Böcker av Shaul Bar

Love, seduction, betrayal, violence, riddles, and myth all find their place in the biblical story of Samson. Samson is the last of the judges, with 20 percent of the book devoted to him--more than any other judge. From the beginning, Samson is unlike any other judge, which the author suggests when narrating Samson's birth. Samson is destined, even before his birth, to deliver Israel. He doesn't lead his people into battle, he acts alone; his battles are personal vendettas. Samson fights with a lion, defeats the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, captures foxes, sets Philistine fields on fire, and carries the Gates of Gaza on his shoulders. So what stands behind these stories? Was Samson a mythological hero like Hercules and Gilgamesh? Like other men in the Hebrew Bible, Samson can't resist foreign women. Time after time, he follows Philistine women who eventually betray him. Samson is defeated not by physical strength, but by the powers of seduction, making this story a tragedy. Who were these women and how did they defeat Samson? Readers of this volume will rediscover Samson and better understand his achievements and failures. This study will afford a provocative and useful insight into the character of Samson.""Both a superhuman and sinner, Samson will continue to captivate the imagination of generations to come. With his careful attention to biblical nuance, Dr. Bar has managed to bring to life the intriguing story of the most controversial and eccentric judge of the Old Testament. This book untangles both the multifaceted narrative and the complex character of its hero. Bible lovers will much appreciate this detailed study.""--DR. SHMUEL SHEPKARU, Professor of Jewish Intellectual and Religious History at the University of Oklahoma and author of Jewish Martyrs in the Pagan and Christian WorldsDr. Shaul Bar, Director of the Bornblum Judaic Studies Program at the University of Memphis. He is the author of A Letter Has Not Been Read: Dreams in the Hebrew Bible (2001), I Deal Death and Give Life: Biblical Perspectives on Death (2010), God's First King: The Story of Saul (2013), Daily Life of the Patriarchs: The Way It Was (2014), and A Nation Is Born: The Jacob Story (2016).

Saul was the first king of Israel (1029-1005 BCE). His life was full of drama and tribulations, and ended tragically. The book of Samuel portrays Saul as a colorful personality with excesses--as the classic tragic hero. Moreover, Saul''s excellent virtues qualified him for the monarchy. He had courage and military power. Saul was modest and shy. In contrast to the positive portrayal of Saul in some biblical narrative, many other passages in the Hebrew Bible portray Saul negatively--as a paranoid man who chased demons, as obsessed with the pursuit of David. Thus he struggles constantly with his own family members as well as his circle of friends. From the battle at Michmas till the last day of his life, fear is Saul''s constant companion. Readers of this volume will rediscover Saul, will have a better understanding of his achievements and failures as the first king of Israel. We trust that this study will afford a provocative and useful insight into the character of Saul. "After all the biographies of King David published during the last few years, it is refreshing to find one devoted to his predecessor and rival, King Saul. The appropriately named Shaul Bar presents us with a careful literary and historical reading of the Saul traditions, drawing not only on the biblical text, but also on the post-biblical, midrashic literature, conveying a well-rounded portrait of Israel''s tragic first king and his place in history and tradition. Bar''s book is both grounded in up-to-date scholarship and accessible to the general reader. He is to be thanked."--Carl S. Ehrlich, York UniversityShaul Bar is Professor of Judaic Studies in the Bornblum Judaic Studies program at the University of Memphis. He is the author of A Letter That Has Not Been Read (2001), as well as I Deal Death and Give Life (2010).

Explores the etymology of key terms for dreams in the Hebrew Bible, presents dozens of examples of biblical dreams and visions, and categorises them as prophetic, symbolic, or incubation. Shaul Bar studies biblical dreams and visions in the context of similar phenomena in the literature of neighbouring cultures and analyses the functions of dream reports in the biblical corpus.

While the literature of the ancient Near East portrays legendary heroes, this is not the case with the biblical narrative, which portrays the patriarchs and matriarchs as fallible human beings. Their story is a multigenerational one of family and the dynamics that exist within. Reading these stories is like hearing the echo of family feuds, which is what makes them timeless. Were the patriarchs real people? Or can we say that many details in the Book of Genesis are fictions that project later romantic ideals of life and faith? To answer these questions the author examines the patriarchs' daily life, beliefs, and customs to provide provocative and useful insights into the life of the Patriarchs.