Joshua (review)

Hebrew Studies 43 (2002) 261 Reviews reading implications as to the literature's setting in life and intention. Perhaps the author might address such questions in some future publication. If not, he has provided a stimulating book from which other scholars may mine riches and probe such further questions. Robert L. Hubbard, Jr. North Park Theological Seminary Chicago, IL 60625 rhubbard@northpark.edu 2 KINGS. By Robert L. Cohn. Berit Olam. Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry. Pp. xvi + 186. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 2000. Cloth, $34.95. The Berit Olam series offers biblical commentaries that approach books of the canonical Hebrew Bible as literary works. Despite variety in religious and professional backgrounds as well as differences in theoretical approach, contributing authors to the twelve volumes published since 1996 have focused on the final form of the Hebrew text. In the main, they have sought to convey a sense of unity in the biblical materials and emphasized linguistic features that suggest craft, ifnot artistry, in biblical poetry and narrative. In 2 Kings, Robert Cohn, the Philip and Muriel Berman Professor of Jewish Studies at Lafayette College, offers an admirably clear, jargon-free commentary on what he calls "the literary dimension of history writing." He refers repeatedly to literary features such as surface structure, author, verbal techniques, plot, point of view, and characterization-all elements that generate a pattern of meaning and effect, sometimes including intertextual allusions far beyond the limits of 1-2 Kings. His theoretical perspective might be called an updated "new criticism," and in this respect is comparable to the approaches of, among others, Robert Alter and Meir Sternberg. Cohn does not overdetermine his insights into literary craft, as though reading closely were simply a matter of gathering objective data. He is particularly shy of claiming neutral status for formal structure, which he understands modestly as "a matter of interpretation" likely to be parsed dif­ ferently by others. He divides 2 Kings into four large content based sections primarily linked by prophetic announcements and a thematic thread of divine judgement. Part one, chapters 1:1-8:6, focuses on the miracles of Elisha. Part two, chapters 8:7-13:25, develops the political coups in Aram and Israel (earlier announced in 1 Kings 19) and the coup in Judah, which restores a legitimate Davidide to the throne. Part three, chapters 14-17, chromcles the northern kingdom's demise. Part four, chapters 18-25, explains Judah's ...