What if the Hebrew Bible wasn’t meant to be read just as “revelation,” but as book of reason, of philosophy? What if the authors of the Bible meant to present us with a book that’s not about miracles or the afterlife—but about how to lead our lives in this world?
The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture proposes a new framework for reading the Bible. It shows how the biblical authors used narrative and prophetic oratory to advance universal arguments about morals and politics, truth and being, struggle and faith.
On the way, The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture provides a series of bold new studies of the biblical narratives and prophetic poetry, transforming forever our understanding of what the stories of Abel, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David and Solomon, and the speeches of Isaiah and Jeremiah, were meant to teach us.
The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture is accessible to readers of all backgrounds. It assumes no belief in God or other religious commitment. It assumes no previous background in Bible. It is free of disciplinary jargon.
Open the door to a book you never knew existed. You’ll never read the Bible the same way again.
About the Book…
“A deep and lucid investigation of the connections between the two chief strands of our intellectual history. A great achievement.”
Steven Pinker, Harvard College Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of ‘How the Mind Works’ and ‘The Better Angels of our Nature.’
“A paradigm-shifting work of immense significance, arguing that the Hebrew Bible be seen as a work of philosophy and interpreted as such—alongside, though very different from, the Greek classics—and thus as a book of universal significance in relation to the great questions about the human condition. This is an important and pioneering work which deserves to be widely read and deeply discussed.”
Jonathan Sacks, Lord Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth
“A powerful study of the overarching issues relating philosophy and Judaism as well as the fundamental issues regarding the connection between philosophy and narrative. Filled with original, deep insights . All those who care about the intellectual heritage of Judaism and its source in the Hebrew Bible will benefit greatly from reading this book. Altogether, it is a superb contribution to the burgeoning literature on all these topics.”
Eleonore Stump is Professor of Philosophy at St. Louis University and author of ‘Aquinas’. She is past president of the Society of Christian Philosophers
On Yoram Hazony’s ‘The Jewish State’
“A bracing text to read: Provocative, unrelenting, surprising, and tough-minded.”–Martin Peretz, Editor-in-Chief and Chairman of ‘The New Republic’
“Always knowledgeable and urgently necessary.”–Emil Fackenheim, Author of ‘What is Judaism?’
“Provocative and necessarily controversial.”–Elie Wiesel, Mellon Professor of the Humanities, Boston University, and Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize