The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel

When Koren Publishers Jerusalem kindly sent me a review copy of The Susan & Roger Hertog Edition of Exodus, entitled The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel, I wondered if they had printed it wrong! Unlike the right-to-left books we’re used to, this one opens left to right. So it took me a second to remember that’s the Hebrew way to read. Since this book includes passages of scripture in both Hebrew and English, the choice is not only appropriate but a great conversation opener!

Upon its release in February 2020, this large, attractive hardback will certainly dress up a coffee table. Besides the artistically rendered cover, the interior presents an abundance of colorful photographs on thick, slick paper. These ample illustrations help us to see the land of Israel and the people who lived there in sweeping vistas and up-close detail. However, you’ll want to actually read this beautifully produced book as it combines art with an in-depth study of Exodus. As the inside flap of the book jacket tells us:

“The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel is the first work of its kind in English to use contemporary 21^st century biblical scholarship with traditional Jewish perspectives."

For those who might not know “What is the Tanakh?”, the Introduction to the Series responds to that very question:

“The word Tanakh is an acronym comprised of the Hebrew letters t n kh, referring to the fundamental collection of writings on which Judaism is based: Torah (the Five Books of Moses), Nevi’im (the Prophets), and Ketuvim (the Writings). The Tanakh is a literary collection composed over the course of a millennium.”

Christians refer to these books as the Old Testament, which is not intended to give offense but to indicate the vital placement of the Tanakh before the books known as the New Testament – and vital, it is. The more Christians study the Tanakh, the clearer the life and times of Jesus become, which can greatly alter the misinformation, suppositions, and contemporary perspectives often brought to scripture reading.

Regarding the particular scriptures used for this book, the highly respected Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks served as the primary translator of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts in a new translation of Exodus into English. Portions of both the Hebrew and the English text appear on each page, along with short articles and insights highlighted by these categories:

• Archaeology  - notes on archaeological objects relating to the adjacent text
• Near East – backgrounds on the ancient civilizations who interacted or affected God’s people
• Language – insights into the languages of the times
• Flora and Fauna – identification of plants and animals mentioned in the Bible
• Egyptology – comments on the culture, religions, and powers in Egyptian society
• Mishkan – descriptions of the Tabernacle
• Geography – information on biblical places  
• Halakha – textual links to Jewish rituals and contemporary practices

For example, the opening text begins with the Hebrew “names of the sons of Yisrael (Israel) who came to Egypt with Yaakov(Jacob), each with his household: Reuven (Reuben), Shimon (Simeon), Levi and Yehuda (Judah); Yissakhar (Issachar) Zevulun (Zebulun) and Binyamin (Benjamin); Dan and Naftali (Naphtali); Gad and Asher. The descendants of Yaakov were seventy in all, and Yosef (Joseph) was already in Egypt.”

Above that English translation is the Hebrew passage, and below is the sidebar on the Near East, which says:

“The numbers 7, 10, 12, 40, 60, 70, 300, and their multiples appear many times in the Torah. Rather than representing an exact or historical quantity, these numbers have allegorical and typological meaning. The family of Yaakov consists of 70 souls who immigrate to Egypt. The Israelite nation has 70 elders (Ex. 24), Gideon and Ahab had 70 sons (Judge 8:30; 11 Kings 10:1), and Adoni-Bezek rules over 70 kinds (Judges 1:7).”

The note ends by saying:

“In the ancient Near Eastern texts, the number 70 has referred to gods, kings, and more…. in the ancient Near East, the number 70 represented totality.”

Then, in reference to verse seven, the note on Archaeology briefly discusses the “Semites in Egypt” and explains:

“Water in the Middle East is always an issue. In ancient times the Canaanite shepherds brought herds to the Nile delta in times of famine, because the Nile provided a steady supply of water that supported agriculture and fertile grazing pastures even when rain was scarce. The Egyptian government blocked infiltrators when it was strong, but when the central administration was weak, shepherds from Canaan would bring their herds to graze there.”

As Exodus 2 begins the story of Moshe (Moses), a note appears on “The daughter of Pharoah” under the heading “Egyptology” and offers this insight:

“…the Egyptian princesses were very precious to their fathers. In the time of the New Kingdom, when foreign princesses were sent as diplomatic gifts to the king of Egypt, no Egyptian princess was ever sent in return to a foreign ruler.”

Alongside the story of the burning bush in Exodus 3, the note on Flora and Fauna tells us:

“The traditional commentaries unanimously identify the seneh, or thorn-bush, as what is now called the holy bramble, Rubus sanguineus – a bush that grows in proximity to springs and streams.”

By chapter 15, God’s people have left Egypt, crossed the Sea of Reeds, and  entered the “Shur Desert, toward Beershaba,” which is discussed under the heading “Geography” and says:

“The main route across the desert would have been a relatively straight, level journey from the Isthmus of Suez, to Beersheba, an approximately 180-kilometer trek that would take around a week on foot.”

 Hopefully, those examples give you a good idea of what you’ll find in the text and commentaries, but this highly recommended biblical resource also includes a Timeline, Maps, and Introductions to the book, ancient Egypt, the plagues, and more. If, however,you never get to read every elegant page, the color photographs and captions will give you a broad and, sometimes, detailed view of the times, places, and people along with the artifacts and items of worship that enriched their lives – and ours.

Reviewed by MaryHarwell Sayler, ©2020.

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