Literary Criticism of the Old Testament

Book excerpt: This well-written introduction to the method of literary criticism gives the reader an awareness and appreciation of the rich diversity of thought found in the Old Testament. The student is shown how to identify the elements of structure, style, form, language, and composition in the books of the Old Testament. Norman Habel demonstrates how literacy criticism works with examples which are familiar and well-suited for a beginner's level of study. The literary features of Genesis 1-9 are fully explored, then the author focuses on the importance of the Yahwist and priestly sources for the whole Pentateuch. This book's explanation of techniques used in the process of literary criticism will be valuable to both student and professor.