A Handbook to Old Testament Exegesis

by William P. Brown

Designed for both Hebrew and non-Hebrew students, A Handbook to Old Testament Exegesis offers a fresh, hands-on introduction to exegesis of the Old Testament. William P. Brown begins not with the biblical text itself but with the reader, helping students to identify their own interpretive lenses before engaging the biblical text. Brown guides the student through a wide variety of interpretive approaches, including modern methodologiesâ€"feminist, womanist, Latino/a, queer, postcolonial, disability, and ecological approachesâ€"alongside more traditional methods. This allows students to critically reflect on themselves as bona fide interpreters. While covering a wide range of biblical passages, Brown also highlights two common biblical texts throughout the work to help show how each interpretive approach highlights different dimensions of the same texts. Students will appreciate the value of an empathetic inquiry of Scripture that is both inclusive of others and textually in-depth.

Genres: Biblical Studies

363 pages, Paperback

Published March 17, 2017

Reviews

[Luke Hillier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for my, you guessed it, Old Testament Exegesis class in seminary. It was a perfectly decent resource, a bit dry and technical at times but less so than I anticipated to be honest. I think the decision to return to Genesis 1-3 as a way of demonstrating each chapter's strategy or focal lens was clever, though it did make for redundant reading at times. I really appreciated this resource's inclusion of a third section focusing on contemporary exegetical approaches, with chapters on hermeneutics informed by ecology, science, gender, race, and empire.

[Jenny Esots · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me greatly to find a new appreciation for the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible as it is sometimes known. Beginning with a section on writing your own personal exegesis was an excellent place to start. After all we all experts in our own life.

[Kate Crump · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second time reading this book, once for a Penteatuch class and next for my masters class Foundations of Biblical Studies. This book introduces different ways of reading the OT well, but nothing very new to me.

[Lilly Pittman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction to hermeneutical methods. Useful for reference and for writing papers.

[Abigail Anderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

BOOOOORRRRING. Had to read for a class. DNF. I’ve never read more stuffy and pontificating writing.