About the Book:
The Biographical Bible offers an engaging overview of Scripture through the lens of the fascinating figures who populate its pages. Through insightful reflections on the lives of over eighty individuals, this unique book captures the essence of these colorful characters, warts and all. They are people who have much in common with twenty-first century people of faith. Here the reader will find a lively and insightful narrative that brings the Bible to life as no other book does.
My Comments:
I've mentioned at different times that one thing I like about Biblical fiction is that it fleshes out and brings to life characters about whom we really know little. This book looks at the world as it was in Biblical times and tries to tell "the rest of the story". As with any book like this, there is quite a bit of supposition.
I didn't read the whole book. I don't know if my copy from NetGalley was similar to the copy I would get if I purchased a Kindle edition, but if it was, I don't recommend the Kindle edition. You can "look inside" on Amazon and see that the book is filled with pictures and with sidebars or text inserts quoting various scripture scholars over the years. While the varying colors and typefaces may work on the paper edition or perhaps on a color tablet, on my black and white Kindle, it just made the text seem redundant.
A couple of the characters about whom I read stuck in my mind. Abraham sacrificing Issac was mentioned. After wondering why God would ask such a thing of Abraham, it was suggested that perhaps Abraham loved Issac too much--that in some ways he had made a god of Issac. His willingness to sacrifice Isaac proved that the Lord was God, not Issac. The book also mentioned that we never saw Abraham speaking to Isaac after that. Regarding how easily Isaac was fooled by Jacob, the author postulated that perhaps Isaac had Downs Syndrome, which would explain his lack of fertility and the fact that he did not fight back when Abraham tried to sacrifice him.
The book is definitely written from a Protestant perspective. It talks about all the sons of Mary.
I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B-
I believe God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in order to demonstrate that God was not like other gods in Canaan who required such sacrifice. And a bunch of other stuff too that runs right through Jesus on the cross. Loved Isaac too much....Down's Syndrome...good grief.
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