The Art of Biblical Narrative: A Book Review

Shawn reviews Robert Alter's The Art of Biblical Narrative. Through Alter's work the reader will learn to be able to spot and track the nuisances and details of the Biblical Text with greater understanding and clarity. Alter helps the reader to discover the importance of reading the Bible as highly designed prose.

[Doctrinal_Possum]

I wholeheartedly embrace the idea of careful, meticulous reading. I'm working through the book of John right now and there are so many little things I'm seeing that weren't obvious at first glance. For example, the woman at the well says, "The well is deep, and you have nothing to draw with." I saw in this a foreshadowing of the one who would draw all men with himself. The more time I spend studying a passage the more connections to other concepts and passages I find. What a book!

[paulchamberlain]

I loved that book. Try the short book “The Documentary Hypothesis” by Umberto Cassuto for a good critique. This book of eight lectures is the best book I’ve read on this subject. He has some close analysis similar to Alter, too.