The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary

Robert Alter's translation of the Five Books of Moses is one of those rare books that really is as good as everybody says it is. Alter's task in the book is huge: to make a meaningful translation of works that have been translated thousands of times and commented upon by hundreds of thousands of people from dozens of religious traditions. How in the world can one do anything new with the Bible? Well, as it turns out, you can. Alter succeeds by sticking firmly to one core principle: to create a literary, rather than a theological or a scholarly text. He is not trying to use the translation to explain the theology of the Bible, or (as most committee-driven translations tend to do) to avoid offending anybody's constituency. Nor is he interested in the traditional scholar's game of dividing the text into original sources (variants of the "J," "E," "D," and "P" source texts). The biases he as (and everybody has biases) are literary--he wants to present the first five books of the Bible as five unique, coherent literary texts. There are a few exceptions to the "coherent" part. He argues cogently in his introduction to Genesis that the multiple streams of original source material do not stand in the way of coherence from a literary perspective. He mentions the Documentary Hypothesis, but makes no effort to tease out the "Yahwest" (J) and "Elohist" (E) strands of the text. He does, however, consistently tag (in his commentary) the lengthy interruptions of the Priestly redactor--the clearly post-exilic representative(s) of the priestly caste who frequently interrupt(s) the narrative (sometimes with comically inappropriate results) to make sure that people remember to make their temple donations (Exodus 30), give the best sacrificial meat to the priests (Numbers 28-29), or remember the proper dimensions of the tabernacle (Exodus 25). Tagging these Priestly interruptions is extremely helpful, as it helps the reader factor them out of the narrative flow that they interrupt. What comes out of Alter's translation is a revelation for those of us who are fairly familiar with the text in other translations. Instead of one undistinguished mass of one-paragraph proof texts, we get five very different and remarkable literary creations. Genesis is almost entirely folkloric narrative, except for the story of Joseph, which is more like a short story. Leviticus is a very detailed Priestly instruction manual. Deuteronomy is a soaring triad of rhetorically powerful speeches (and horrifying ones at that, as their main point is "kill everyone who is not like you, and don't stop until all of them are dead)". Exodus and Numbers are more mixed books. Exodus 1-24 is a coherent historical narrative that Alter manages to make exciting even AFTER Cecil B. DeMille. Numbers is part census, part historical chronicle, and one totally awesome parable (Balaam and the talking ass). I am not by any means biblical novice. I know these texts reasonably well and have written peer-reviewed articles on several of them (Genesis, 1 Samuel, Ruth, and the Psalms). But I have never, through any other translation, experienced these five books as five unique works of literature. Robert Alter makes that happen. And, amazingly, he even makes it look easy.

There are probably millions of English-speaking men and women of religious inclination who have never read the Hebrew or the Christian Scriptures cover to cover. When I undertook a masters degree from a Roman Catholic Seminary, only the Pentateuch and the Prophets were required three-credit courses, and our professors emphasized themes over textual analysis. And, like many others, I know something "of" Deuteronomy and Numbers but have never examined the texts closely. Searching souls return to sources, and it may be this need that would propel a reader to Robert Alter's original translation of the Pentateuch. As I am neither a true scripture scholar nor fluent in Hebrew language, I cannot comment on the accuracy of the translation, though it is hard to imagine a major publisher [Norton] going wrong with a scholar whose resume includes at least twenty full length works on Scriptural literature and philosophy. What I can address is the impact of Alter's efforts, his manner of presentation, underlying presuppositions, and the values and dangers of applying one's self to the full text. Alter presupposes an openness to modern scholarship. The very title is metaphorical, not factual. The author embraces the standard source theories [Yahwist, Elohist, Priestly, Deuternomic] and draws from major Christian and Jewish scholarship in his commentaries and introductions, at times taking issue with theories or other mainstream translations. He maintains a strong presence throughout the text, perhaps five footnotes per page. There is considerable effort made to explain the multiplicities of meaning in critical Hebrew words, and the reader--perhaps scratching his head--comes away with both a greater respect of the ingenuity of ancient authors and a better understanding of the headaches of modern translators. Other footnotes connect or contrast particular texts to other parts of the Pentateuch, or the canon of Hebrew Scripture, or to other ancient texts. Of particular interest is Alter's inclusion of medieval Jewish commentators. Alter is an all-abiding presence, but I never found him intrusive. He is useful and respectful, allowing the sacred text to stand in its context, majesty, and paradox. There is no effort to contextualize his commentary with the Christian Scriptures or present-day Christian theologies. The author does at times go out on a limb with his psychological observations: his contrasting of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for example, is intriguing if speculative, and yet it was my impression that the ancient authors probably intended for their readers to capture the humanity of such characters as the ten scouts whose knees wobbled at their first reconnoitering of Canaan as against the courage of Joshua and Caleb. Alter sees the first book, Genesis, as an introduction to both the human situation prior to the patriarchs, and the patriarchal age itself, concluding with Joseph and the relocation of the Hebrews to Egypt. Genesis has enjoyed a certain preeminence in our time, possibly because of Christian interests in doctrines dealing with creation and original sin, not to mention its colorful tales and personages. However, when seen in the context of the five books, Genesis loses a bit of its glitter, and the reader comes to see that the Pentateuch is actually Moses' stage. Not only is Moses the protagonist of nearly everything that happens in Exodus and beyond, but he becomes the channel for the Word of God, and it is through his lips that both the Law of God and the wrath of the Almighty come to the Israelites. The Pentateuch makes clear that Moses, though hardly sinless, is the one indispensable human in the Hebrew Scripture. The reader need be forewarned that the description of the Pentateuch as the source of the Law is well-founded. The ratio of narrative to legal code is perhaps 1:4. Despite Alter's cogent efforts to explain the significance of ritual precision and the concept of moral cleanliness, the reading of the Law in its entirety--from Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers--is arduous and at times ingratiating. One comes to the conclusion that the repetition and detail of Hebrew Law is itself a manner of emphasizing its importance. I indicated earlier that there are inherent dangers in reading the Pentateuch. One of the most immediate is the difficulty of many contemporary readers to transcend the barriers of cultural and religious diversity, as well as the arrogance of modernity. I would concede that there will be readers who will dismiss the text as useless, incomprehensible, or representative of an ancient, inferior culture. The repeated emphasis in the Pentateuch upon ritual exactitude and community cleanliness in particular will be troublesome to those who do not trouble themselves to understand the underlying religious mentality. There are also philosophical difficulties. It is somewhat disconcerting for the Judaeo-Christian reader to come face to face with the genesis of his tradition, the violent uprooting of indigenous peoples in Canaan. Needless to say, the content of the Pentateuch and the situation of present day Israel will raise thoughtful questions. The sacred authors and editors of the Pentateuch may have sensed something of this quandary, for Deuteronomy, the final book of the unit and the last will and testament of Moses, reflects a distinct authorship and vision of the desert experience. Evidently written later than the other books, Deuteronomy smoothes somewhat the ethical exactitude of the earlier books and places more emphasis upon the Glory of God and his great love of Israel. The reader should remember, too, that the Pentateuch, while the cornerstone of the Hebrew Scripture, is not its sum and substance. To significantly comprehend the books of Moses, one must read on.

This one-man translation stands out for its very literal rendering of the Hebrew original, designed explicitly to capture the feel of the original Hebrew. This being the goal, the English rendering is less readable than most translations, which the translator readily admits. This translation is much more suited, in my opinion, to study of the biblical text than to casual reading of the text, because it reads more slowly and requires more concentration than a typical English translation, and I would say the English is less beautiful than standard translations. But beauty of English expression wasn't the main point. Having said all this, it is neat for a non-Hebrew reader to be given a better sense of how the text might read if one knew Hebrew. The text is in large type and in a single column. Verse numbers are given in the outer margins rather than within the text itself, but the chapter divisions are as distinct as chapter divisions in a novel. Translation notes and commentary appear directly below the text at the bottom of the page, but there are no distracting footnotes used within the biblical text itself. The notes at the bottom take up at least as much of the page, on average, as does the biblical text. It's easy to explore textual issues at the bottom of the page or simply to read the scriptural text, as one desires. It's a large and heavy volume: over 1,000 pages in my paperback edition, 9 inches by 6 inches, with about 50 pages of introductory material to the volume, plus introductions to each biblical book that average about 8 pages each. The paper quality and thickness are very good; the paper is a comfortable off-white color. I'm giving a lot of basic information because the Amazon description wasn't that helpful. I'm finding this translation, and the introductions and notes, very helpful for study of the text. I wouldn't use this translation for a Scripture reading in church but for personal--or group--study it is outstanding and helpful. Postscript: I have noted several reviewers here who had serious problems with the binding of this book coming unraveled. I don't doubt that they have had these problems, but I have had no problems whatever with my paperback version.

I can't say enough to recommend this translation of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). All of Robert Alter's work as he gradually translates all of Tanakh (what Jews call the Old Testament) has been superb, and will open your eyes to this fabulous book. OK, not all of the first five books makes for fascinating reading, but so much is astounding, especially in the voices Alter lends to his translations, and the depth he provides with his extensive commentary. This is a very fat book. Also most worthwhile is his Ancient Israel, which includes all of Samuel 1 and Samuel 2, formerly parts of his book The David Story. Read to your children from this version of Genesis, even if to you it is nothing more than one of the foundations of Western Civilization, its laws and its beliefs, or even if it is nothing more than a set of strange tribal tales. Remember, the Israelites invented the idea of universal law--that king and commoner alike must follow--and also from Abraham we have the idea of the one true God. Arguably, everybody in Western Civilization responds in one way or another to that latter idea. Have you ever met an atheist who says "I do not believe that the really big tree in Central Park is God"? No, we either accept or reject the God of Abraham. In a sense, if you are reading this, you are an Israelite, so get in touch with your roots. We are so very fortunate to have this translation, and also Alter's commentary, which is all about meaning and not overly obsessed with the "who wrote what parts of the Bible" controversy, interesting though that truly is. You cannot find better translations of the Old Testament than these provided by Robert Alter, and we’re very lucky to have them.

As the header communicates the book is great in terms of what it has to say. Alter is one of my preferred commentators on the Hebrew Scriptures and he meets my expectations in this release. My issues with the book aren't his, they are with whoever digitized it. 1) Footnotes in the print version occur underneath the text as you read through it. In the kindle version they're all after the chapter. This is manageable but somewhat annoying, as you have to flip back and forth between text an footnote. It would be nice if either the notation numbers in the text would link to the footnote, or if they could be moved back under the text they comment on as in the print version. 2) The Table of Contents is too simple. For example, you can navigate to Exodus via a chapter link, but only to the beginning of the book. This makes getting to some of the early chapters easy. You can also navigate to Leviticus and flip backwards. This makes getting to some of the later chapters easy. The chapters in the middle, however, require a bunch of (in my opinion) too slow flipping to arrive at. It would be awesome if each chapter was linkable in the table of contents.

Great book for studying and understanding those biblical texts.

Great translation and commentary, perhaps the best. For Genesis and Exodus this year, I'm reading four commentaries, and most of the time I find Alter the most illuminating. But, there moments of disappointment. One of the most profound moments in Torah is when the people say, in Exodus (24:7), "We will do and we will hear (listen/understand)." That is the literal translation. Profound is the coupling with Genesis, where the great sin was to separate knowledge from life, the tree of knowledge from the tree of life. For Jews, choosing life -- to do, to live, praxis -- is fundamental. Understanding comes through doing, applying knowledge in deeds. So these two passages are inextricably intertwined. Alter missed a golden opportunity to right a centuries old wrong in translation, most following Rashi in a very poor redaction, modifying the meaning to and translating as "obey." Alter chose a middle ground, but with no notes or commentary, translating, "We shall do and we will heed." Better perhaps, but still missing the profound sense of it. The difficulty arises because there is no word in Biblical Hebrew for "obey," which is the common, and I think pedestrian, choice in translation. (See Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' Future Tense, p. 191.) In fact, when Hebrew was revived as a modern language, a new word had to be coined to literally mean "obey." Another disappointment is in Genesis where Alter translates, "Jacob's life was linked to Joseph's," or something very close to that. (I don't have the Alter handy as I write.) The Hebrew literally reads, "Jacob's soul was intertwined/co-mingled with Joseph's." To me, that is a huge difference. It is similar to some Christian translations of Psalms 69.1 which read, "The water is up to my neck," when literally it should read, "The waters have come unto my soul." Waters, the plural, in Genesis and elsewhere represent chaos and darkness. I guess the point here is that not one translation ever totally serves, nor one commentary. The serious student will have a second to balance things out. Final point, for the Jew the Alter does not replace a Chumash because there are no breaks for the Parashot, no Hebrew, and no Haftorahs. But at a 1000 pages, there's a limit. Still probably the best overall translation and commentary, Alter provides plenty of references to alternate translations, commentaries and sources.

Robert Alter has given his readers a generous gift by sharing his knowledge of ancient Hebrew and the historical cultures, places, and nations we encounter in the Hebrew Scriptures. He has labored to produce a translation that is intended to have a similar effect on the modern reader as it did the original audience for whom it was intended. His comments illuminate many of the features of the life and times of the patriarchs and Mosaic era that are otherwise strange or confusing for us today. Where his translation takes a turn that diverges from the translations we have been used to reading, he explains the problem inherent in the text that led to his choices, frequently concluding that any translation involves conjecture. This was my second reading through this volume and it has become my “go to” version for casual reading and for study. I am grateful to have access to it.

I have studied the Hebrew Old Testament for about eight years and I can say without doubt that this is the most thoughtful, masterful handling of the text by a translator I've ever encountered. The Pentateuch is written in a Hebrew style that is posh, poetic and striking in equal measure, and Alter's translation approximates this into English like no other. The preface and footnotes also demonstrate superb understanding of ancient Hebrew. Highly recommended.

Gift for father in law he seems happy enough well packaged also

Wonderful book. It is really great work.Value for money.

O que acontece quando tentamos ler a Bíblia hebraica ou o Novo Testamento da mesma maneira que lemos Homero ou Shakespeare, Wordsworth ou Dante? Essa tentativa é legítima? Deveríamos dizer que a distinção entre literatura sagrada e secular é totalmente social e política e, portanto, não é uma distinção literária? A antiga relação vexatória entre poesia e crença talvez se reduza à questão de saber se um único poema ou história pode ser mais sagrado do que qualquer outro. Aparentemente faz sentido afirmar que toda a literatura forte é sagrada, e é igualmente sensato insistir que tudo é secular. O que é menos sensato é dizer que alguma grande literatura é mais sagrada ou mais secular do que outra. O grande Akiba, o rabino dominante entre aqueles que formularam o judaísmo no segundo século da Era Comum, atuou como um excelente crítico literário quando ele insistiu que a Canção se tornasse parte do cânon. A maior parte da Bíblia Hebraica, de fato, parece refletir uma série poderosa de julgamentos estéticos por parte de seus canonizadores. O escritor J ou Yahvista, o originador da maioria do que agora chamamos de Gênesis, Êxodo, Números, é um criador comparável a Homero, Shakespeare e Tolstói, e em seu poder expressivo supera qualquer outro autor bíblico, incluindo seu revisionista, o E escritor ou Elohist. Acredita-se que o escritor J tenha feito seu trabalho em 950-900 AEC, enquanto o escritor E, que o revisou severamente, escreveu cem anos depois. Pode-se dizer que o Eloísta ou a Fonte E, como às vezes ele é chamado, iniciou aquele longo processo em que as audácias de J eram temperadas no que acabou se tornando tradição rabínica. Mas tão misterioso é o Yahwista em seus retratos de Yahweh que somente o poder literário da escrita poderia ter preservado uma visão tão chocante de Deus de ser completamente apagada por editores posteriores, que devem tê-lo sentido como uma personalidade demasiadamente travessa e obstinada. e não suficientemente abstrato. A Bíblia hebraica, desde suas origens em diante, é tudo menos uma biblioteca teológica; é o produto de escolhas estéticas. Robert Alter é um crítico literário de vasta experiência, e fez contribuições consideráveis para o que ele chama de estudo literário da Bíblia. Particularmente tenho predileção por sua versão do Pentateuco – Livro de Moisés – porque ela é extremamente sensível ao original hebraico. Você pode encontrar online uma tradução palavra por palavra do original hebraico, mas isso não tem poder poético. Robert Alter tem uma profunda sensibilidade literária e está altamente alerta para as implicações do hebraico bíblico. Para dar um único exemplo, a versão King James da Bíblia (KJB), diz que Eva estava com fome e viu que a árvore era "agradável" de se olhar. Os tradutores deliberadamente escolheram uma palavra neutra. Alter destaca nas notas que a palavra hebraica é na verdade 'ta'awah ', que significa 'luxúria para os olhos'. Você não saberia, já que não lê hebraico, que a árvore é descrita como um objeto que desperta intenso desejo. Enfim, Alter argumenta em seu prefácio que a versão de KJB é imprecisa, e que tanto o rei James quanto seus sucessores falharam em transmitir em “inglês refinado” o estilo narrativo e os ritmos lingüísticos do original hebraico. Mesmo para o leitor não treinado, as traduções de Alter são familiares e surpreendentemente diferentes. A linguagem é simples, vigorosa e rítmica, e Alter prefere metáforas concretas, muitas vezes táteis, às interpretações mais filosóficas de outros tradutores. Boa leitura!

The translation is great. You just have to be aware that Robert Alter is not a Christian (he is jewish) and his comments often reflect a critical mindset. Every once in a while this even impacts the translation in texts that are particularly clear prophecies to Christ.