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Created in honor of the work of Professor Tova Forti, this collection considers the natural world in key wisdom books - Proverbs, Job and Qoheleth/Ecclesiastes, Ben Sira and Song of Songs/Solomon - and also examines particular animal and plant imagery in other texts in the Hebrew Bible. It crucially involves ancient Near Eastern parallels and like texts from the classical world, but also draws on rabbinic tradition and broader interpretative works, as well as different textual traditions such as the LXX and Qumran scrolls.Whilst the natural world, notably plants and animals, is a key uniting element, the human aspect is also crucial. To explore this, contributors also treat the wider concerns within wisdom literature on human beings in relation to their social context, and in comparison with neighbouring nations. They emphasize that the human, animal and plant worlds act together in synthesis, all enhanced and imbued by the world-view of wisdom literature.

Explores the impact of Babylonian aggression upon the book of Jeremiah by calling attention to the presence of the empire and showing how the book of "Jeremiah" can be read as resistant responses to the inevitability of imperial power and the experience of exile.

An enquiry that addresses the manner in which "Zechariah" 1-8 invokes/re-activates/re-applies the words of the 'former prophets' that raises important issues related to prophecy and fulfilment, history and eschatology, and the development of 'apocalyptic'.

In the Book of Judges, why, if we view Samson as a heroic Übermensch, do we read his story one way, yet if we read him as a buffoonish and violent oaf, we read the story another way? How does our assessment of the characters of a story, our empathy with them or suspicion of them, shape the way we read it?This book addresses these questions by analyzing the complex characterization in the Book of Judges, paying attention to an often neglected but important area of study in the Hebrew Bible. Its international group of contributors explore the implications of characterization on storytelling, situating their contributions within the context of literary studies of the Hebrew Bible, and offering multiple perspectives on the many and various characters one encounters in the Book of Judges.Chapters examine a range of topics, including the relationship between humour, characterisation and theology in Judges; the intersection of characterization and ethics through the story of the story of Jephthah's daughter; why the 'trickster hero' Ehud disturbs interpreters; and the ways in which Abimelech's characterization affects the key narrative themes of succession and kingship in his story.

Examines text-referencing practices and ideas about sacred texts in antiquity. This book shows how Ezekiel, an ancient Israelite author, borrowed from and transformed an earlier text containing religious instruction.

Analyzes the thirteen historical psalms (3, 7, 18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63, 142) in the "Psalter" that refer to crucial moments in King David's life as recorded in the Samuel narrative ("1 Sam 16-1", "Kings 2").

Argues that the return from the Exile is presented as an opportunity for Jews, primarily those in Judah, to interpret anew the relationship between God and Israel. This book describes the process whereby the Mosaic covenant was renovated.

Offers a fresh re-evaluation of Yehud in the Persian period, addressing in particular the dynamics of its relationship to the Persian imperial government. This book shows how the social, economic, and political realms of Yehud functioned within the framework of Persian imperial administration.

Biblical humour remains elusive for many readers. And biblical humour about women and gender remains more problematic still, since its recognition may imply the realization that it's a cruel and disrespectful humour, ridicule rather than good-natured fun.