From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch (3rd Ed.)

“A well-balanced introduction to the Pentateuch, a comprehensive and up-to-date scholarly work, presenting the contemporary academic approaches to the first five books of the Moses. . . . [Alexander] is able to guide the reader through the maze of modern approaches to the Pentateuch, and superbly emphasizes it as a unified literary work, arguing that the Pentateuch should be viewed from Genesis to the Kings. . . . The breadth and depth of his discussion on the main themes of the Pentateuch are commendable. The author is to be commended for linking some Old Testament texts with New Testament themes. . . . This book is worth reading.”

“The primary strength of Alexander's book is that it helps us to grasp the Pentateuch as a whole. . . . There is no doubt that theology undergraduates and anybody who takes an interest in the riches of the Pentateuch are indebted to Alexander for providing us with a highly readable, informative, and at times even innovative book.”

“The overview and evaluation of pentateuchal criticism is one of the best currently available. It is up-to-date, thorough, and clear. Alexander does a good job of helping beginners sort through the various schools of criticism, clarifying their similarities and differences. . . . Both students confronting the topic for the first time and pastors looking for a review/update will find this section to be an excellent resource. . . . The second part is also quite useful.”

“This book witnesses to a real effort at dialogue with historical-critical methods and approaches to the Pentateuch.”

“Eminently useful. . . . Studying the Pentateuch by means of commentaries can be compared to looking at the separate pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. While we may find something of interest in each piece, it is only when all the pieces are put together that we get the complete picture. Alexander puts the puzzle together in ways that bring the larger picture of the Pentateuch into a sharp, Christ-centered focus.”

“A good literary introduction to the Pentateuch.”

“It is excellent and will serve the needs of its intended audience if it is supplemented by the traditional introductions.”

“[A] wealth of useful and accessible information on the Pentateuch. . . . This book is especially welcome as a solid introduction accessible to undergraduate students.”

“An excellent overview of major themes in the Pentateuch. . . . An excellent tool that should be used by anyone planning to preach or teach through these books.”

“Desmond Alexander provides an introduction that considers the Pentateuch as a whole, both thematically and theologically. The Pentateuch is presented as a unity, yet the variety of topics within it receive substantial and penetrating treatment. It is the sort of study that many readers and their teachers have long wanted on this first section of the Old Testament.”

“Two virtues about From Paradise to the Promised Land have especially struck me. One is the comprehensiveness of the way it seeks to help us grasp the Pentateuch. The other is the way Alexander shows us how different themes hold these books together--themes such as the sanctuary, kingship, and the land. Both these features open up possibilities in grasping the Pentateuch as a whole.”

“In this up-to-date and scholarly work, Alexander shows how the first five books of the Bible make sense and hang together. More than that, they lay the foundations of Christian theology so that no one can properly understand the rest of the Bible who has not come to terms with them. Alexander will be found to be a lucid and reliable guide to this vital part of Scripture.”