Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch
T. Desmond Alexander and David W. Baker, eds., Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch, A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship series (InterVarsity Press, 2003) 954 pages, ISBN 9780830817818.
As an avid reader and owner of IVP’s New Testament Dictionaries (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Dictionary of New Testament Background, Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, Dictionary of the Later New Testament and its Development; all but the first being ECPA Gold Medallion winners), I was delighted to see they had begun the same series on the Old Testament. A casual reading found that this massive volume covers topics ranging from “Aaron” to “Zoology” including such subjects as “Blessings and Curses,” “Flood,” “Honor and Shame,” and “Sacrifices and Offerings.” Each of these topics are presented as they relate the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible.
Wanting to investigate further it was decided to start by finding out who the Dictionary claims is the author (or authors) of the Pentateuch. The first article referenced was “Authorship of the Pentateuch” a 12 page article that does not state that Moses did write the first five books of the Bible, neither does it state he did not. The article leaves the conclusion up to the reader based on the evidence presented. The reader is then referred to comparative articles on “Form Criticism,” “Historical Criticism,” “Pentateuchal Criticism, History of,” “Source Criticism,” and “Writing” which consume a total of 49 pages without every taking a stand on the issue of Mosaic authorship.
Next, an article of Pentecostal/Charismatic beliefs was chosen, “Signs and Wonders.” The subject was presented with a watered down view of the miraculous in two basic ways. First, the article allowed that the signs and wonders of the Pentateuch occurred as natural events but attributed to God. This disregards the passages in which Moses pre-announced the plagues before they took place. Second, the signs and wonders of the Pentateuch are examined in light of Documentary Hypothesis, or the JEDP theory of multiple authors of the Pentateuch over hundreds of years. This method opens the door to the possibility that the signs and wonders were later added to the events instead of actually taking place.
This is not to say that the Dictionary is without merit. The article on “God, Names of” was very rewarding. Three prominent names of God were presented. The first name discussed was El meaning “power,” “creator,” “maker” as well as the plural form Elohim. The second major name of God presented is Yahweh, the personal name for God. The article explains how the name Yahweh is used when God is describing a personal relationship with his people, when grace is involved, when his commitment to his people is established, and when his jealousy is aroused. The third major name discussed is Adonay which means “lord” or “master.” Adonay is used much less frequently in the Pentateuch than the other two names of God, but more so later on during the time of the Second Temple. Other less frequently used names of God are also discussed but in much less detail.
The article on “Babel” was also of interest. It contained possible parallels to Babel-type stories from other cultures. The sin in building the tower is defined as “hubris,” further defined later as “an attempt to challenge divine prerogatives.” The article relates the root of this sin back to Cain and indirectly associates Abraham to the tower. No reference, however, is made to the possibility of tongues and interpretation on the Day of Pentecost in the book of Acts as being the undoing of the curse of Babel.
Two other articles are noteworthy. The first is “Faith.” It is a rare article that describes the role of faith (and not works alone) in the lives of the Pentateuch saints. The article concludes by inviting the reader to re-read the Old Testament in light of this article on faith. A second article on “Repentance” was also well done. Because it is so hard to find even New Testament articles on the subject of repentance, this article was a delight. Repentance was examined book by book, from Genesis to Deuteronomy. These two smaller articles are full of sermon seeds and Bible study lessons.
The weaknesses of the Dictionary are the articles on Biblical criticism, anything supernatural, and the individual books of Genesis through Deuteronomy. Another weakness would have to be the cost of the Dictionary which retails for fifty dollars. The Dictionary has no Pentecostal/Charismatic leanings. There are no articles on the “Holy Spirit,” nor “Healing,” nor are they listed in the “Subject Index”. The most surprising article was “Election” by J.W. Wright, whom I presume to be a Wesleyan Armenian since he teaches at a Nazarene university. The Dictionary contains no photographs or drawings, only a few charts (pertaining only to the various articles on “Exodus”), and a mere two black-and-white maps stuck in the back of the book. This is not a resource for the visually oriented.
Despite the weaknesses mentioned above the strengths of the Dictionary are numerous as well. The typeset and format is very readable. Useful “Subject Index” and “Scripture Index” are included in the back of the Dictionary. While many articles are stuffy and overdone, the Dictionary shines when it comes to its articles on personalities (“Adam,” “Noah,” “Reuben,” etc.), events (“Circumcision,” “Day of Atonement,” “Festivals and Feasts,” etc.), places (“Egypt,” “Haran,” “Ur,” etc.) and customs (“Sexual Ethics,” “Social Customs,” “Warfare,” etc.).
The target audience of the Dictionary is seminary graduates and above. Theological and technical jargon abound and make for slow reading. Should you buy it? If you have any special interest in the Pentateuch it would be very useful. For others a better option would be to have it available in a church or school library. Otherwise wait for the entire Dictionary of the Old Testament series to be published and purchase them together in the much more affordable digital format.
Reviewed by Mike Rogers
Publisher’s page: https://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=1781
