The Second Book of the Bible: Exodus

Rating:
Summary: Exodus Unplugged! (No JEDP)
Review: Benno Jacob's Exodus is a masterpiece. It's a thought provoking exegesis of the Second Book of the Torah without any of the historical critical analysis that so often fogs up Biblical exegesis. Since Jacob is Jewish, the book does not have a Christological and eschatological focus. Nevertheless, Jacob's comments provide spurs to Christian thought on Exodus. Moreover, ironically, many of Jacob's comments feed directly into a Christological and eschatological exegesis of Scripture. Where critics such as Wellhausen, de Vaux and others speak of Exodus as the compiled and redacted work of many writers, Jacob recognizes it for what the Book is -- the work of one, Moses. Moreover, Jacob's outline of Exodus is so simple that it undermines the convoluted theorizing of historical critical scholars. Adding to the fun, Jacob tackles Wellhausen head on and argues that the latter didn't quite understand what he read, but since he had an open mind was able to learn. Jacob's work is thorough, thoughtful, and reverent. He explains the fine points of the Hebrew from the standpoint of traditional Judaic scholarship, and this opens fascinating window into Exodus itself. Jacob's Exodus has been vital to the development of the thought in my MA thesis. My only regret is that I must rely on a library copy rather than my own. One day, Benno Jacob's Exodus will assume pride of place on my bookshelf.