A Boundless God: The Spirit According to the Old Testament

Levison (Fresh Air), professor of Old Testament interpretation and biblical Hebrew at Southern Methodist University, expands upon his previous works in this helpful analysis. There’s no real argument; instead, Levison explores the use of the concept of “spirit” across the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew word ruah—which can appear in a variety of contexts and be used with verbs of different meaning. Ruah is, according to Levison’s calculations, the most-used noun in the Old Testament—occurring 378 times in the Hebrew text. He chooses thematic groupings to organize his exploration. For instance, Levison translates ruah as the spirit “blowing”; ruah as the spirit “resting upon,” and also being “passed” on. Each possible translation is then developed in a thorough exploration of the thematic and theological context of particular books of the Old Testament. Chapters also open with a list of Bible sections that Levison suggests reading beforehand to better appreciate his discussion. Those looking for an academic Bible study guide or interested in the development of particular concepts within biblical interpretation will enjoy Levison’s erudite take on the linguistic choices that form the foundation of the Old Testament. (Feb.)