The Parabiblical Texts

Book excerpt: This book introduces the reader to a fascinating genre of writings that retell biblical narratives in various ways. They reflect the concerns and methods of early Jewish interpreters of Scripture. Daniel Falk surveys the content and major scholarly issues of three key examples: Genesis Apocryphon (1QapGen), Reworked Pentateuch (4Q158, 364-5), and Commentary to Genesis (4Q252-4). Particular attention is paid to exploring why and how the authors interpret the Scriptural text in their distinctive ways. The book traces continuity and discontinuity with other Jewish and Christian traditions, and reflects on the significance of these texts for the status of Scripture and the boundary between Scripture and interpretation. Drawing on the latest research and reconstructions of the texts, and with extensive bibliographies, this is an authoritative guide for the student or the non-specialist scholar.