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Understanding Genesis (The heritage of Biblical Israel) | 
 enlarge | Author: Nahum M. Sarna
Publisher: Schocken
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy Used: $4.08
You Save: $10.92 (73%)
New (24) Used (26) from $4.08
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 151337
Media: Paperback
Pages: 320
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7
ISBN: 0805202536
Dewey Decimal Number: 296
EAN: 9780805202533
ASIN: 0805202536
Publication Date: January 13, 1970
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Paperback in ACCEPTABLE condition. 3rd printing 1974. Spine faded. Name on inside front cover. Last few pages loose from spine. STILL A VERY USABLE BOOK!!
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Product Description
"This book...is designed to make the Bible of Israel intelligible, relevant, and hopefully, inspiring to a sophisticated generation, possessed of intellectual curiosity and ethical sensitivity...It is based on the belief that the study of the Book of Books must constitute a mature intellectual challenge, an exposure to the expanding universe of scientific biblical scholarship...Far from presenting a threat to faith, a challenge to the intellect may reinforce faith and purify it."--from the Introduction
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Sarna Offers Pretentious Presentation January 1, 2001
38 out of 79 found this review helpful
I had just gotten through three chapters of Jack Miles "God-A Biography" when I decided that I couldn't take this guy's post-post-post graduate wording anymore. I decided to purchase Sarna's two books, "Understanding Genesis" (the title is about the only thing understandable in the book) and "Exploring Exodus". Now, I consider myself fairly advanced educationally, and have in fact graduated from an institution of higher learning. I couldn't get through Sarna's "Introduction" to "Understanding Genesis" without a sense of irritation and an attitude of "Here we go again". In fact, it made me not want to start the book (although I read several more pages and found much of the same). The bottom line is that although I agree with what he has to say, I hate the way he says it. Why is it necessary that every other word had to have at least four to five syllables? Why must a scholar have to write in a way that proves he is a scholar. It's not that I didn't understand every word he wrote... it's simply that the book is not enjoyable to read. There is too much work involved in having to decipher his $50.00 words and concepts. Let me pose this example from page 25 of the Introduction. "Truth is not exclusively coincident with scientific truth. After all the massive and imposing achievements of scientism have had their say, there must yet remain an elusive, indefinable, essence which lies beyond the scope and ken of the scientific method...for this reason, the disentaglement of literary strands does not constitute the apotheosis of scholarship...not to decry the importance of source criticism". Huh? Actually, this is one of the easier paragraphs to understand. I defy anyone who is being truthful and honest to say that they can kick back with a book like this and thoroughly enjoy the read. It is akin to a person who speaks Spanish as a first language having to translate an on-going discussion in their head. It's frustrating and not at all enjoyable. I think it show's a pretentiousness and a lack of respect to all readers who are not "Fellows" of their Ivy League schools. Mr.(oh, excuse me, Professor) Sarna lost a reader and there are two books I will be returning to the bookstore. I am positive that there will be reviewers who will read this and say that I don't know what I'm talking about, but that is only because they are trying to impress their friends with their pseudo-intellectualism.
 Well written, describing Genesis as a remarkable document . December 3, 2001
Michael Strassberg (Hamilton Square, NJ USA)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
This book takes an exegetical approach to Genesis as a work created by writers who saw far beyond their contemporary culture to create an enduring statement about a singular God, his greatest creation (the human being) and the moral and ethical demands that God places upon us. He compares Genesis to other great creation myths, and shows two primary things; 1) that a the monotheistic belief places God above and beyond all of nature, which is radically different from other contemporaneous polytheistic religions, and 2) that there is an order, logic and morality in the world that people must follow in order to not be estranged from God and ultimately themselves and society. Law, justice, mercy, charity are values expressed in a book which was written at a time when these were radical ideas. The author's mastery of history and religion are forged into an engaging, powerful exposition of the profound meaning of Genesis and it's seminal importance in the history of human thought.
Excellent Jewish insight into Genesis June 16, 2003
Charles E. Meadows (Milton, WV United States)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
This book deals with interpretation of some of the stories in Genesis (creation, flood, tower etc). Sarna explains that these accounts were written particularly to show the superiority of Yahweh to pagan religions and not as much to simply narrate how these things happened historically. The author writes from a relatively conservative standpoint here but does not assume LITERAL interpretation of many parts of genesis - rather he sees them as being written in ways that pagan polytheists of 5000 years ago would understand and appreciate. Highly recommended for any Jew/Christian interested in the REAL interpretation of Genesis.
Even better than his book on Exodus January 24, 2002
Michael Lewyn (Jacksonville, FL)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
Sarna puts Genesis in its historical context, showing details that would have made many stories from Genesis more comprehensible to Bible-era readers. For example, today's readers may be a bit baffled by Abraham's occasional attempts to pass off Sarah as his sister. But Sarna explains that in the ancient Mideast women had the status of a "sister-wife", superior to other wives. Similarly, Sarna clarifies the Tower of Babel story, explaining how the Torah makes fun of paganism. Reading Sarna won't necessarily change your mind about large theological questions; believers will remain believers after reading him, and unbelievers will remain unbelievers. But Sarna gives background that makes the Torah come to life a bit more.
Informative, interesting, thorough, & well-written September 8, 1999
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to flush out their understanding of Genesis in a historical light. Although the book gets a little dry and over-specialized toward the end, overall it is extremely engaging, and useful as a sort of manual for Genesis. By reading Genesis, then reading Sarna's historical facts, and then re-reading Genesis, an entire world is opened up. This book is not for anyone who takes the Bible literally, atheist or no. In presenting his historical facts, Sarna also provides a valuable commentary on the themes in Genesis. It is important to remember, however, in reading this book that Genesis is a gem with an infinite number of facets. Understanding Genesis reveals a few of them. Give it a try, but never forget that history is only a small part of the Genesis story.
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