IN THE BEGINNING

This is Volume II of Rabbi Goldman's monumental work on the Old Testament. This deals with the Book of Genesis with its story of creation and of the yearly patriarchs. The author follows the same plan as in his introductory volume. First he gives a summary of the contents of the book. Then follows a selection of passages with the author's translation from the Hebrew. Successive chapters deal with the historical background, authorship, style and philosophy of the book of Genesis. Then follows a lengthy section entitled ""Echoes and Illusions"" which consists of quotations from Jewish, Christian and secular writers dealing with the book or its subject matter. This part of the book represents a stupendous amount of research and puts all students and readers of the Bible greatly in debt to Rabbi Goldman. The scholarship revealed in the earlier chapters is profound, with the findings of Biblical criticism accepted. This and the other volumes in this series should be in the library of every clergyman, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish.