanding of history and meaning. Consequently, this popularization has many interesting details to merit being a study companion and should at least be on reserve for the better students. The book is filled out with a discussion of the pre-exilic prophets and of the books of Jonah and Job. (Untreated are Proverbs, Psalms, Chronicles, the post-exilic prophets, and others.) Each section concludes with some reflections for contemporary theology. David McCarthy University of Wisconsin Madison. WI 53706 THE JEWISH BIBLE AFTER THE HOLOCAUST: ARE· READING. By Emil L. Fackenheim. pp. xi + 122. Bloomington: Indiana University, 1990. Cloth, $27.50. Fackenheim addresses the need for biblical interpretation to come to terms with both the Holocaust and the creation of the State of Israel, events so "enormous" that "the Jewish Bible must be read by Jews today-read, listened to, struggled with. if necessary fought against-as though they had Hebrew Studies 32 (1991) 198 Brief Notices never read it before" (p. viii). The first chapter, "The hermeneutical situation," surveys initial Jewish and Christian responses to the Holocaust. Chapter 2, ''Two types of murmurers: re-reading the Jewish Bible after Auschwitz," explores Exodus stories in light of the modern situation. Chapter 3, "Sacred scripture or epic of a nation?: re-reading the Jewish Bible in Jerusalem," places biblical texts beside Jewish history while asking, "Did God remember?" Chapter 4, "The children of Rachel, of Haman, of Job: post-holocaust possibilities of a fraternal Jewish-Christian reading of the Book belonging to both," probes the question of Jewish-Christian relations through reading the same Bible. THE REDACTION OF THE BOOKS OF ESTHER: ON READ· ING COMPOSITE TEXTS. By Michael V. Fox. SBL Monograph Series 40. Pp. x + 195. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1991. Cloth, $29.95 I Paper, $18.95. "This monograph examines the practice, purpose, and meaning of redaction criticism, especially the redaction of canonical texts. Beginning with a study of two specific instances of redaction-the redactions that produced the Alpha and Massoretic texts of Esther-the work shows how the redactors expressed their own ideology and concerns in the editing of the texts. Finally, the author considers the extent to which his inquiries into Esther may provide a theoretical model for future redactional studies, and argues for the recognition and inclusion of the creative redactional process in literary studies." (from the back cover) BETWEEN TEXT AND COMMUNITY: THE "WRITINGS" IN CANONICAL INTERPRETATION. By Donn F. Morgan. Pp. x + 164. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1990. Paper. Morgan studies the "Writings" section of the Hebrew canon, with a view to the reasons for their canonization and the effect their canonization, in tum, has had upon the communities which inherited them. He concludes with a discussion of the canons held by Jews and Christians and the "contributions to a theological understanding of Scripture made by [his] hermeneutical analysis of the Writings..." (p. 130). Hebrew Studies 32 (1991) 199 Brief Notices WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOOD?: A COMMENTARY ON THE BOOKS OF PROVERBS AND ECCLESIASTES. By Kathleen A. Fanner. International Theological Commentary. Pp. xii + 220. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991. Paper, $15.95. AT RISK IN THE PROMISED LAND: A COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF JUDGES. By John E. Hamlin. International Theological Commentary. pp. xii + 182. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990. Paper, $12.95. NATIONS UNDER GOD: A COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF 1 KINGS. By Gene Rice. International Theological Commentary. Pp. xv + 198. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990. Paper, $10.95. THE LORD IS SAVIOR: FAITH IN NATIONAL CRISIS: A COMMENTARY...