Volume 25, 2025

EN:

The narrative of the blasphemer (Lev 24:10–23)—the only narrative segment within the Holiness Code (Lev 17–26)—has long been a subject of scholarly debate. Discussions have primarily focused on issues of textual coherence and thematic connections, such as the link between the prohibition against desecrating God's name and the subsequent inclusion of case laws that align with the principle of lex talionis (the law of retaliation). In this article, I aim to address the complex questions raised by this passage and propose that it should be understood as a cohesive unit consisting of two sequential stages. The arrangement of these stages not only emphasizes their inherent connections but also sheds light on the underlying rationale that shapes the structure and purpose of this narrative unit.

EN:

The article presents a critical edition and exegesis of Psalm 45’s superscription, examining its textual, lexical, and semantic dimensions. Through analysis of ancient versions, it reassesses key terms (לבני־קרח, ידידות למנצח על ששנים), proposes alternative readings, and suggests a revised heading, highlighting prophetic-messianic links and the superscription’s role in illuminating the Psalm’s themes and characters.

EN:

This article examines how Yahweh is depicted as writing in Exod 32:32–33. It dispels the notion that the scroll in Exod 32:32–33 is a book of life, and instead shows that Yahweh performs administrative writing duties by (1) analyzing how scholars often historicize Exod 32:32–33, (2) showing that כתבת in Exod 32:32–33 indicates that Yahweh wrote the scroll, and (3) situating Yahweh’s scroll and writing in the context of non-numinous ancient administrative writing.

EN:

This special collection contains revised essays from a 2023 SBL panel on Tamara Cohn Eskenazi’s Anchor Bible commentary on Ezra. Contributors assess her portrayal of Ezra’s political artistry and formation of “peoplehood,” engage major debates in Ezra–Nehemiah scholarship, and reflect on the role and limits of the commentator in reconstructing history and interpreting the text amid contemporary resonances.

EN:

The book of Esther, particularly at the very beginning, features distinctive language that implies a contrast between the flamboyant and self-indulgent Ahasuerus, on the one hand, and the ideal Israelite king, on the other. The text draws this contrast by way of multiple allusions to kings who, consistent with the law in Deuteronomy, adhere to the teachings found in “the Scroll of the Torah.” This conclusion supports the view that the Jews, under the rule of Ahasuerus, confront a religious challenge in addition to the existential threat initiated by Haman, and that the transformation achieved by Esther and Mordecai bears an implied theological dimension.