In The Company Of Prophets

The books of the Early Prophets (“Nevi’im Rishonim”) speak of our national and political history and destiny. These biblical books relate the deeds and decisions of Joshua, Samuel, David, Nathan, Elijah, and Elisha. In these biblical books, we learn about our leaders’ objectives, conflicts, triumphs, and occasional shortcomings. We are enriched when we learn to extract and distill the moral, ethical, and religious messages embedded in their actions.

 

The three principal manners in which those messages are sought have been labeled as historical-philological, traditional-exegetical, and literary-critical. All three have been utilized in these reflections, in order to provide diversity in interpretation, and an appeal to the broadest possible audience. This methodology is rooted in a conviction that it is only through the amalgamation of all three that the enduring value of Nevi’im Rishonim can be transmitted.