There are numerous examples of parallels between the Bible and ancient Near Eastern narratives, laws, and customs. Did the Bible consciously “borrow” from these ancient Near Eastern traditions? Or were these traditions simply part of a shared culture of the Fertile Crescent, which stretched from Egypt to Mesopotamia?
Scholars may engage in endless speculation, but beyond dispute is that some material in the Bible is remarkably similar to prebiblical antecedents. In the Beginning contains many of these parallels, showing how an understanding of the background of the ancient Near East from which the Hebrew Bible arose leads to a deeper appreciation of its narrative, theology and religious practices, and law. In the Beginning demonstrates how the Hebrew Bible developed a unique worldview, religious teachings, and legal system that transformed civilization.
About the Author:
Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School and a radiologist at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Dr. Ronald L. Eisenberg has published more than twenty books in his field of medicine. A non-practicing lawyer, he also has a doctoral degree in Jewish Studies. This is his twelfth book relating to the history and traditions of the Jewish people.