God's Others

Gods Others: Non-Israelites Encounters with God in the Hebrew Bible reveals the stories of two-dozen of the best-kept secrets in what is often referred to as the Old Testamentthe foundation text for the three Abrahamic faiths. Often overlooked or misunderstood, these non-Israelite individuals and groups encounter God through personal or historic revelations. They include: Melchizedek, King of Salem Lot, Abrahams nephew Hagar, Abrahams concubine Laban, Jacobs brother-in-law The Pharaoh of the Exodus Jethro, Moses father-in-law Rahab, harlot of Jericho The Queen of Sheba Ruth Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon The Gentiles of Jonah JobGods others demonstrate that people may approach God by many paths. They show that claims to exclusive religious truth, which often have pitted Jews, Christians and Muslims against each other, represent a misreading of the Hebrew Bible and the Jewish position of respect for others. Traditional and modern commentary add depth to these biblical stories, making them as accessible as they are fascinating.