What Rough Beast?

Book excerpt: A number of texts in the Hebrew Bible consistently command attention and yet defy easy explanation: Why did God try to kill Moses? Why did God kill the man who touched the ark to keep it from falling? Why did God put a tree in the middle of the Garden? David Penchansky tackles these tough questions and in so doing opens up for readers a new understanding of how the Hebrew Bible portrays God. Penchansky examines six biblical narratives that depict God negatively, outlining their social, political, and theological ramifications. He believes the stories provide an important key to the Israelites' understanding of their God. He also believes the stories provide a structure for understanding experiences of evil and suffering within our own century, and for accepting the ambiguity that permeates all human existence. - Christian Book Center.