The Creation of Sacred Literature

The study of the Bible is at a vital juncture. Thus begins this merger of a stellar group of scholars of both literary and historical perspectives on the Hebrew Bible: Robert Alter Baruch Halpern Shemaryahu Talmon Jacob Milgrom Nahum Sarna and Jack Miles and edited by Richard Elliott Friedman. In this seminal work they raise questions of conception technique and audience treating both the Bibles authors and editors. At bottom the question that all are addressing is: in what way(s) is the study of the Bible different from the study of other literature? Their answers it should come as no surprise all have to do with the Bibles special life as sacred literature.