The Old Testament

The Old Testament is cited on the floor of the Senate and from the bench in the courtroom. Contemporary politics is inextricably intertwined with it, from conflict in the Middle East to the claim by many in the United States that a return to "biblical values" is warranted. It influenced the Pilgrims to leave England in the 17th century; it inspired the founders of the new republic in the 18th; it roused both slaves and abolitionists to seek a new Moses and sponsor a new Exodus in the 19th and the Jews to establish a homeland in the 20th. Professor Levine's commentary thoughtfully explores selected passages from the texts called the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, and the Tanakh. She provides clear examples of how various approaches to biblical research and interpretation can enrich your understanding of this inexhaustibly fruitful and powerful text. Of course, 24 lectures cannot hope to cover the Old Testament in its entirety. The method of the course is to discuss especially interesting or prominent passages from a cross-section of all the genres the Old Testament contains, using each passage as an example of how to apply a particular method of interpretation to the Bible. Even if you know the Old Testament well, you will find it enlightening to hear Professor Levine discuss how it appears against the larger background of the ancient Near East as revealed by research in archaeology, cross-cultural studies, and comparative religion.