From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch

by T. Desmond Alexander

This accessibly written textbook has been a popular introduction to the Pentateuch for over twenty-five years. It identifies the major themes of the first five books of the Bible and offers an overview of their contents. Unlike some academic studies, it focuses on how the books from Genesis to Deuteronomy form a continuous story that provides an important foundation for understanding the whole Bible. This new edition has been substantially updated throughout to reflect the author's refined judgments and to address the future of pentateuchal studies.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Old Testament, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, History

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

T. Desmond Alexander (PhD, The Queen’s University, Belfast) is senior lecturer in biblical studies and director of postgraduate studies at Union Theological College in Belfast, Ireland. He is the coeditor of the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology.

Reviews

[Rick Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good. Felt like it should have been two separate books instead of one, but I suspect it was put together to make a good textbook for seminary classe.

[Mitchell Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main textbook for Pentateuch class I am taking at Covenant Theological Seminary Summer '23.

[Nicholas Meriwether · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a solid read. The book is divided into two parts: a survey of Pentateuchal criticism and an exploration of major themes in the books of the Pentateuch. This first part is heavily footnoted while the second part is purposefully less footnoted, aiming more towards an understanding of basic content of the Pentateuch rather than engaging with scholarship.

In the first section, Alexander traces the history of Pentateuchal criticism, paying special attention to the German vein in the past 200 years. The Documentary Hypothesis (JEDP) has dominated much Old Testament scholarship since then, even deeply influencing the Zeitgeist of Old Testament scholarship today. However, Alexander illustrates the methodological drawbacks of the Documentary Hypothesis, even as they are acknowledged by critical scholars (e.g. Whybray). The Documentary Hypothesis is not a silver bullet for word choice variation, and its assumptions that repetition is evidence redaction are unfounded, especially in largely oral cultures of the Ancient Near East. This method is often applied inconsistently, acting as a sort of confirmation bias for a particular scholar’s presupposed viewpoints of a later redactor. This atomistic exegesis often guts the intentional literary artistry in the Pentateuch. Then there is the ever-present lack of manuscript evidence for different sources. It is no surprise that Alexander then advocated for more literary approaches to study the Pentateuch.

In the themes section, I thought that there would be more attention to how themes span across the books of the Pentateuch, but it was more about the themes within the books of the Pentateuch. As a Genesis expert, Alexander spends the lion’s share of the themes on those that are present in Genesis. Of particular interest is his exegetical argument for a messianic reading of the Pentateuch based on the following features: 1.) reclaiming the royal identity that humanity was given at creation, 2.) the grammatically singular ‘seed’ in Genesis 3:15 and 22:18, 26:4, and 28:14, 3.) the promises that kings will come from the patriarchal lineage (e.g. Genesis 17:6; 49:8-12). This reading also makes sense of Paul’s argument in Galatians 3 where Christ is the seed of Abraham that now blesses all nations. Other chapters are generally terse and well-summarized. With Exodus and Genesis taking the bulk of this section, the other books of the Pentateuch don’t get quite as much attention (Numbers gets 20 pages!). These chapters still have good observations, though, like death being the antithesis of holiness in Leviticus, and thus also underlying some of the distinctions between clean and unclean animals for Israel.

[Mitchell Traver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, the first 2/3 was a solid four stars, with the introductions being more in the vein of Biblical Theology mixed with philology than line by line exegesis and detailed superstructure of each book. But the final 100ish pages of the book, focused entirely upon Pentateuchal Scholarship and Criticism, was off the charts good. If you’re not interested in that aspect of the discussion, then it’ll be a lot to try and get through. If you are, and especially if (like me) you’re newer to Higher Critical discussions, it is the perfect place to begin. Alexander is fair and knowledgeable, he affirms divine inspiration and authority, and he also isn’t afraid to critique whatever approach is in question, no matter how modern or traditional. This book is careful and learned, and more than anything, clearly written in view of Christ as the promised Messiah we’ve all been waiting for. Great introduction to the Pentateuch.

[Andy Littleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I especially appreciated the garden to city connection, and Alexander highlighting moments in the Pentateuch that exhibit this motif.

[Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is composed of two parts, which I will review separately.

Part One is an overview and critique of critical scholarly approaches to the Pentateuch. He presents these views thoroughly, within their historical context such that he almost makes a convincing case. He demonstrates rather well, however, why the very methods used to support the critical views, although helpful in places, are ultimately insufficient. In the final chapter of this section he provides his own case for the authorship and dating of the Pentateuch, which falls neither within the traditional critical camp nor the Mosaic authorship camp (though he does attribute at least some material to Moses). I found his case convincing and consonant with an orthodox doctrine of Scripture. This section is a little more on the technical side than Part Two, but it is by no means inaccessible to the educated layperson.

Part Two discusses the major themes in the Pentateuch, showing how they work within the five books and how they are picked up in the rest of Scripture. Alexander has a truly remarkable ability to spot details at a macro level that frequently go missed. His insights in these chapters, though not all revolutionary, are nevertheless reflective of high-level scholarship and prayerful consideration of God's overall message. This section is not technical, and I imagine that even high school students could benefit from it.

[Josh Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexander provides an excellent synthetic overview of the Pentateuch. Readers will be pleasantly surprised to find this book on the Pentateuch an easy read. The book does an admirable job at showing the theological and thematic developments and the connections both within the Pentateuch, and broader canon. The book is recommended for undergraduate students, and deals only lightly with historical-critical issues. While the basic introduction to Pentateuchal criticism is helpful, the strength of the book is found in the subsequent sections. Individuals who wish to focus on themes and survey, may safely jump to Part 2. Although the work is no substitute for more micro-focused, exegetical treatment, I found the macro lens to lend helpful perspective as I read the Pentateuch. From Paradise to Promise land is designed for beginners, but will allow almost anyone to walk away with an enhanced understanding of the Pentateuch's story.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part I is just okay. Alexander goes through themes and main ideas in each of the books of the Pentateuch. It may have been unique when the first edition of this book came out, but at this point in time feels redundant considering how much material is out there now.

Part II is where the book really stands out. Here Alexander covers a history of source, form, and tradition-historical criticism of the Pentateuch/Hexateuch. He mostly focuses on source criticism and only briefly touches on the others. Also, he doesn't mention more recent developments in literary or other synchronic readings. In some ways, Alexander doesn't cede enough credibility to critical readings. At the same time, he pretty concisely sums up the most consistent problems with source and form criticisms of ancient texts. Essentially, they claim more than they can reasonably prove.

So, if you want to read up on Old Testament criticism and don't just want a summary of what scholars have said without critical evaluation, this is a pretty good place to start. If you want someone who's a little more friendly to the critical readings, I suggest Barton. Both Alexander and Barton, however, do an excellent job of avoiding the typical extremes of scholarship.

[Nate Duriga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does well at summarizing the insights of scholarship on various parts of the text of the Pentateuch in a readable way. The second half of the book provides a useful surveyintroduction of the five books and their major themes.
What pleasantly surprised me, though, was that the first section of the book, on the composition of the Pentateuch (which I put off till last) was not too difficult of a read, and it gives a helpful description of the emergence of the documentary hypothesis and why it is now being strongly questioned. The imminent arrival of a new edition should only strengthen the already-strong points of this book.

[Jay Sklar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book excels in providing overviews of each of the books of the Pentateuch that are clear and provide the reader with an excellent grasp of the big picture. While I might not affirm the way the opening chapters of Genesis are presented as a mountain temple (though the tabernacle connections are something I would affirm), this should not detract from the overall helpfulness of this volume. As an added bonus, it has an incredibly helpful overview of higher critical scholarship, providing the reader with a wonderful summary and critique. I've assigned this book in my classes for the past many years and the students consistently give it very high praise for its usefulness and helpfulness! (The above comments are written with regard to the fourth edition of this wonderful book.)

[J. Alfred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and useful series of Biblical-Theological essays on different topics within the Pentateuch and a series of reflections on the state of academic studies. (The 'Documentary Hypothesis' seems like it's going to be a scholarly fossil pretty soon, even if that doesn't lead directly back to a conservative-orthodox view of Mosaic authorship.) All interesting stuff, from a guy who appears to be a big deal in the field, though the chapters may overlap a little too much-- at least to read all at once while keeping things straight in your mind?

[Stuart Gunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really helpful book to see some of the major themes running through the first five books of the Bible. I really enjoyed that aspect and think that more could have been added for Numbers and Deuteronomy especially. The final 35% of the book is textual criticism. If that’s your thing, you’ll really enjoy it. If, like me, you don’t love it then it’ll be a drag to get through.

If you’re looking for something to make the Pentateuch a little easier to understand then this is a helpful book

[Russell Sigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid intro to the Pentateuch from a reformed perspective. I found his section addressing critical scholarship quite helpful.

[Jeremy Manuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

From Paradise to the Promised Land by T. Desmond Alexander is a book that fits a particular niche, but due to that particular niche makes it a hard book to recommend completely. It is a book that is made for undergraduate level Bible students, but will probably be a bit too difficult for everyday readers and a bit too much of a introductory work for those more advanced in the subject material.

The first part of the book gives an overview of critical scholarship of the Pentateuch. This is the harder half of the book to get through. It's not that Alexander is bad, it is just that this topic will only appeal to a very small portion of Christians and some may not even be able to follow the topic all that well. Critical scholarship is not exactly what a lot of people are thinking about as they open their Bibles, and for those who are already interested this may not provide much new to interact with as it is just introductory material.

The second part of the book is much more enjoyable. Here Desmond looks at the themes of the Pentateuch and is a fairy good and enjoyable overview of some of the themes that are important. This section is one that could be enjoyable for more people, but will probably not be as useful for those who need more in-depth information about these books. It's still maybe a little academic, but I think that most could at least pull some good ideas out of this section of the book.

Overall, this is a book for a undergraduate Old Testament or Pentateuch class. It's very useful for such a situation. Some who are more serious in their study of the Bible might find it useful, but for the majority it will probably be a book to avoid. It's academic nature may be a turn off or confusing for those looking for something more devotional or pastoral, and it's introductory nature will leave those looking for a more in-depth resource wanting.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a resource/reference, this is a very solid 4-stars. It covers a lot of material (and is well footnoted), is organized clearly, and written in a (largely) accessible way. In particular, the thematic organization of the back half of the book is excellent, and I imagine I will be pulling this off the shelf many times in the future to brush up on narrative/literary themes in the OT. Very helpful stuff.

As a cover-to-cover reading experience, on the other hand, this is a bit of a drag. The first section is a heavily-detailed summary of various historic approaches to pentateuchal criticism (things like source-criticism, redaction, etc.) and while being helpful in an academic-reference sense, should have been relegated to either the back half of the book, or even long appendices. The real gold is in the thematic chapters, and I can't understand why they front-loaded that other material. Even the thematic chapters aren't perfect, however, as some feel too long, while others need more pages.

All that being said, this remains an excellent reference book. I just encourage prospective readers/buyers to know what they are getting. This is a book that's made much more for targeted research, or occasional reference, then reading from page 1.

[Jacob O'connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

God is a meanie.

At least that's how some folks describe Him as they read the Old Testament. God in the New Testament is okay though, and some go as far as to say they're two different Gods. I never got this. I attribute this mostly to my own psychologically distorted take on God. God at his most wrathful makes sense. It's the loving God, from both testaments, that perplexes me.

T. Desmond Alexander has written a book to harmonize both views, or more precisely, both testaments. Alexander seeks to present a holistic Bible, and I've come away with a better perspective of what God is up to. The things that Christ accomplished on the cross were the culmination of the promises made to Abraham.

The more I understand the Old Testament, the more clear it is. God is God. He is both love and justice, and He delights in the victory of the underdog. Ultimately, we are not judging Him, but He is judging us.

[Mark Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good introduction to the general themes in the Pentateuch. One point that caught my attention was his proposal that clean and unclean animals distinction relates loosely to the predatory element (the association with death as a link to uncleanliness - he rightly rejects the suggested hygiene or health benefit element of the dietary laws). This would be an excellent handbook for a serious, new believer who has read the New Testament once or twice but who is having trouble grasping the more foreign elements of the first section of their Bible.

[Brent Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful resource book that is helpful in grasping the meta-narrative of scripture as well as the deep implications of the first 5 books as they relate to the rest of the Bible. If you're someone who has been frustrated with this part of the Bible, Alexander will help unlock the deep meaning behind it all, and will do it in ways that help protect the diversity of thought surrounding it.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexander deserves applause for two achievements. First, he gives a fresh analysis of source and form criticism that neither dismisses them on dogmatic grounds nor pushes one theory as scholarly consensus. Second, Alexander's reading of the Pentateuch as a literary whole opens fruitful avenues for thematic and intertextual studies.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good.

[Jeff Koch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is divided into two parts: Part 1 gives a thorough historical explanation and examination of the source and form criticism of the Pentateuch. Part 2 goes into depth about the various themes found in those five biblical books.

I’m not going to lie… my eyes frequently glazed over as I read the 112 pages that made up Part 1. Ugh. I only made it through because it was required reading for my class. I’m a biblical student who is happy to believe that the Word of God is breathed from God and, therefore, is trustworthy. I really don’t need to know exactly how the sausage was made. I was relieved when I finally read the author’s conclusion, "For the present we can but hope that contemporary scholars will learn from the shortcomings of their predecessors and be more willing to acknowledge the tentative nature of their theories regarding how the Pentateuch came into being. Surely the time has arrived to seriously acknowledge the limitations of source and form criticism and to avoid the construction of theories regarding the development of Israelite history and religion that rest primarily on the supposed sources of the Pentateuch.” (82)

Part 2 was very helpful. Alexander does a fantastic job of clarifying the context, themes, and theological implications (OT and NT) of each book in the Torah. He made superb connections and solid reasoning for several issues that I had been previously very confused, especially in matters concerning clean/unclean animals, the nature of the various sacrifices, and the symbolism within the Tabernacle.

[Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whereas modern readers of the Pentateuch may find themselves frustrated or confused by the varying styles and strange narratives employed by the biblical authors, Alexander briskly dances across the pages of the Torah, nimbly pivoting from one book to another and one narrative to the next in order to draw attention to an ancient symphony of echoing movements, repeated lyrics, variations in melody, and the tension building toward an inevitable crescendo.

Alexander’s knowledge of the original language, contemporary near-eastern culture, and ancient literary techniques are invaluable in breathing fresh life into the text. This book is billed as an introduction, and it aptly whets the reader’s appetite to learn more. Those who possess a curiosity about the weird and wild world of the Pentateuch will find Alexander’s book does a great deal to credibly decode its mysteries. Even the lifelong Bible reader will be confronted with new insights that prove both challenging and exciting.

At the end of each chapter, Alexander takes the additional step of demonstrating how the theme in question is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, according to the authors of the New Testament. This makes the book that much more relevant to the Christian reader, for this is not just an academic exercise. Instead, Alexander indicates that what the Messiah accomplished is perhaps even more cosmic than we imagined, and it is all inextricably rooted in the epic story of Israel.

[Sam Nesbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise summary of the major themes in the Pentateuch while still following canonical order. As such, Alexander touches on land, seed, faith, holiness, covenant, and more. Alexander also deftly maneuvers past historical-critical issues, focusing on the text as is, and so it is a friendly work to Christians, both in church and academic contexts. The only drawback is that the opening chapters on Genesis are pretty repetitive; since the themes of land, seed, and faith are major overlapping themes within Genesis, a chapter that addresses one of these themes will inevitably incorporate the others. Once Alexander gets to Exodus, however, unnecessary repetition ceases. A praiseworthy element that Alexander writes in each chapter is how the OT theme is understood in the NT; Alexander keeps a holistic, biblical-theological perspective throughout the book. Perhaps the greatest benefit to this work is that the reader will come away with a greater awareness of the cohesive unity of the Pentateuch as a whole, both in its overall narrative structure and its harmony of themes.

[Charity U · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't a fan of the chapters covering Genesis and early history (for that, I recommend Coming to Grips with Genesis: Biblical Authority and the Age of the Earth and What Happened in the Garden?: The Reality and Ramifications of the Creation and Fall of Man), but the chapters on the rest of the Pentateuch are helpful, particularly those covering the Books of the Law.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I happen to read the newest edition of this book. The book is comprised of two parts. First, he walks through the Pentateuch and points out key themes, events, and technical issues in each of the books. Each chapter ends with a helpful summary and New Testament connections. I found his work in the section insightful and helpful. Well worth the read for any church member studying the Pentateuch.

The second section of the book he spends time dealing with the issue of authorship. He articulates well the various positions throughout history, and he points out key issues with many of the positions. He chooses to take a middle ground rather than agreeing fully with Mosaic authorship or with source critical theory. I found his arguments charitable and clear. However, his view is susceptible to some of the same criticisms he lays on the documentary hypothesis (And its variants).

[Wesley Storks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful and abbreviated look into the Pentateuch and the theological themes that are contained throughout and in connection with the rest of scripture. It is divided into two parts. Part one deals briefly with the textual criticism surrounding authorship of the Torah, and part two deals more with the theological themes present in the Pentateuch. It is by no means exhaustive, but that is refreshing and exciting because it is concise and informative, and will help shape the way you view the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures.

[Tanner Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first foray into proper academic biblical scholarship. A really helpful book that ties the story of the pentateuch together and explores how remarkable the cohesiveness of themes and stories are that run through such an ancient collection of seemingly random accounts at some points. Also, the second half of the 4th edition has a really helpful intro and history of textual criticism that was interesting to properly learn about the inception, development, and potentially current decline of the documentary hypothesis among both religious and secular biblical scholars.

[Matthew Prydden · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to the Pentateuch. Written from a conservative perspective T.D. Alexander firstly (relatively) briefly discusses the issues of source and form criticism before embarking on a (relatively) brief exploration of the many theological themes that are present in the Pentateuch. A really helpful read and will continue to be a useful resource for top-up reminders for when coming face-to-face with these themes in the future.

[Jonathan Grubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the fourth edition but it’s not on goodreads side here we go. This thing is a beast. Very dense, but so packed with biblical wisdom and insight. I would have liked to have seen more on the plagues as that seems to have been a weird hole in the Exodus theology. Maybe that’s just me. The insights in this book have opened my eyes to see the beauty and complexity God has woven into the scriptures.

[Kaelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal summary of the main themes of the Pentateuch! This new edition is well organized compared to previous editions. Alexander helps the reader develop a deep appreciation for the story these 5 books tell together. This edition moved the chapters on textual criticism and the documentary hypothesis to the end which makes it a more fluid read.