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An Introduction to the Old Testament
Edward J. Young's Introduction to the Old Testament has served Old Testament students well over the past forty years. This classic, scholarly, conservative text has been published previously only in hardcover editions; this edition marks the book's appearance in paperback for the first time. / In this study Young concentrates on the literary characteristics of the Old Testament books, arguing for the inner harmony and underlying unity of the literary units in the Old Testament. The book includes special bibliographies for each chapter, a general bibliography, and three indexes.
436 pages, Paperback
First published December 19, 1949
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January 12, 2012
E. J. Young (late OPC minister and Westminster Theological Seminary professor) explicitly wrote "An Introduction to the Old Testament" to contribute to the Old Testament (OT) field of Special Introduction. In the field of OT biblical studies, Special Introduction is contrasted with General Introduction. Young describes it this way: "General Introduction is concerned with topics which relate to the Bible as a whole, such as the Canon and text. Special Introduction, on the other hand, deals with subjects which refer to the separate parts or individual books of the Bible and so treats of such questions as unity, authorship, date, genuineness, and literary character." In other words, General Introduction is concerned with the contents of the OT on the whole; Special Introduction is concerned with the composition of its parts.
Young has structured the book into three major sections, corresponding to the traditional division of the Hebrew Bible (Law, Prophets, Writings). Each of these sections begins with a chapter introducing the division as a whole, and then each of the chapters following covers a book in that division. There are "exceptions" to this, however (at least from the perspective of English Bible readers), in that Young treats books according to the Hebrew canon. For example, one chapter covers the Book of the Twelve (also called "the Minor Prophets") and one chapter each is devoted to the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles (even though each of those books is two in English Bibles).
The weakest chapter of Young's book is the opening chapter "The Study of Biblical Introduction." Actually the chapter is only made weak by the section subtitled "How Shall We Regard the Old Testament?" The other sections--which introduce OT Introduction, give a short history of it, and talk about the canonization of Scripture--are all quite strong. In "How Shall We Regard...," however, the informed reader immediately recognizes Young's attempt to defend the OT as God's Word via the methodology of Christian apologist Cornelius Van Til. Sadly, however, the section not once references Van Til by name nor its indebtedness to his ideas and methodologies. Since few scholars or students in evangelical circles have exposure to Van Til, this unnamed use of Van Til's ideas and convictions is sure to confuse as much as edify. In my opinion, the section should either be omitted (since treating Van Til adequately would require much more space) or placed in an appendix. Or Young could write another book to discuss--and footnote!--Van Til's significance for approaching the OT. To do less than this is a gross disservice to the reader.
Additionally, the chapter on Hosea argues for a symbolic reading of Hosea's marriage to Gomer based on the difficulties--moral and logistical--it would have created for the prophet. These objections, however, can easily be turned into advantages for the prophet and his audience by those who view the marriage as historical. Young's argument here is generally unconvincing. This is a minor criticism, however, and should not detract from the strengths of the book.
And its strengths are many! As a high quality work of professional OT scholarship, it gives a very helpful literary analysis of each OT book, highlighting important features without (generally) getting lost in the weeds. Certain of Young's analyses deserve special mention.
The last chapter under Part I, "The Literary Criticism of the Pentateuch," has no peer (that I am aware of) in the subdiscipline of Introduction. This remarkable chapter provides an overview of negative criticism of the OT from before Christ up through the mid-20th century. Certainly, the quality of this chapter stems from its being a condensed form of Young's Ph.D dissertation. It alone makes the book worth its price!
Throughout the book, Young dismisses the "Aramaism" argument by pointing to the Aramaisms present in the Ugaritic literature from Ras Shamra (11th century BCE). This constant reminder is extremely helpful, especially to students and pastors, since negative criticism (Young's designation for the more common "higher criticism") repeatedly uses this argument for late authorship in many OT books.
The chapter on Isaiah argues persuasively for the unity of that book, effectively demonstrating the literary connections between chapters 1-39 and "Deutero" (40-55) and "Trito" (56-66) Isaiah.
Young highlights the aspects of Joel most helpful in dating that notoriously difficult-to-date book.
Young's typological reading of Jonah 1-2 generally misses the more immediate and concrete message of those chapters, but he makes up for this by his answers against the negative critics regarding Jonah's Aramaisms and their objections to the description of Nineveh.
Young's peculiar reading of the Song of Songs is an interesting alternative to the usual allegorical or less-usual-but-still-common typological reading. It affirms the book as wholesome human love poetry, regarding such love as a reflection of the love of God for his Church.
If you are searching for a refutation of higher criticism based on the literary unity of the Old Testament as God's Word, I heartily recommend this book.
Young has structured the book into three major sections, corresponding to the traditional division of the Hebrew Bible (Law, Prophets, Writings). Each of these sections begins with a chapter introducing the division as a whole, and then each of the chapters following covers a book in that division. There are "exceptions" to this, however (at least from the perspective of English Bible readers), in that Young treats books according to the Hebrew canon. For example, one chapter covers the Book of the Twelve (also called "the Minor Prophets") and one chapter each is devoted to the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles (even though each of those books is two in English Bibles).
The weakest chapter of Young's book is the opening chapter "The Study of Biblical Introduction." Actually the chapter is only made weak by the section subtitled "How Shall We Regard the Old Testament?" The other sections--which introduce OT Introduction, give a short history of it, and talk about the canonization of Scripture--are all quite strong. In "How Shall We Regard...," however, the informed reader immediately recognizes Young's attempt to defend the OT as God's Word via the methodology of Christian apologist Cornelius Van Til. Sadly, however, the section not once references Van Til by name nor its indebtedness to his ideas and methodologies. Since few scholars or students in evangelical circles have exposure to Van Til, this unnamed use of Van Til's ideas and convictions is sure to confuse as much as edify. In my opinion, the section should either be omitted (since treating Van Til adequately would require much more space) or placed in an appendix. Or Young could write another book to discuss--and footnote!--Van Til's significance for approaching the OT. To do less than this is a gross disservice to the reader.
Additionally, the chapter on Hosea argues for a symbolic reading of Hosea's marriage to Gomer based on the difficulties--moral and logistical--it would have created for the prophet. These objections, however, can easily be turned into advantages for the prophet and his audience by those who view the marriage as historical. Young's argument here is generally unconvincing. This is a minor criticism, however, and should not detract from the strengths of the book.
And its strengths are many! As a high quality work of professional OT scholarship, it gives a very helpful literary analysis of each OT book, highlighting important features without (generally) getting lost in the weeds. Certain of Young's analyses deserve special mention.
The last chapter under Part I, "The Literary Criticism of the Pentateuch," has no peer (that I am aware of) in the subdiscipline of Introduction. This remarkable chapter provides an overview of negative criticism of the OT from before Christ up through the mid-20th century. Certainly, the quality of this chapter stems from its being a condensed form of Young's Ph.D dissertation. It alone makes the book worth its price!
Throughout the book, Young dismisses the "Aramaism" argument by pointing to the Aramaisms present in the Ugaritic literature from Ras Shamra (11th century BCE). This constant reminder is extremely helpful, especially to students and pastors, since negative criticism (Young's designation for the more common "higher criticism") repeatedly uses this argument for late authorship in many OT books.
The chapter on Isaiah argues persuasively for the unity of that book, effectively demonstrating the literary connections between chapters 1-39 and "Deutero" (40-55) and "Trito" (56-66) Isaiah.
Young highlights the aspects of Joel most helpful in dating that notoriously difficult-to-date book.
Young's typological reading of Jonah 1-2 generally misses the more immediate and concrete message of those chapters, but he makes up for this by his answers against the negative critics regarding Jonah's Aramaisms and their objections to the description of Nineveh.
Young's peculiar reading of the Song of Songs is an interesting alternative to the usual allegorical or less-usual-but-still-common typological reading. It affirms the book as wholesome human love poetry, regarding such love as a reflection of the love of God for his Church.
If you are searching for a refutation of higher criticism based on the literary unity of the Old Testament as God's Word, I heartily recommend this book.
September 13, 2025
A bit dated but still helpful work that is refreshingly brief and from a conservative perspective.
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February 2, 20242/2/2024: Read the chapter on Joshua in preparation for an exposition.
12/22/23: Read the chapters on Deuteronomy and the Psalms in preparation for an exposition in these two books.
10/5/18: Used as reference to study contested views on authorship of Pentateuch (Introduction & Part 1 Chapter 7 - "The Literary Criticism of the Pentateuch"). Young's historical survey in chapter 7 is a helpful overview.
12/22/23: Read the chapters on Deuteronomy and the Psalms in preparation for an exposition in these two books.
10/5/18: Used as reference to study contested views on authorship of Pentateuch (Introduction & Part 1 Chapter 7 - "The Literary Criticism of the Pentateuch"). Young's historical survey in chapter 7 is a helpful overview.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews