The Prophets

Abstract

The Prophets Fred W. Guyette, Brian J. Meldrum, Timothy M. Rucker, Christopher T. Begg, Thomas Hieke, and Richard A. Taylor 2567. [The Prophets of Israel] James K. Hoffmeier, The Prophets of Israel: Walking the Ancient Paths (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2021). Pp. 398. $45. ISBN 978-0825445729. H. draws on his extensive knowledge of ANE culture, geography, and political realities to situate the prophets and their message in their historical contexts. Abraham can be thought of as the first prophet, on account of the way he pleaded as an intercessor for the lives of those in Sodom and Gomorrah. But it was Moses who became the prototype of Israel's prophets, because in Exodus 3 and 4, God gave him a message to deliver to Pharaoh: "Let My people go!" It was also Moses who taught Israel about the meaning of their covenant with God in Exodus 20, following a treaty pattern described by Kenneth Kitchen: (Preamble/Historical Prologue/Stipulations/Deposition of Text and Public Reading/Witnesses/Blessings/Curses). Speaking of generations to come, God said: "I will raise up for them a prophet like Moses, and he will tell them everything I command him" (Deut 18:18). Who were these prophets? Samuel called on Israel to always remain faithful to God as their king. He advised them not to seek a human king "like the other nations." Yet, the people did not listen, and Saul became king. Saul made a good beginning as a military leader of Israel, but he did not heed Samuel's prophetic words, so the kingdom was taken away from [End Page 962] him and given to David. It was the prophet Nathan who became the voice of conscience to King David after his affair with Bathsheba and his betrayal of Uriah. Elijah the prophet confronted the idolatry and injustices of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, and he prepared Elisha, who became his worthy successor. Amos was the prophet who used a plumbline as an image of God's judgment on Israel's wicked ways. Hosea's message was: Israel has played the harlot, but God remains a faithful covenant partner to Israel. Jonah, like Hosea, knows that God is loving and forgiving, but that knowledge is problematic for him: Jonah would rather see the great city of Nineveh go up in flames. The prophet Isaiah anticipates a Messiah, a Suffering Servant who will come to save Israel, and his words are quoted in the NT more than 60 times. It took great courage for the prophet Jeremiah to keep delivering God's message to Israel, because that message was rejected over and over. Eventually, Jeremiah became a witness to historical catastrophe, as Jerusalem fell to Babylon and many of the people went into exile. Still, he anticipated a day when there would be a New Covenant between God and his people. In Babylon, the prophet Ezekiel was deeply committed to Israel's priestly traditions. Ezekiel comforted the exiles with visionary descriptions of dry bones coming back to life, a New Temple, and a River of Life. This is a book that would be very suitable for classroom use at the college level. Full-color photos, maps, and images of historical and cultural importance abound. Helpful discussion questions for students and instructors also appear at the end of each chapter.—F.W.G. 2568. [Isaiah 1–39] Matthew J. Lynch, First Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods (Critical Studies in the Hebrew Bible 12; University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns, 2021). Pp. 144. Paper $39.95. ISBN 978-1-57506-839-8. Ten of the eighteen occurrences of the term ʾlylym (usually translated as "idols") in the Hebrew Bible are found in Isaiah 1–39. L. explores the possibility that First Isaiah uses the term to avoid characterizing other deities and idols as "gods" or ʾlhym. Using this linguistic phenomenon as a point of departure, L. reexamines the rhetorical strategies of First Isaiah, thereby uncovering a stronger monotheizing rhetoric than previously recognized. Standard accounts of Israelite religion frequently insist that monotheism reached its apex during the exile, and especially in Deutero-Isaiah. By contrast, L.'s study brings to light an equally...