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A new translation and commentary on the book of Amos, forgoing speculation about his life to provide an innovative analysis of the book itself
As part of the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Amos has been studied for more than two thousand years. This much-needed new edition includes an updated English translation of the Hebrew text and an insightful commentary. While previous scholarship speculated on reconstructions of the life of Amos, Eidevall analyzes this prophetic book as a literary composition, rejecting the conventional view of the book of Amos’s origin and providing a new rationalization for the form and meaning of the text.
As part of the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Amos has been studied for more than two thousand years. This much-needed new edition includes an updated English translation of the Hebrew text and an insightful commentary. While previous scholarship speculated on reconstructions of the life of Amos, Eidevall analyzes this prophetic book as a literary composition, rejecting the conventional view of the book of Amos’s origin and providing a new rationalization for the form and meaning of the text.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published October 24, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 12, 2024
SO good. This type of commentary is exactly what I'm looking for. A lot of (especially prophetic book) commentaries get lost in the sauce of tidying up the theology of the books into something palatable and air-tight. All this does is explain the rhetorical and literary direction of the book, essentially answering "what is it saying?" The reader is then left on her own to grapple with its message and implications. Loved it.
June 9, 2025
This is a replacement volume that supersedes an original 1960-80ish ANCHOR COMMENTARY series (Doubleday) and meets a need for new insights and perspectives versus a 1989 Francis I. Andersen volume 24A. Professor Eidevall of Uppsala, Sweden University moves away from form/source/redaction criticism that assumed a biography of "Amos" could explain all the difficult forms and mixed prophecy/warning oracles/words of hopeful epilogue (see page 88). Also, valuable is a map drawing by Sverrir Olafsson (page 90) of nations & places mentioned in Amos chapters 1-2. By introduction, Eidevall states that this commentary aims to provide a comprehensive literary and historical analysis of the _book_ of Amos. . .choosing to combine synchronic and diachronic exegetical approaches. First as an artistically literary _Composition_ and a multi-layered prophetic book with theological and ideological aspects of its combined and distinct parts. After noting the structural symmetry (pages 10 - 11) [ chapters 1-2, 3-6, 7-9 ], Eidevall notes there is a high degree of thematic coherence [judgment over Israel/Northern Kingdom] but it is possible to read the book of
Amos in its entirety as a drama of sorts (middle page 12). This comes across as a bit of a "tour-de-force" but also seems valid and able to account for the diverse oracles that seem doom-filled while ending with a hope-ful epilogue. I commend the series for this positive volume of a part of the Hebrew Bible for scholars and general readers alike. 5* out of 5! ISBN is 978-0-300-17878-4
Amos in its entirety as a drama of sorts (middle page 12). This comes across as a bit of a "tour-de-force" but also seems valid and able to account for the diverse oracles that seem doom-filled while ending with a hope-ful epilogue. I commend the series for this positive volume of a part of the Hebrew Bible for scholars and general readers alike. 5* out of 5! ISBN is 978-0-300-17878-4
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews