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The Open Yale Courses Series
Introduction to the Bible
This book examines the small library of 24 books common to all Jewish and Christian Bibles―books that preserve the efforts of diverse writers over a span of many centuries to make sense of their personal experiences and those of their people, the ancient Israelites. Professor Christine Hayes guides her readers through the complexities of this polyphonous literature that has served as a foundational pillar of Western civilization, underscoring the variety and even disparities among the voices that speak in the biblical texts. Biblical authors wrote in many contexts and responded to a sweeping range of crises and questions concerning issues that were political, economic, historical, cultural, philosophical, religious, and moral. In probing chapters devoted to each of the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, Hayes reconstructs the meanings and messages of each book and encourages a deeper appreciation of the historical and cultural settings of ancient biblical literature.
430 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 14, 2021
دانشگاه ییل به خاطر کرونا، یه سری از دوره های خودش رو به صورت آنلاین گذاشته بود، از جمله دورۀ عهد عتیق و عهد جدید که می تونید از این جا ببینید:
https://oyc.yale.edu/courses
من چند ماه گذشته دورۀ عهد عتیقش رو گوش می دادم که خیلی آموزنده بود. چند تا از کتاب های مدرّسش رو دانلود کردم، از جمله این کتاب که دیدم متن همون درس هاییه که توی ییل ارائه کرده و من گوش دادم.
https://oyc.yale.edu/courses
من چند ماه گذشته دورۀ عهد عتیقش رو گوش می دادم که خیلی آموزنده بود. چند تا از کتاب های مدرّسش رو دانلود کردم، از جمله این کتاب که دیدم متن همون درس هاییه که توی ییل ارائه کرده و من گوش دادم.
July 11, 2022
Roughly three out of every 10 people the world over call themselves either Christians (2.3 billion) or Jews (14 million). While varying significantly in their religious beliefs and practices, both groups maintain a deep reverence for the Hebrew Bible, or what Christians somewhat arrogantly refer to as the “Old Testament” (Jews, of course, reject the idea that the New Testament has superseded the “old” one). With such a wide readership, even if you’re not a believer yourself, It helps to know something about a book that is, for better or worse, so culturally influential.
Finding a worthwhile resource to learn about the Bible is no easy matter, as it turns out. Most books on the Hebrew Bible are written from a theological perspective that assumes the literal truth of the text, rather than recognizing the Bible for what it actually is—a disparate collection of books written by anonymous authors trying to make sense of their circumstances through supernatural appeals over the course of nearly a thousand years.
This objective, historical assessment of the Bible is precisely what this book offers. Based on the popular course at Yale University, professor Christine Hayes has reworked and expanded the lectures into book format, covering all 24 books common to both the Jewish and Christian Bibles. The result is a fascinating read that reveals what the best modern scholarship has to say about the composition, authorship, and historical meaning of the Bible.
While I would ultimately recommend the book, my only complaint is that the morally questionable parts of the Bible do seem to be somewhat glossed over. The god of the Hebrew Bible is famously unpleasant; estimates have Yahweh responsible for the killing of over 2.3 million people, all the while instituting barbaric and extreme laws and punishments, examples of which Hayes often skips over. For example, in reference to the book of Leviticus, Hayes refers to “forbidden sexual relations,” and leaves it at that. And while I don’t blame her for not wanting to get into the specifics, the Bible sure doesn’t hesitate. Consider this charming verse from Leviticus 20:13: “If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.”
There’s no nice way to put it: The Bible is filled with sexist, homophobic, homicidal, and outright immoral material. If you bother to read the Bible, you’ll get the picture; some very terrible shit happens at the hands of a vindictive, jealous, angry, homicidal god who espouses the dangerous idea of a “chosen people.”
To be fair, though, you cannot deny that there are better, more humanitarian parts in the Bible, for the Bible is nothing if not a psychological projection of humans' worst AND best qualities (e.g., the empathy, sympathy, and compassion that compels us to help those in need, but that is, in my opinion, better expressed in ancient Greek philosophy). So if you want to do some cherry-picking, you’ll have plenty of verses to select from that appear morally commendable. This is why I personally view the Bible more as a window into human psychology than anything else, which the present book goes a long way towards explaining, even if it leans more toward the positive side.
Finding a worthwhile resource to learn about the Bible is no easy matter, as it turns out. Most books on the Hebrew Bible are written from a theological perspective that assumes the literal truth of the text, rather than recognizing the Bible for what it actually is—a disparate collection of books written by anonymous authors trying to make sense of their circumstances through supernatural appeals over the course of nearly a thousand years.
This objective, historical assessment of the Bible is precisely what this book offers. Based on the popular course at Yale University, professor Christine Hayes has reworked and expanded the lectures into book format, covering all 24 books common to both the Jewish and Christian Bibles. The result is a fascinating read that reveals what the best modern scholarship has to say about the composition, authorship, and historical meaning of the Bible.
While I would ultimately recommend the book, my only complaint is that the morally questionable parts of the Bible do seem to be somewhat glossed over. The god of the Hebrew Bible is famously unpleasant; estimates have Yahweh responsible for the killing of over 2.3 million people, all the while instituting barbaric and extreme laws and punishments, examples of which Hayes often skips over. For example, in reference to the book of Leviticus, Hayes refers to “forbidden sexual relations,” and leaves it at that. And while I don’t blame her for not wanting to get into the specifics, the Bible sure doesn’t hesitate. Consider this charming verse from Leviticus 20:13: “If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense.”
There’s no nice way to put it: The Bible is filled with sexist, homophobic, homicidal, and outright immoral material. If you bother to read the Bible, you’ll get the picture; some very terrible shit happens at the hands of a vindictive, jealous, angry, homicidal god who espouses the dangerous idea of a “chosen people.”
To be fair, though, you cannot deny that there are better, more humanitarian parts in the Bible, for the Bible is nothing if not a psychological projection of humans' worst AND best qualities (e.g., the empathy, sympathy, and compassion that compels us to help those in need, but that is, in my opinion, better expressed in ancient Greek philosophy). So if you want to do some cherry-picking, you’ll have plenty of verses to select from that appear morally commendable. This is why I personally view the Bible more as a window into human psychology than anything else, which the present book goes a long way towards explaining, even if it leans more toward the positive side.
May 24, 2017
I really liked this book. I want more! Christine Hayes does an excellent job of explaining some of the many contradictions in the text of the Hebrew Bible. Why are there polytheistic stories in the text when the Bible insists that God is one? Is Jerusalem the only place where sacrifice to Yahweh can happen or are several locations allowed? Is God called Yahweh or Elohim? Or El Elyon?
What about intermarriage? Is it allowed? These and many more contradictions in the Bible are explained in a framework that allows the reader to see the complexities of the text, and how it came to be. She explains the questions that the authors of the text were working to answer. I could go on... but I will just say that if you have an interest in the Bible and you are not familiar with critical biblical scholarship, this is a great introduction.
What about intermarriage? Is it allowed? These and many more contradictions in the Bible are explained in a framework that allows the reader to see the complexities of the text, and how it came to be. She explains the questions that the authors of the text were working to answer. I could go on... but I will just say that if you have an interest in the Bible and you are not familiar with critical biblical scholarship, this is a great introduction.
April 30, 2020
Read for an ASU course on the Hebrew Bible.
This was a mixed bag for me. The information it contained was definitely valuable, but I wasn't satisfied with the approach or the conclusions drawn by the author. Hayes chooses to analyze the Old Testament as a work of literature, which sounds like a good idea, but only up to a point. She says there are contradictions within the text, but only goes into detail on a few of these instances; she brings up archaeological evidence that is supposed to back up the historicity of certain biblical events, but without giving enough explanation. I was constantly left wanting more, but it was too quick and broad.
Though she insists this is not a Bible study book, the greatest strength of Hayes' treatise is in the analysis of the text, providing historical context and comparisons to other Near Eastern myths. I appreciated her work with the Book of Job in particular. Otherwise, it was a much more general look at the Hebrew Bible than I expected or would have liked.
This was a mixed bag for me. The information it contained was definitely valuable, but I wasn't satisfied with the approach or the conclusions drawn by the author. Hayes chooses to analyze the Old Testament as a work of literature, which sounds like a good idea, but only up to a point. She says there are contradictions within the text, but only goes into detail on a few of these instances; she brings up archaeological evidence that is supposed to back up the historicity of certain biblical events, but without giving enough explanation. I was constantly left wanting more, but it was too quick and broad.
Though she insists this is not a Bible study book, the greatest strength of Hayes' treatise is in the analysis of the text, providing historical context and comparisons to other Near Eastern myths. I appreciated her work with the Book of Job in particular. Otherwise, it was a much more general look at the Hebrew Bible than I expected or would have liked.
January 12, 2020
A Deeply Learned Synopsis of the Bible
The author, Christine Hayes of Yale University has written a readable summary of the Hebrew Bible. Even more impressive is that she integrates major historical, archeological, and linguistic findings to help explain the variety of texts woven together in the Bible.
The author, Christine Hayes of Yale University has written a readable summary of the Hebrew Bible. Even more impressive is that she integrates major historical, archeological, and linguistic findings to help explain the variety of texts woven together in the Bible.
January 23, 2022
The best introduction to the Old Testament (a.k.a. Hebrew Bible) that I have ever read. It's based on Hayes' lectures at Yale, which you can find on YouTube. This book offers an excellent overview of recent scholarship and different interpretations of how the Bible came to be.
Hayes also shows clearly how the Old Testament is one book but a collection of books. She shows how some of the oldest texts betray their polytheistic roots, and discusses how enormous the differences between polytheism and monotheism are, and how slowly monotheists came to understand just how radical their revolution was. Hayes dates the development of true monotheism to the period after the catastrophic destruction of the First Jerusalem Temple in 586 BCE.
A major driving force of Old Testament writing is the effort to square the circle of how it was that God's "chosen people" fared so badly in a region dominated by powerful empires (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, the Greeks). Biblical writers took very different and contradictory approaches to this question, from the Deuteronomist and other prophets who emphasised God's punishment for sin and/or injustice, to the authors of Job and Ecclesiastes, who promoted an almost stoic acceptance of a God we cannot hope to understand, to author of Jonah, who stressed God's universal love and the eschatological and apocalyptic preachers whose legacy continues to cause havoc to this day.
Hayes' perspective on the Old Testament is that of a liberal Jew, and she is more pro-Bible than I am. However, she has not written this book to push a particular line but to give the reader an idea of the perspectives that recent scholarship has opened up. I only wish I had had access to this book a few years ago when I decided to read the Bible from cover to cover. I would have got much more out of it.
Hayes also shows clearly how the Old Testament is one book but a collection of books. She shows how some of the oldest texts betray their polytheistic roots, and discusses how enormous the differences between polytheism and monotheism are, and how slowly monotheists came to understand just how radical their revolution was. Hayes dates the development of true monotheism to the period after the catastrophic destruction of the First Jerusalem Temple in 586 BCE.
A major driving force of Old Testament writing is the effort to square the circle of how it was that God's "chosen people" fared so badly in a region dominated by powerful empires (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, the Greeks). Biblical writers took very different and contradictory approaches to this question, from the Deuteronomist and other prophets who emphasised God's punishment for sin and/or injustice, to the authors of Job and Ecclesiastes, who promoted an almost stoic acceptance of a God we cannot hope to understand, to author of Jonah, who stressed God's universal love and the eschatological and apocalyptic preachers whose legacy continues to cause havoc to this day.
Hayes' perspective on the Old Testament is that of a liberal Jew, and she is more pro-Bible than I am. However, she has not written this book to push a particular line but to give the reader an idea of the perspectives that recent scholarship has opened up. I only wish I had had access to this book a few years ago when I decided to read the Bible from cover to cover. I would have got much more out of it.
Read
November 6, 2021As a non-believer, this companion piece helped me to sustain the interest necessary to finish the whole Hebrew Bible, which is what I had hoped from it.
The recurring dyad of this book was the contrast between a transcendental humanity and the alien past, which truly is a foreign country. Clearly, there is nothing new under the sun: the emotional and spiritual challenges present in the Bible are still relatable, even intensely poignant. Yet the bronze age obsessions with purity, marriage, kingship could not be further from my concerns as a modern.
Hayes stresses the importance of reading the words of the bible with a certain humility. Ages of patina obscure the original, and we a. To give a concrete but trivial example, Eve never eats an apple; the original Hebrew word is not 'apple'. This book helped to train me to go back and back again to the text while keeping the original context in mind.
The recurring dyad of this book was the contrast between a transcendental humanity and the alien past, which truly is a foreign country. Clearly, there is nothing new under the sun: the emotional and spiritual challenges present in the Bible are still relatable, even intensely poignant. Yet the bronze age obsessions with purity, marriage, kingship could not be further from my concerns as a modern.
Hayes stresses the importance of reading the words of the bible with a certain humility. Ages of patina obscure the original, and we a. To give a concrete but trivial example, Eve never eats an apple; the original Hebrew word is not 'apple'. This book helped to train me to go back and back again to the text while keeping the original context in mind.
February 7, 2023
Introduction to the Bible is Yale University professor Christine Hayes' lecture series on the Hebrew Bible in book form, which explores the ancient texts as an anthology of works that responded to the times in which they were written. While Introduction to the Bible begins with the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), much of the latter half situates the books of the bible in view of their periods of composition, from the Late Kingdom in the 8th century with the Book of Amos on down to the Books of Daniel and Jonah, composed very late into post-exile. The emphasis of Hayes' lectures is a conception of the Tanakh itself, much like the midrashim written about it, as an ongoing conversation among the Israelite people about how to understand themselves, their God, their own and universal history, and the divine sense of justice. This book is a powerful aid in helping people become deeper, more thoughtful readers of Hebrew scripture.
March 22, 2021
A surprisingly smooth read of a very dense topic. I did not appreciate before I began reading it that this book was limited to the Hebrew Bible, with a separate book applicable to the New Testament. Regardless, it was well worth the time it took to read it - If you want to gain a greater understanding of the historical context of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and a greater appreciation of the themes undergirding it, I can think of no resource more efficient than this book. As someone who did not 'attend' the online Yale course, I found this book more than stood on its own two legs, and it effectively broke down the information into a level that someone like me, a relative beginner on the subject, could easily keep track.
April 26, 2017
Too many unsubstantiated claims.
Too many statements were left unsubstantiated. Statements on the dating of individual books such as "We now know the book could not have been written then," without evidence to support. Her interpretation of certain texts flies contrary to the simple meaning of the text, as seen in the idea that Abraham was attempting to thwart the plan of God.
If you are looking for a scholarly and introductory book on the Old Testament, look elsewhere.
Too many statements were left unsubstantiated. Statements on the dating of individual books such as "We now know the book could not have been written then," without evidence to support. Her interpretation of certain texts flies contrary to the simple meaning of the text, as seen in the idea that Abraham was attempting to thwart the plan of God.
If you are looking for a scholarly and introductory book on the Old Testament, look elsewhere.
October 9, 2024
Exactly what I was looking for: a fairly “secular” examination of the Old Testament (by which I mean the author did not presume the reader’s faith or attempt to proselytize) that uses literary analysis, historical evidence, and archaeology to explain the books of the Old Testament. Very readable and interesting throughout.
December 18, 2020
Gave me a much more complex and deeper understanding of the Bible.
October 2, 2021
The best academic scholarship of an ancient text that I have ever read.
June 13, 2021
This was an irenic and inspiring summary of modern critical scholarship approaching the Hebrew Bible as literature that critiqued many biases that modern readers bring to the text (both religious and secular) to help appreciate its beauty, profundity, and foundational role in world history.
September 23, 2016
Did not make a strong impression
September 20, 2025
I believe this book, a commentary on the Old Testament, has changed my life. How is that possible?! After all, it's just an old book about an even older book! But I'm telling you it has!
I came across Professor Hayes' lectures several years ago and listened raptly to each one. I recently had a reason to rewatch some of them, and it made me determined to see if she had written a book. Well, she had, and this is it! She made many of the same points in her lectures, but the book expanded on them and allowed me to highlight and reread them to make sure I fully understood. If possible, the book is even better than the lectures!
Points I appreciated so much included how revolutionary monotheism was. It was a clean break from the paganism that dominated all of the ancient world (page 38). Paganism recognizes a multiplicity of gods who are slaves to their passions, to the primordial, preexisting material that birthed them, and in constant conflict with demons who frequently overpower them. In contrast, the Bible presents a God who is above and outside of the universe, who is self existent, unthreatened by any other power and in need of nothing, and certainly not in need of the sacrifices and prayers of man. There are no events in God's life to celebrate: since He is all-powerful, He has no events or conflicts! The contrast with the puny pagan gods is stunning!
But instead of appreciating the contrast, we presume to pass judgment on the Bible. We should be brooding over the discontinuity presented. Where did the idea of monotheism come from? In a world built entirely to PREVENT people from even THINKING of new ideas, how could monotheism have possibly arisen??? Here is a question that deserves deeper study!
Another point I loved is Professor Hayes' characterization of God as presented in creation, the flood, and the lives of the patriarchs. Here appears to be one of her unique contributions to the book: God seems to be repeatedly surprised at the actions of His created being, man. God gives humans free will, and then seems unprepared for man to immediately exercise it. God decides to destroy mankind for its evil actions, only to watch the survivors build a tower in open defiance of Him. Abraham's great faith may be TOO extreme. But in wrestling with Jacob, God finally finds the appropriate relationship: God and man will strive together (page 117).
One of the most critical points is to not attempt to read the Bible as history, at least as we think of history. This is to make a genre mistake. The Bible was written to explain the divine purposes in the universe and for the nation of Israel, not as a narration of facts. The Bible deserves to be read on its own merits, not because we insist on historical facts before we believe it (page 97). After all, NO history is ultimately available to us. ALL history is refracted through the lens of the historian, regardless of our pretense of objectivity. So stop trying to hold the Bible to a standard that it doesn't pretend to reach, and read it for what it is - a wrestling with a complex God in a challenging and unfair world.
Many people question the existence of a good, all-powerful God when they see the evil, misfortune, pain, and misery in our world. Hayes points out the fact that this is the pathos of the Biblical God. After all, paganism never questions the existence of evil. It is as natural a part of the universe as gravity. There is no seeming contradiction. But who would want to live in such a universe??? Give me the complicated God of the Bible and difficult questions rather than a universe of purposeless evil! (Page 462).
Finally, Hayes points out the contradictions in the Bible. For example, how the Deuteronomical writers (Deuteronomy through 2 Kings) ascribe the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem as resulting from a failure to obey God. However, Job shows that evil can befall even a righteous man who has a clean conscience! In fact, we see in Job the heroism of faith in the face of absurd calamity. It is in the valley of the shadow that we see the pureness of motive to do righteousness.
So read the book! Hopefully, you will find your own reasons to appreciate the Old Testament more!
I came across Professor Hayes' lectures several years ago and listened raptly to each one. I recently had a reason to rewatch some of them, and it made me determined to see if she had written a book. Well, she had, and this is it! She made many of the same points in her lectures, but the book expanded on them and allowed me to highlight and reread them to make sure I fully understood. If possible, the book is even better than the lectures!
Points I appreciated so much included how revolutionary monotheism was. It was a clean break from the paganism that dominated all of the ancient world (page 38). Paganism recognizes a multiplicity of gods who are slaves to their passions, to the primordial, preexisting material that birthed them, and in constant conflict with demons who frequently overpower them. In contrast, the Bible presents a God who is above and outside of the universe, who is self existent, unthreatened by any other power and in need of nothing, and certainly not in need of the sacrifices and prayers of man. There are no events in God's life to celebrate: since He is all-powerful, He has no events or conflicts! The contrast with the puny pagan gods is stunning!
But instead of appreciating the contrast, we presume to pass judgment on the Bible. We should be brooding over the discontinuity presented. Where did the idea of monotheism come from? In a world built entirely to PREVENT people from even THINKING of new ideas, how could monotheism have possibly arisen??? Here is a question that deserves deeper study!
Another point I loved is Professor Hayes' characterization of God as presented in creation, the flood, and the lives of the patriarchs. Here appears to be one of her unique contributions to the book: God seems to be repeatedly surprised at the actions of His created being, man. God gives humans free will, and then seems unprepared for man to immediately exercise it. God decides to destroy mankind for its evil actions, only to watch the survivors build a tower in open defiance of Him. Abraham's great faith may be TOO extreme. But in wrestling with Jacob, God finally finds the appropriate relationship: God and man will strive together (page 117).
One of the most critical points is to not attempt to read the Bible as history, at least as we think of history. This is to make a genre mistake. The Bible was written to explain the divine purposes in the universe and for the nation of Israel, not as a narration of facts. The Bible deserves to be read on its own merits, not because we insist on historical facts before we believe it (page 97). After all, NO history is ultimately available to us. ALL history is refracted through the lens of the historian, regardless of our pretense of objectivity. So stop trying to hold the Bible to a standard that it doesn't pretend to reach, and read it for what it is - a wrestling with a complex God in a challenging and unfair world.
Many people question the existence of a good, all-powerful God when they see the evil, misfortune, pain, and misery in our world. Hayes points out the fact that this is the pathos of the Biblical God. After all, paganism never questions the existence of evil. It is as natural a part of the universe as gravity. There is no seeming contradiction. But who would want to live in such a universe??? Give me the complicated God of the Bible and difficult questions rather than a universe of purposeless evil! (Page 462).
Finally, Hayes points out the contradictions in the Bible. For example, how the Deuteronomical writers (Deuteronomy through 2 Kings) ascribe the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem as resulting from a failure to obey God. However, Job shows that evil can befall even a righteous man who has a clean conscience! In fact, we see in Job the heroism of faith in the face of absurd calamity. It is in the valley of the shadow that we see the pureness of motive to do righteousness.
So read the book! Hopefully, you will find your own reasons to appreciate the Old Testament more!
July 30, 2025
This companion to Professor Hayes's lecture series is useful, but be aware that it is the very same information that is presented in the course. Hayes is an excellent speaker and instructor, so I would not consider it an equivalent substitute for actually watching or listening to the course, but it is useful as a support. Also be aware that the content and readings assigned don't always match up precisely with the lectures. Recommended, but not necessary if you're doing the open Yale course.
May 3, 2025
This was my textbook for a college Old Testament elective class, of which I skimmed or read most. It is, of course, a secular work and says a lot of things I wouldn't agree with. Nevertheless, it's a fascinating, insightful piece of scholarship written with a high respect for the people who crafted the Hebrew Bible.
June 17, 2025
A wonderful introduction to the Hebrew Bible (what is also called as Old Testament by the Christians).
The introduction is really good. It is not so much explaining what each book is about, but what the books try to present, and the most likely path to their composition.
As the epilogue says, you get a feeling that there is no single view for Yaweh, but a polyphony of voices.
The introduction is really good. It is not so much explaining what each book is about, but what the books try to present, and the most likely path to their composition.
As the epilogue says, you get a feeling that there is no single view for Yaweh, but a polyphony of voices.
August 30, 2021
This was read as part of my Readership Training Course. I found it very dry and hard going at times. I also struggled with many of the author's conclusions - especially when she totally rejected any link between the prophecies in the Old Testament and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
April 24, 2023
luv christine hayes
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