LIFE AND LANGUAGE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

by Mary Ellen Chase ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 1955

Those who are familiar with The Bible and the Common Reader and the other writings of Mary Ellen Chase and the thousands of Smith College students who have had the privilege of hearing her lectures over the past twenty years will know how appealingly the Bible may be interpreted simply as literature. All these and many others will not be disappointed in this latest volume from her pen. In this book Miss chase describes the qualities of mind and heart which are revealed in the writings of the Old Testament. Part I of the book is entitled ""The Ancient Hebrew Mind"" and deals with the land, and the people's conception of history, their idea of time, their sense of place and other distinctive qualities of the Hebrew mind. In Part II ""Imagination in the Old Testament"" the author develops a most intriguing comparison between the literary style of The Odyssey and The Iliad and that of the Old Testament. In the concluding section the distinction is drawn between the language employed in the older parts of the Old Testament (pre-exilic), and that used later on after the exile. The differences between these two periods in Hebrew literature, the ""classical"" and the ""romantic"", are vividly illustrated by the selections quoted. Miss Chase is so imbued with a love for and understanding of the Bible that she cannot fail to communicate it to her readers.

Pub Date: Nov. 7, 1955

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Norton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1955

Categories: NONFICTION