The Old Testament
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The Old Testament
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Narrated by:
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Amy-Jill Levine
About this listen
The Old Testament - written in ancient Israel by many different authors over the course of a thousand years - has had more meaning to more people than any other book the world has known. Its influence, whether you consider it scripture or literature, is evident everywhere in our culture, from medieval mystery plays to modern novels, art, music, theater, film, and dance. What can this work teach us about those who wrote it? About the people we once were? And can new academic understanding also speak to faith? As Professor Levine observes: "The Old Testament is endlessly fascinating because it offers everything to explore: myth, saga, and history; tragedy, comedy, and farce; economics and politics; literature and poetry of surpassing beauty; court intrigue and prophetic morality; heavenly miracles and sometimes heavenly silence; questions of theodicy; answers that satisfy and answers that may not; destruction and rebuilding; despair and hope."
In a series of 24 lively lectures, she takes you down all of these avenues, exploring selected passages from the texts known as the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, and the Tanakh, revealing how fresh research and findings from scholars of archaeology, cross-cultural studies, and comparative religion can deepen your understanding.
And though the focus of her lectures is on historical and literary issues, Professor Levine does not shy away from issues of religious concern, maintaining that the goal of an academic course is not to undermine religious faith, but to use that academic knowledge as a new source of insight into the writings that form a believer's spiritual bedrock.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2001 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2001 The Great CoursesListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The Old Testament
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 12-09-23
Very worthwhile
It is a hard task to introduce the Old Testament / Hebrew Bible in just 12 hours. A-JL is a very good speaker, as well as a fine scholar, and does an excellent job. She provides a fine overview, with particular insights at several important points, and gives a sense of the variety as well as the history and literary interest of the texts.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- E. McLaughlan
- 01-08-18
superb overview of the old testament, in context
puts the old testament in its historical and literary context, joining up the stories whilst maintaining the mystery, without explicit belief or non belief.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Robert Brontsema
- 27-08-20
too much
seemed unstructured at times. so much info that i just get lost. other than that its a great course
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Nicky Beet
- 17-09-14
not bad but
Is there anything you would change about this book?
the book is rather simplistic and lets god off with a pass on many of the more distasteful(to modern eyes at least) aspects of the bible
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
not really applicable
What about Professor Amy-Jill Levine’s performance did you like?
was good and confident although she did stutter or mispronounce some words or phrases
Was The Old Testament worth the listening time?
yes it was,it gave a good insight into some of the aspects of the bible,especially where it crosses cultures+religions eg gilgamesh+noah
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 31-08-20
Perfect
Demystifies this dense labyrinth of text factually, with scholarly passion and at all times respectfully. Exactly what every Torah / Biblical scholar needs. Should be required listening at school.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J. Mann
- 29-12-19
Enjoyable and Informative
Amy-Jill Levine is such a good speaker - she is fun and yet at the same time compassionate and very well informed. I thoroughly enjoyed this series of lectures, I learned a lot and hope to listen to more from Professor Levine, as she says at the end, even with this series of lectures, there is still so much she didn't have time to cover.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Juliet
- 26-02-24
Beautifully clear and beautifully performed
Well, what a warm and wonderful human being Amy-Jill Levine feels from listening to this! She's one of the best non-fiction/academic narrators I've come across, with a lovely, natural and engaging manner and a pleasant, friendly voice. I felt I wanted to go round to her house for a cup of soup. But that's just the narration. This is also a really, really clear, enthusiastic and thoughtful introduction to the OT, viewed in its historical and cultural context. I learned a lot from it, and I was never bored, during the whole 12 hours. As she says, there is so much more she could have covered, and I'd have gone on listening. Go on, Amy-Jill, give us some more!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ivan
- 26-07-15
Excellent course
One of the best Great Courses out there, in my opinion. Professor Levine's approach is very balanced.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- A. K. Love
- 26-11-20
Well presented.
Good presentational style. Probably over interpreted at some points but clearly gives some interesting insights.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jean
- 12-12-18
Fantastic!
I loved the style of this lecturer , I could (and did!) listen to her for hours and hours! I hope she does more Great Courses. I learned a lot, it’s a fascinating subject, entertainingly presented.
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