The End of the Beginning: Joshua and Judges

by Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos

The End of the Beginning  presents a chapter-by-chapter interpretation of Joshua and Judges, based on the author’s translation. Johanna van Wijk-Bos accompanies the reader through the story of Israel from the entry into Canaan up to the time of Samuel. van Wijk-Bos weaves together the memories of ancient Israel’s past into a story that speaks to the traumatic context of postexilic Judah.  The books of Joshua and Judges were written for education, edification, and entertainment. Some of the stories may exhilarate us, some may appall; all will speak to the imagination if we let them. They show a people forging a path forward into an uncertain future in the hope that God will forgive past failures and begin again with them. Christians enter the stories of Israel’s past as outsiders, while at the same time claiming a bond with the same God. We expect more from the text than lessons of the past intended for a different people. These are not our stories, but we too hope for insight and for a guiding word in our own uncertain future.  This is the first volume of A People and a Land, a multi-volume work on the historical books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.

352 pages, Paperback

Published November 19, 2019

Reviews

[Glenn Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy to read, scholarly commentary of the books of Joshua and Judges - and the author does go on in the next two volumes to cover the books of Samuel, and the books of Kings - so it is nice to have the same voice take us through these historical books. As noted, this is a scholarly commentary, and thus whilst I find myself disagreeing with many of the assumptions and conclusions, it is good for background material - plus it is also worthwhile to know something of where the various scholarly minds are at when it comes to such books.

I also appreciated having a female voice examining these quite violent books. I thought the handling of the various women in both books - Rahab, Deborah, Jael, etc - was very well done. Many good questions are raised about women in that day.

I would’ve appreciated more dealing with the theology in these books - and am saddened that the Grace of God seems to be overlooked most of the time - but this is also not what this book aimed to deliver.

Well referenced!

[Matthijs · Rating 5 out of 5]

In feite een commentaar op Jozua en Richteren met veel aandacht voor de manier waarop de verhalen verteld zijn.