ContentsPart 1: The Main Themes of the Pentateuch1. An Overview of the Pentateuch2. God's Temple-City3. The Royal Lineage in Genesis4. The Blessing of the Nations5. Paradise Lost6. By Faith Abraham . . .7. Who Is the Lord?8. The Passover9. The Covenant at Sinai10. The Tabernacle11. Be Holy12. The Sacrificial System13. The Clean and the Unclean Foods14. Toward the Promised Land15. Murmurings16. Love and Loyalty17. Why Israel?18. The Pentateuch and the Biblical MetanarrativePart 2: Pentateuchal Criticism19. Introduction to Pentateuchal Criticism20. The Rise of the Documentary Hypothesis21. Going behind the Documents22. The Documentary Hypothesis under Threat23. Exodus 19:1-31:18--a Test Case24. The Future of Pentateuchal StudiesIndexes

"An outstanding study of the Pentateuch"This introduction to the Pentateuch identifies the major themes of the first five books of the Bible, guiding readers through this crucial portion of the Old Testament. The fourth edition has been substantially updated throughout."With theological acumen that comes from being a senior Old Testament scholar, Alexander has provided a tour de force on the Pentateuch. Too often Old Testament scholarship focuses on individual verses and chapters, but Alexander brilliantly traces key themes that reverberate throughout the Pentateuch, providing rich theological and exegetical insights along the way. I have used this volume as a textbook, and the fourth edition now includes an up-to-date discussion of pentateuchal scholarship. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Pentateuch. I highly recommend it!"--Carol M. Kaminski, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary"This is a magnificent volume. I have used Alexander's textbook on the Pentateuch in my courses for many years. He now offers a carefully revised, expanded, and updated fourth edition that will carry us into the future. In part 1 Alexander walks the reader through the historical, literary, and theological content of the Pentateuch. In part 2, he has placed his updated and very well-written review and critique of modern critical approaches to the composition of the Pentateuch at the end of the book--rather than at the beginning, as in the previous editions. This is a good move. Alexander's discussion in this section sorts out the current plurality of critical positions in a readable way and offers sound, reasonable responses to them."--Richard E. Averbeck, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School"An outstanding study of the Pentateuch that every student and minister of Scripture should read. It is exegetically grounded, thematically organized, and theologically rich. Furthermore, Alexander skillfully navigates through various critical approaches to pentateuchal studies in a way that takes Scripture for what it is: God speaking. In the end, he takes the reader on a beautiful journey that begins in paradise and ends in the promised land and that in the process guides us from Adam to Christ."--Oren R. Martin, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Boyce College