Handbook on the Historical Books

Victor P. Hamilton. Handbook on the Historical Books. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001. 557 pp. $32.99.

Given the practical limits on the size of books, most introductory texts in biblical studies emphasize either extensive work with the text itself or thorough introduction to issues of authorship, date, canonicity, and the like. The current volume by Victor Hamilton, professor of Bible and theology at Asbury College, falls solidly into the former category and covers the Protestant canon in order from Joshua through Ezra. The author gives a thorough analysis of each book (e.g., Joshua receives eighty pages, Judges ninety), proceeding directly through each book and introducing section breaks on the basis of topic or emphasis (e.g., the absence of a Joshua-figure early in Judges yields a section from 1:1 to 3:6; Othniel begins the section on the judges proper at 3:7). Naturally, a significant portion of his treatment recapitulates the substance of the history narrated, but this serves Hamilton's main emphases of plot development and the role of linguistic indicators in relating a pericope to its context, with a view toward a theological understanding of the text. Because this book is not an introduction in the usual sense, its classroom use should be complemented by a work like that of R. K. Harrison so that issues of isagogics are addressed. It is more conservative in orientation, and significantly longer, than the similarly focused book by Richard D. Nelson (e.g., Hamilton's treatments of each book are roughly five times longer than Nelson's).

Hamilton's Handbook succeeds admirably in bringing the reader into contact with the text and orienting interpretation along lines already present in the text. Given the preoccupation of some authors with the problems that arise here and there in reading a text, the work is refreshingly focused and productive. Hamilton does not ignore the discussions surrounding problematic issues, however. Such topics (including the historicity of the conquest, the coherence of the Davidic succession narrative, and the relation of Nehemiah to Ezra) are concisely but not simplistically treated, and plausible but cautious explanations are offered. For example, when considering the historicity of the conquest vis-a-vis archaeology (to which he devotes nine pages), Hamilton lays out in neutral fashion and without critique the gamut of understandings offered. Following K. L. Younger's argument for "exhaustive" language in the conquest summary in Joshua 10, Hamilton argues that the differences which purportedly amount to contradictions between Joshua 1-12 and Judges 1 are "exaggerated" and concludes that the "swift military sweep through the land" must be distinguished from the "subsequent permanent occupation" (p. 66). The only issue which receives insufficient attention is the chronology of the divided kingdom, for which Hamilton provides a table with the calculations of Bright, Galil, Hayes/Hooker, and Thiele, but nothing more. While a thorough discussion of the issue would be out of place, some introduction to the main issues involved would serve the student well.

The book benefits from a number of charts comparing parallel passages in Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and the prophets. These make the complex relationships between the various literary units readily intelligible. Because of the focus on the text as it stands, discussion of redactional and compositional issues is minimal. Hamilton also provides numerous tables and diagrams to show literary structure or shared motifs and language, and these are very helpful. Additional pedagogic strengths are the citation of Rabbinic material when helpful, and surprisingly frequent use (considering the intended audience) of biblical Hebrew. In fact, this work may be somewhat overwhelming for part of the "undergrad college student" audience Hamilton has in view, since explanations frequently involve biblical Hebrew. On the other hand, it could serve well as a text for students to grow into, and its level of complexity allows it to remain useful to more advanced readers by combining reasonably thorough literary analysis and sizable bibliographies in one volume. The bibliographies, while limited to English works, are otherwise fairly comprehensive; they should be sufficient for master's level study and will serve as a convenient point de depart for more advanced work. They are conveniently arranged first by book, then by pericope, and finally by the scope of the entry (commentaries/major studies, shorter studies). Surprisingly, while a good understanding of biblical historiography lies implicit beneath Hamilton's work throughout the volume, there is no material in the Handbook that orients the reader to either the general characteristics of the historical books or the present state of the discipline; beginning students in particular would find an introductory section on biblical historiography helpful. Hamilton does expect that a history of Israel will be used alongside his work.