The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50 (review)

Abstract

Hebrew Studies 38 (1997) 110 Reviews When Matthews contends that "Noah is depicted as Adam redivivus," he lists a number of parallels between the two (p. 351) and, in much the same way, he lists parallels between Noah and Moses (p. 3510 and Noah and Lot (p. 363). The observations he makes in this area suggest an expertise in the literary study of biblical narrative, and it would be good to see a deeper exploration of such matters, although that might pose a problem for his larger enterprise. In a study that affirms "the divine inspiration, inerrancy, complete truthfulness, and full authority of the Bible," does such a comment not drive a wedge between events and the ways in which they have been depicted? There is also an inconsistency when he notes that both Noah and Adam '''walk' with God" (p. 351) but later states that no one except Enoch and Noah "walked with God" (p. 358). There are five excurses, of varying quality and length. These discuss "Translating 1:1-2" (pp. 136-144); "Interpreting the 'Image of God'" (pp. 164-172; "The Human Soul" (pp. 197-199); "The Origin of Civilisation in ANE Mythology" (p. 2830; and "The Revelation of the Divine Name" (p. 293f). This is the third time in recent years that a major conservative evangelical commentary covering these chapters has been published, although Matthews' position is generally more conservative than either Wenham (Word) or Hamilton (NICOT). Its particular strength may be that it not only works out at great length a conservative way of dealing with these chapters, but explores a great many expository avenues that are usually ignored. It will therefore be widely used by those towards whom it has been addressed, the "pastors, teachers, and students" who share its author's presuppositions. Whether it convinces any who do not remains to be seen; perhaps they are more likely to share a frustration that although there are so many citations of critical scholarship, there is rather less dialogue. George G. Nicol St. Peter's Parish Church Fife KY11 Scotland THE BOOK OF GENESIS, CHAPTERS 18-50. By Victor P. Hamilton. NICOT. Pp. xx + 774. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995. Cloth, $42.00. Commentaries on Genesis abound. So what does this one have to offer? It has no introduction, which was in volume 1 on Gen 1-17, but it is part Hebrew Studies 38 (1997) III Reviews of a series whose purpose is defined: "In the Old Testament we read God's word as it was spoken to his people Israel. Today, thousands of years later, we hear in these thirty-nine books his inspired and authoritative message for us." It is therefore as an exposition of the biblical text as holy scripture that the commentary should be assessed. There is a fresh translation of the Hebrew text which makes use of modern philological debate and comparative material. For students working with the Hebrew text there is a mine of useful infonnation, although the mine does need a certain amount of quarrying. For example, at the famous crux in Gen 49:10, 'ad ki yabo' liloh, Hamilton sets out the various interpretive options fairly, but he does not advocate any of them, so it is only from his translation, "until he possesses that which belongs to him," that one deduces that he prefers to follow the early versions in presupposing a relative particle le with preposition Ie, in other words, a Vorlage lelloh. With regard to Moriah in Gen 22:2, Hamilton merely notes in passing that the versions interpreted this in terms of the root ra'a-which, given the usage of ra'a in verse 14, is surely the most likely construal on the part of the Hebrew narrator, whatever the philological origins-and opts for the suggestion that the name is Hurrian, meaning "land which is the king's," which he then attempts to link with Jerusalem via David's purchase of land from the Jebusite Amunah. With regard to classic source-critical analysis in tenns of J, E, and P, Hamilton usually notes rather briefly the main positions held and makes some sensible, though limited, comments as to the limitations...