Re: the omitted "10th" commandment -- it's no mystery that coveting was also the commandment that tripped up the Apostle Paul (see Romans 7). While breaking the other commandments would be known by outward acts of disobedience, the commandment against coveting was the commandment that preceded and underlay the breaking of the others, yet remained hidden within a man's soul (and sometimes even hidden from himself) until it manifested itself by the breaking of one of the other commandments. James also lays the blame for man's sins on coveting (James 4:1ff). Freedman is right to single out this commandment from the other nine, as it's the scarlet thread (Freedman's oft-used term for his thesis) that ties the other nine -- indeed, man's whole fallen nature, INCLUDING the cause of the Fall (Eve's desire/coveting of the forbidden fruit) -- together. Recognizing this leads one to the Apostle's cry (and solution) in Romans 7:24-25. Failing to recognize this leads to the abortive attempts at righteousness that the Apostle also describes in Romans 10:3.

But back to the book: This is so well-written, so accessible, that the most ill-educated (biblically) layman or laywoman can read this with pleasure and understanding. Bravo, David Noel Freedman! Even if you don't agree with all of it, it's worth reading all of it.

It's rare to find a well-written, well-informed, highly-original book on any subject, much less the heavily-mined territory of Biblical Studies. Unlike Bloom's The Book of J, this book is actually written by a respected biblical scholar.

The book explains many of the unusual word choices and locutions you encounter if you manage to read the whole thing, especially the differing order of commandments across the Old and New Testaments. Some of the discussion smacks of special pleading (can't make the commandment against covetousness fit your theory? must fit in as a 'background commandment' for the rest...).

Overall, however, the author makes a very persuasive case for an outside editor who edited in references to the 10 commandments thruout the early books of the Old Testament. The author treats the subject matter with reverence and tact, and the 'editor theory' helps explain the remarkable cohesiveness and literary quality to a book compiled over a millenium.

Nicely illustrated and written almost as a detective novel, this book is highly recommended. Plus, you now have only nine commandments to worry about (oops, forgot that covetousness one)!

A theory so plausible and eloquently argued that you want to give yourself a V-8 forehead slap. Freedman looks at the Ten Commandments (yes, he addresses ALL ten of them) in relationship to the Primary History in the Bible (the nine books from Genesis through Kings, minus Ruth). Along the way he disburses some very interesting information that will enhance Bible readers' future experience with the Bible texts: he explains the practice of "the pairing of texts" in the Hebrew Bible, makes compelling points about Jeremiah's relationship to the Primary History, contrasts monotheism with henotheism and monolatry, and gives a fascinating explanation of how the Hebrew divining stones, the Urim and Thummim, probably worked.

I've always felt Bible readers have made the mistake of elevating the Torah/Pentateuch at the expense of the rest of the Old Testament. Freedman's thesis seems to defend the integrity of the Hebrew Scriptures as a whole. He shows how the Israelites broke each of the Commandments they received in the wilderness. Not only broke them, but with minimal adjustments to sequencing, Freedman shows that they broke them in order. This breaking of the Commandments constitutes a "scarlet thread" that runs through the Primary History and that ultimately explains why the Israelites suffered defeat and exile at the hands of God's enemies. But there are ten commandments and only nine books in the Primary History. Which commandment does not get represented by a specfic sinful act in a book of its own is a mystery Freedman does not answer until the last chapter. The suspense makes this highly accessible scholarly work, a bit of a page-turner.

If you read this book and enjoy it, you might also like the equally fascinating but more ambitious "Surpassing Wonder: The Invention of the Bible and the Talmuds," by Donald Harman Akenson.

People, places and things are all described in this dictionary. If it holds any significance in the bible, it's in this dictionary.

This dictionary isn't the most compact book in the world, so it kind of has a limitation there. There are really quality facts and ties in this book. Some symbolism is identified. This is really a top quality bible dictionary. There are ties of some biblical figures/stories to others in the bible. Many terms are identified. Some Hebrew names for God are explained. Things like the Dead Sea Scrolls are explained thoroughly.

If you want to know the bible on a deeper level, this dictionary can really help you. it is a really easy to use reference. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know the scriptures more thoroughly.

Dictionary Of The Bible is a weighty reference which provides a new tool for reading and studying the Bible, offering nearly 5,000 alphabetically ordered articles explaining all the books, people and terms of the Bible. Accompanying discussions of cultural, geographic and literary influences provide Bible readers with a wider range of insights than most, with nearly 600 Bible authorities contributing their articles and insights.

This dictionary is the best on the market. The articles are indepth and provide a wealth of information. At the same time, the style is understandable and easy to use. The contributors respresent a wide range of Christian backgrounds and give the book an excellent scope of views.

If you are interested in getting a better understanding of the Bible, a good Bible dictionary is a must -- and this is the best one to have.

There has never been a time when interreligious understanding was more needed. And I don't have in mind only the atrocities committed at the Pentagon and the World Trade Center and what seems to be, as I write, an impending war. It's trite to say, but true, that the vast geographical distances that once separated the great religions from one another have vanished, both figuratively in the sense that modern transportation and communication technologies have rendered them insignificant and literally in the sense that, given modern immigration patterns, Hindus and Muslims and Buddhists and Confucianists and Sikhs are very likely to be living in the same neighborhoods with Jews and Christians. It is imperative that we learn to understand one another better.

This book is an important step in that direction. By presenting academically serious, reliable, but still sympathetic portraits of the five great religious founders, it provides a basis for genuine dialogue between the faiths. It is an excellent book. The authors are first-rate, and the writing is generally clear and occasionally even quite good.

I wish it weren't so expensive, but I hope that it will nonetheless have a large readership. I recommend it enthusiastically.

Contributions from the best contemporary thinkers provide explorations of the lives and beliefs of the five founders of major world religions: Moses, Buddha, Confucius, Jesus and Muhammad. These essays provide new insights into the careers of these individuals, blending biography with spiritual insights. An excellent contemporary review.

Sara Mandell and David Noel Freedman have written an engaging comparison of two major literary constructions of Antiquity. Chapter 1 demonstrates via Analytic Criticism that the narrator of _The Histories_ is an implied author to whom the real author gave his own name. Whereas the first chapter ends with "the real author is after all a literary artist, not an historian and not simply 'a pioneer in Homeric higher criticism,' " chapter 2 contains a study of the construction of the Primary History until the work of Ezra. In the third chapter Mandell and Freedman show numerous common literary relationships. Most important among these are the "mode of law" and the attention paid to the divine. For Herodotus it was the god at Delphi. For the Primary History it was Yahweh.

Mandell and Freedman have written a brilliant comparison of these two major pieces of literature from Antiquity. This book should be the next step for anyone who has an interest in either
Herodotus or the Primary History.

This book is truly Cherished. When I was doing my undergrad studies alol my professors got jealous of my owning this book. This is the Oldest Full connon of the Tenach, The Hebrew Bible. There are fantastic folio pages of rich colour. Whether you are a Jew, Muslim, or Christian this is an important text in terms of Biblical Scholarship. The only warning that I would give is learn Hebrew before obtaining or else you will be frustrated as 99 44/100% of the book is written in Hebrew. Every Synagogue and Church Library would be greatly enhanced in adding this very important text. Even Sunday School teachers would be blessed owning this book. I am in Seminary now and find that I use this book on a regular basis. I know that this book is rather on the pricey side, but it is a truly once in a lifetime purchase. This is a book to be used, loved, and adored. I hope that this review has been Helpful. Baruch HaShem Yeshua HaMashiach

As a theological student I was overwhelmed the first time I saw this book. Now that I own my own copy, I have come to appreciate it even more -- especially since I can actually READ it now rather than simply look at it.

Access is a must for serious biblical scholars. After all, why do we learn biblical Hebrew -- in order to read the Bible in its original language. Though the Biblia Herbrica is a faithful text, why should we rely on anything but the oldest available complete text?

The introductory historical notes and additional notations are invaluable as well. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK IN MY LIBRARY and probably will continue to be for many years.

I wish to apologize about my bluffingly account about the margins of this book.
In the previous review I wished to rate this book 4.5 stars, which i couldn't, and now I rate it 5 stars so that it averages to 4.5 stars.
You'll find the margins are not as wide as I said in the criticism below. Actually the whole margin area is barely the same as the text area. Margin of the original codex + a little margin of the photography + margin around the photo adds up to as wide as the area occupied by the text.
The reason that the black-and-white photo gets darker than the color plates might be that the photo films are less sensitive to yellow than to blue. Since the parchment leaves are somewhat tinted in light yellow, the photocopy couldn't help appearing darker than it actually is.
If I could make touch with the publishers, I would like to advise them to use special film more sensitive to yellow light when they make the revision.

The reason I am writing this review is make sure the purchaser understands what they are buying. Before I purchased 'The Anchor Bible Dictionary', I had 'Unger's Bible Dictionary'. I thought 'The Anchor Bible Dictionary' would be a bigger dictionary, like a bigger version of Unger's Bible Dictionary. But it is not. It is scholarship. It is not what I expected.
For example, the word 'church' is not in it.
So if your looking for a huge work of scholarship then 'The Anchor Bible Dictionary' is the one.
But if your looking for a bigger dictionary, like a bigger version of 'Unger's Bible Dictionary', it is not.

This six volume set is a treasure trove of Biblical and Historical scholarship. The contributors are all well regarded in their respected disciplines. Virtually ALL aspects of Biblical scholarship is treated in a cogent manner. The writing and layout of the set is excellent. Topics ranging from prehistory to the Temple layout to the destruction of the Second Temple and numerous other details are explained in a superb manner. The scholarship is top notch.

I have owned this set since 1994 and find myself frequently looking something up in these volumes. Just pick up one of the volumes and turn to a topic at random. Chances are you'll be hooked. Do not let the title dissuade you from getting this set. Even if you are not into Biblical scholarship this set will give you a lifetime of fulfilling study.

If you are a serious student of the Jewish and/or Christian Bible then this set is a must. If you are a history buff this set will be a valuable addition to your library.

What a treasure!

Although not received yet, The Anchor Bible Dictionaries are exellent resource for studying and working with the bible, correctly.
I have three of this collecction and I recommend it!

Regards,
Eric

I think that some of the textual work, such as that on Hosea 4:15 and 8:2 is odd. It goes to some lengths to keep the text together. In upholding the integrity of the text, the commentary does some problematic things to it.

These two prominet OT scholars colloborate on this significant prophet. As Jesus and Peter quote from this book prominently in the NT, this book is key. (Hosea 2,6; 1 Pt. 2)

They provide a very accurate and detailed philogical work which will likely be too much for even the most adamant layperson. The work really requires a working knowledge of the Hebrew to appreciate its depth of research and scholarship.

This was used as one of the textbooks for my sem class in Hosea which we translated each word from Hebrew. Although I don't buy every translation of this commentary, this overall is excellent and of great usefulness to the student of the text.

When Freedman sticks to the text of the Hebrew Bible, he makes a good case for his theme. Some of his thoughts are forced and speculative. As much as he would like to see himself free of bias, objectivity remains elusive when he cites opinions and not primary sources, such as the text itself. The book is only 100 pages and requires further elaboration. For a better introductory work, I recommend Steven Dempster, "An Extraordinary Fact: Torah and Temple and the Contours of the Hebrew Canon," Tyndale Bulletin 48.1 (1997), pp 23-56, and 48.2, pp 191-218.