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Book Reviews 87 Magonet's monograph, Form and Meaning: Studies in Literary Techniques in the Book ofJonah (Sheffield: Almond Press, 1983). This includes the explanation for diverse divine names, namely that Elohim functions in God's capacity as judge, whereas Yahweh serves when the emphasis falls on mercy; the recognition of the function of repetition; the tabulation of midpoints for various scenes, particularly II where Jonah's response "I am a Hebrew" is evenly balanced on both sides with 94 words. limburg recognizes thematic links with Exodus 14, which might have been pursued profitably. He overlooks Jeremiah's prophesying in Egypt, and he uses the word "preach" to translate qara' in at least one instance. That choice of language does not seem appropriate for an Old Testament text. He also uses the category of extension or diminution of phrases; what else is possible unless the same phrase occurs repeatedly? Although his bibliography is quite brief, the absence ofJames Ackerman's article on the psalm in chapter 2 is strange. These objections notwithstanding, 1 found this commentary both informative and reliable, a worthy addition to a prestigious series. James 1. Crenshaw Divinity School Duke University Jeremiah: An Archaeological Companion, by Philip J. King. Louisville, KY: Westminsterl.John Knox Press, 1993. 204 pp. $27.00. This is Philip King's second work in a specialized subcategory that he has developed: book-length treatment of archaeological finds relevant to only a few or just one of the books of the Bible. Its predecessor is Amos, Hosea, Micah-An Archaeological Commentary (Philadelphia: Westminster , 1988). Other authors treat all or most of the Hebrew Bible, the entire New Testament, or both. King's specialized treatment pays off admirably in revealing much of the historical and cultural context of the events in Jeremiah and then in using this context to illuminate the book. Although this work is specialized in its scope, it is not at all written for specialists in the sense of experts. King is remarkably plainspoken, and he defines and describes things in his text that are new to beginners. Other helps include a glossary, 66 illustrations, four maps, chronological charts of rulers and of archaeological periods, bibliographic notes, a selected bibliography, a subject/name index, and an author index. The introduction to the relationship between archaeology and biblical studies can help 88 SHOFAR Spring 1995 Vol. 13, No.3 readers avoid much confusion. All in all, this work can bring the reader to a high level of understanding. Currently a professor of Biblical Studies at Boston College, Philip King has thirty-five years' experience teaching the Hebrew Bible and doing field work in biblical archaeology. His book reveals his remarkable skill and instincts as a teacher. He is careful not to overload the reader, but continually stimulates interest. His own passion for the subject is apparent throughout the work, which is a pleasure to read. The main value of the book is in the gathering, summarizing, and updating of archaeological information relevant to the things mentioned in the book of Jeremiah. Even sophisticated readers will appreciate this convenient update, since much of this comprehensive information is difficult to access. Although King does not try to solve all the problems in Jeremiah, his encyclopedic knowledge of archaeological sites and of the history of interpretation of the finds illuminates many of the issues. The Bible says much about Jeremiah's inward and outward experience , and most readers can relate easily to this personal aspect of the book. King capitalizes on this fact by making his opening chapter "Jeremiah: The Prophet and the Book." With admirable conciseness, chapter 2, "Historical Background," summarizes national developments and international relations during Jeremiah's era. These summaries show precisely some of the situations to which the book ofJeremiah and the Babylonian Chronicle refer. The next chapter, "Geographical Setting," skillfully combines topographical , historical, and archaeological information to tell the significance of locations mentioned in Jeremiah chapters 46-51, the oracles to the nations. To provide background for the frequent mention ofEdom in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 4 gives a site-by-site summary and update on excavations in Edom and southern Judah. These sites present an overall picture of Edomite...

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