Hidden Riches: A Sourcebook for the Comparative Study of the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East

by Christopher B. Hays

Key Selling

Genres: Biblical Studies, History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Religion, Old Testament

452 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2013

About the author

Christopher B. Hays is D. Wilson Moore Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies and chair of biblical studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is a Research Associate of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Hays holds a PhD in Religion from Emory University, an MA in Egyptology from UCLA, and an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Reviews

[Miglė · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a wonderful, informative book, but I'll write a review later.
For now, pelase take a look at the comic summary of the chapter on prophets I made
.

[Christópher Abreu Rosario · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great companion in studying the Old Testament. It was a required supplemental reading for my Old Testament class at Columbia Theological Seminary, accompanying The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. These books paired together, and with knowledgeable professors, provided me an understanding of the OT I didn't know was possible. I wish I had learned this material in church, and hope to apply the knowledge I have gained in my current and future ministry.

[Zachary · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author is an idiot, but his comments are so stupid one cannot even be offended

[Troy Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy from the publisher for an honest review. That said, I throughly enjoyed this book. The work starts with a summary of scholarship related to the ANE (Ancient Near East). Relevant texts related to the Hebrew Bible are explored, with commentary supplied. Questions are presented to the student/reader to elicit further insight into the texts. The book will make an exellent primer on the subject for Seminaries and Universities alike! (If you read and like this book, you may also enjoy "Ancient Israelite Literature in its Cultural Context," by John H. Walton.)

[Troy Nevitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes historical documents and religious scripts from other foreign nations and compares them to the writings of Christian Scripture. It is a helpful and insightful book for learning about concepts that translate across religions ("The Deep" in Genesis, or the parallel of Nehemiah and Udjahorresne[t]) through his quick discussions at the end of each chapter.

[Gage Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a good place to find translated documents from the countries and cultures surrounding the Old Testament and see similarities between the OT and them. Expansive and thorough, I just didn’t really enjoy it.

[Mark L Jensen]

Excellent - Comparative Study sourcebook for Hebrew Bible(OT) & Ancient Near East Literature

[Jonathan Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mostly skimmed this book while focusing on the Enuma Elish and the Gilgamesh Epic. Very interesting parallels to much of the OT, but some of it is not that interesting.

[Ronald J. Pauleus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enriching things here in this book!!! Good study tool.

[John Kight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher B. Hays is D. Wilson Moore Associate Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. Hays has received a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Emory University. He is the author of Death in the Iron Age II and in First Isaiah and is currently working on the Isaiah commentary for the Old Testament Library series. Most recently, Hays has released an excitingly useful volume for students and enthusiasts of the Old Testament: Hidden Riches: A Sourcebook for the Comparative Study of the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East (WJK Books, 2014)

Hidden Riches opens with a brief introduction to the history and methods of comparative studies. Hays does the reader a service by immediately establishing his efforts within the overall context of the discipline, and rightly positions the reader for the coming investigation. The book is arranged canonically (Pentateuch, Former Prophets, Latter Prophets, and Writings), and thus is ideal for the task of comparative studies. Each chapter begins with introductory or composition information for both the biblical and ancient Near Eastern literature, including date, location, language, and more, followed by a readable and up-to-date translation of the comparative source (translations are done by Hays and others scholars, and footnotes are provided therein). Each chapter concludes with discussion around the sources, reflection questions, and a brief bibliography for additional study.

Hidden Riches is an excellent resource for serious study of the Hebrew Bible, and I think that there are a number of qualities that make this volume appropriate for the average reader but especially for academic use. First, Hays’ interaction when seeking to provide discussion around the biblical and ancient Near Eastern text is accessible and easy to understand for the average reader, although it does assume some prior knowledge in various sections. Second, the inclusion of a separate bibliography at the end of each chapter is fitting for additional study, but I think that the work cited will be largely inaccessible to the average reader. There are certainly gems buried, but this section will find its primary use in the work of graduate students and beyond. Third, Hays covers a wide range of comparative genres and the scope of the volume is quite impressive. There is certain to be something for every reader to ponder regardless of academic experience and background.

The comparative study of the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near Easter literature is strangely neglected in the arena of popular thought concerning the Old Testament. While the reader is certain to walk away with some level of disagreement with Hays, the importance of the study should not be overshadowed by intellectual conflict. The Hebrew Bible did not develop in a vacuum. What I appreciated most about Hays’ treatment of the study in Hidden Riches was his keen ability to bring high-level scholarly conversations down to a level in which even an interested undergraduate student could interact. This is a volume that will both make you think and challenge your thinking. Hays is clear, informative, fair, judicious, and well-positioned for the task of this book. It will be used often and comes highly recommended!

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.