The Song of Songs: Codes of Love

In this mature work of scholarship Edwin Good brings his capable talents to translating interpreting and commenting on the rich work of the Song of Songs. Known as one of the earliest biblical exegetes to have opened the door to sophisticated literary criticism he brings this decades-long praxis to opening the great poems depth. The volume is concluded by an Afterword by Anita Sullivan the authors wife who is a poet and translator. Her reflections on the Songs character and importance as poetry provide another dimension to the discussion. It is a delight to witness a master craftsman doing his work. Edwin Good is a master at translation and commentary with attentiveness to nuance. He has written a genuinely dialogical commentary in dialogue with other scholars and with his readers letting us witness the dialogue between these lovers. His insistence on the Hebrew identity of the poetry and his recognition of its oral origin mark the way he proceeds. The book is invitational in its tone an invitation to be present to this exchange between lovers. --Walter Brueggemann Columbia Theological Seminary Decatur GA Good offers us new insight into the Song of Songs because he respects its poetic character. His vibrant translation lays the ground for commentary that is faithful to both poetic form and cultural detail and his analysis accurately reflects the profound insights provided by his poet-wife Anita Sullivan. Together they have given us a gem of a book. --Dianne Bergant Catholic Theological Union Chicago IL Edwin M. Good (1928-2014) was Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies and of Classics at Stanford University. Among his many publications are Genesis 1-11: Tales of the Earliest World (2011) In Turns of Tempest: A Reading of Job (1990) and Irony in the Old Testament 2nd ed. (1981).