The Consuming Fire, Hebrew Edition

Book excerpt: Embedded within the Bible lies a largely unknown story of the founding of early Israel and its religion, interwoven with tales documenting the creation of the Torah. Known as the Priestly Source, the complete text has not appeared on its own in either Hebrew or English--until now. This edition contains for the first time the full biblical Hebrew along with a new translation, annotated to guide readers through the text. This translation by Liane M. Feldman, an authority on the text, reveals the mythical foundation for the practice of sacrifice in ancient Israelite and Jewish religion. Beginning with the creation of the world and ending at the edge of the Promised Land, the Priestly Source offers a distinctive account from over two thousand years ago of the origins of the people of Israel and a unique perspective on their relationship with their god, Yahweh--one in stark contrast to what is found when we read the Bible now.