Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Pentateuch

by Barry J. Beitzel (Editor)

Walk in the footsteps of the patriarchs.
From the four rivers of Eden to Israel’s wilderness wanderings, the biblical narratives in the Pentateuch are filled with geographical details. God’s story of redemption takes place in the real, but often unfamiliar, world of the ancient Near East. Written by a team of experts on biblical geography and culture, the Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Pentateuch is a guide to the world of the patriarchs. Each article addresses a particular story, event, or subject in Genesis through Deuteronomy, with full-color maps and photos providing deeper layers of context. Historical and cultural insights give readers a richer understanding of the biblical story.

920 pages, Hardcover

Published February 28, 2024

Reviews

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having enjoyed the earlier two volumes of this series covering the New Testament, I was pleasantly surprised to come across this volume. I guess now I’ll expect the rest of the OT to be covered. On the surface, we might suspect that the Pentateuch would be the area most in need of geographical assistance. Father back in time and having generations trample over its environs, there is simply less certainty. Enter, then, this volume.

This volume is a massive undertaking. In some ways it seems like a Bible encyclopedia while at other points it’s more of an atlas. Despite the title, it’s not a commentary per se. What you get is a thorough article on any geographical subject that greatly impacts our understanding of the text. Some are quite scholarly (like ones explaining from a “socio-spatial” perspective!) but they are often still fun. I loved the one arguing, for example, for the traditional site for Sinai. Though I found it less plausible, it was worthwhile to have an article arguing for an alternate site. Not all articles are explicitly geographical like, for instance, ones on burial practices. Still, it’s all good stuff.

Sometimes even theology was addressed and usually effectively when it appeared. Perhaps my only complaint mimics mine of the earlier volumes: some maps strain the eyes to read. Charts, though, are usually fine.

I can’t help but love a book like this one. Even if every article isn’t your thing, you are bound to find several that are simply fascinating. No other volume I know brings these loose ends so tastefully together. What you have is an asset not duplicated anywhere else. That’s saying a lot these days.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Tess Adone]

This is on my shelf, and I have read one chapter.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A geographic commentary may seem odd. However, I think part of the reason many Christians want to visit "the Holy Land" is because they want to confirm to themselves that the places named in the Bible are real places. Barry Beitzel, in the Series Preface, relates the story of a former student who had the opportunity to join a study tour of Israel and Sinai. She wanted to go home afterwards and share her experience with an elderly saint in her home church, thinking she would be delighted. The old woman's response, however, was, "Well now, I know all those places are in the Bible, but I never though of them as being on the earth" (p. xx.). But an appreciation for the geography is essential, especially for understanding the Old Testament. Virtually all of the essays in this volume are helpful to the interpreter and preacher of the Bible. The one exception is the essay by Don Benjamin, "How Does Deuteronomy Repurpose the Mountain and the Place?" The essay has two fundamental problems. First, he assumes that Deuteronomy was either written or received its final form sometime between the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah. Second, by applying a Marxist/feminist/functional sociological grid to the text, he produces an allegorical interpretation of Deuteronomy that would have made the early church fathers blush. The following essay by Daniel Block, however, provides an excellent corrective. Recommended for the preacher and the student.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

I disliked this volume almost as much as I liked the volume on the Gospels. The book is too obsessed with arguing archaeological minutiae. It retraces the same steps (literally, in the Sinai) over and over again without getting proper deference to the biblical text. It does little to illuminate the pages of Scripture and instead focuses on disputes between scholars.

There are some good chapters here, but they too easily get lost in the bulk of unnecessary diversions. I think Lexham could do better with a trimmer, tighter edition.

[PJ Wenzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read select chapters not the entire book. It’s a tome and more for reference. Some chapters are a little “captain obvious” and that can feel like a waste of space. Others are insightful and a few are fascinating.