Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: More Noncanical Scriptures

This work stands among the most important publications in biblical studies over the past twenty-five years. Richard Bauckham, James Davila, and Alexander Panayotovs new two-volume collection of Old Testament pseudepigrapha contains many previously unpublished and newly translated texts, complementing James Charlesworths Old Testament Pseudepigrapha

About the Author :
Richard Bauckham is professor emeritus at the University of St. Andrews and senior scholar at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He is a fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. James R. Davila is professor of early Jewish studies at the University of St. Andrews. Alexander Panayotov is research associate in the Divinity Faculty at the University of Cambridge.

Review :
Religious Studies Review "A tremendously significant volume. . . . Will undoubtedly be an essential reference work for years to come." George W. E. Nickelsburg -- University of Iowa "In our study of early Judaism and early Christianity we have been spoiled by large corpora of texts, but we seldom consider that these preserve only a portion of what was actually written (or orally composed). Here brought together in one place for the first time, and translated and discussed with the best scholarship, is a collection of texts and text fragments that provide a peek into that broader, unknown world." James Kugel -- Bar-Ilan University "A monumental work, vital to the study of early Judaism and Christianity in general, and to the history of ancient biblical interpretation in particular. Anyone who owns one of the earlier compilations of Old Testament pseudepigrapha will have to supplement it with this volume, which fills in much of what's missing in the others. This is a scholarly achievement for the generations." Matthias Henze -- Rice University "This new collection of pseudepigrapha is a great accomplishment. Editors Bauckham, Davila, and Panayotov have assembled an impressive team of leading scholars in the field. The list of pseudepigrapha in this volume is astounding, including many little-known treasures. Each text is introduced by an expert, the English translations are elegant and accessible, and the notes are most helpful. . . . An indispensable supplement to the two volumes edited by James Charlesworth of Old Testament pseudepigrapha." Michael Stone -- Hebrew University of Jerusalem "This timely and highly significant work makes available a range of works from as early as the late ninth century BCE to the Byzantine period. The book complements admirably the various collections of 'apocrypha and pseudepigrapha' that have been published from the beginning of the twentieth century on. . . . The texts in this volume are translated from Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, Syriac, Armenian, and other languages, and this book makes most of them available in English for the first time. This work is essential for students of the Jewish and Christian traditions, Eastern and Western." Emanuel Tov -- Hebrew University of Jerusalem "With the proliferation of newly discovered 'pseudepigrapha' in the last fifty years, it was necessary to bring them together in an accessible way. The editors of this volume are to be congratulated for doing so magnificently. The fine text editions and analyses here are very well written and encourage further study. Highly recommended for both the nonspecialist and the connoisseur! Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society "This is a monumental work. . . . One cannot help but place this volume alongside that of Charlesworth and others to enrich our understanding of these texts and the communities that preserved them." Choice (American Library Association) "Graced with fresh translations and fine scholarly notations, this volume surely will become a standard work. Essential." Association of Jewish Library Reviews "A significant contribution to Biblical studies, Jewish history in the Second Temple period, and studies in early Christianity." The Bible Today "This is a ponderous book, a resource for serious study. Despite this, its importance cannot be underestimated." Reference Reviews "An indispensable tool for the scholarly study of both the origins of Christianity, and the Jewish matrix of which it was a part." Journal of Ancient Judaism "The first of a two-volume collection that provides introductions to and annotated English translations of texts related to various books or the Hebrew Bible. . . . The editors bring together an impressive array of scholars, who address a long list of mostly forgotten or unknown texts, from an expansive historical range." Dead Sea Discoveries "A remarkable resource for scholars and students of ancient Judaism. The individual texts published in this volume generate and sustain important conversations about shared interpretive traditions that cross religious, linguistic and geographical divides in the study of ancient Judaism. Prepared by a stellar list of contributors, the volume opens new pathways for Dead Sea Scrolls research and should be on required reading lists for graduate students." Interpretation "Readers seeking to explore the sacred imaginations of the earliest readers of the Bible will find much to treasure in these pages." Jewish Bible Quarterly "This important collection includes a wealth of information that will be invaluable to scholar and interested layperson alike, making it an instant classic."