(If you’re secure in your faith, can exercise critical thinking skills, and want to learn, that is.)
Robert Alter’s translation of the Pentateuch is out!
For those who may not know, Alter is a major figure in the study of biblical literature. Though he is a secularist and doesn’t even believe that the Bible is the Word of God, he has led a revolution in biblical studies to take the Bible seriously as a work of literature and stop trying to deconstruct it into ever smaller and more dubious sources. He further has adopted a translation philosophy that allows the style and literary genius of the original text to show through into English, instead of trying to mask it with an artificial cloak of English style.
He’s been publishing excellent books on biblical literature for some years, and a few years ago he published a translation of Genesis, whose Introduction (concerning the flaws in contemporary translations) is worth the price of the volume all by itself.
Now he has supplemented his Genesis volume with translations of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, making it a complete set of the Torah, or Pentateush.
Here’s a CNN story on the subject (and, being CNN, it doesn’t fully appreciate what Alter is doing).
Alter’s work will help you view the Pentateuch through new eyes.
This guy may not be a Christian, but there is a lot one can learn from him, even if he’s not right on everything.
I’ve already ordered MY COPY!
“If you’re secure in your faith…”
OK, humor me. Why would this cause me to doubt my faith?
I haven’t read anything by Alter, but I imagine Jimmy meant that he (Alter) has a liberal view concerning the inspiration of the Bible.
How does this translation compare with that of Fox? He seemed to have the same intention. Do I need both?
Ggoose: Steve Jackson (the game designer?) is correct. If a person is not secure in his faith then it can be disturbing to read things that may–at times–call into question things he believes about Scripture. E.g., Alter believes (to at least some extent) in the JEDP theory of the composition of the Pentateuch. That doesn’t have to be a threat to one’s faith, but to some it is.
Anon: Fox does something similar, and I already have his translation, but I see Alter’s work as being valuable enough that I want his as well. More treatments (even over the same base material) = more knowledge.
Thanks Jimmy … Interestingly I thought I would never see “Alter believes” in a sentence. My brother used to be the bassist for a secular band named Altaer Believes.
Jimmy,
I’m not the computer programmer Steve Jackson or the sci-fi writer Steve Jackson.
Incidentally, a fair amount of higher criticism (such as the JEDP stuff) would appear to be mandatory for Roman Catholics, according to this document (although I gather the PBC is no longer part of the magisterium):
http://www.bible-researcher.com/catholic-interpretation.html
In fact, “fundamentalists” who believe in outmoded ideas such as biblical inerrancy and creationism are simpletons and borderline racists, according to “conservative” Joe Ratzinger.
I just stumbled upon this post, so forgive me for responding seven months late. I’m intending to read either his Genesis or his Torah, but I’m not sure if his Genesis is included in his Torah. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t, but I wanted to check. Plus after reading your post I’m also curious if his introduction in Genesis is included in his Five Books.
Thanks for the recommendation about him, by the way…Alter’s book on narrative blew me away, and I just found an essay on his (included in Allan Bloom’s lit-analysis collection for the Bible) on the Song of Songs which was amazing.