this is a really good good unified treatment of the Pentateuch as a single unit. ( )

This book is not a detailed textual commentary but is a wonderful literary, and theological interpretation of the Pentateuch. Sailhamer does a wonderful job in his Introduction appealing for understanding the Pentateuch as a literary unit that should be understood as such. His observations about the pattern of -narrative - poetry - epilogue, are very astute and amazingly helpful. This book is worth it for the introduction alone

The rest of the book carries through what Sailhamer proposes in his introduction. While the whole book is useful and helpful, Sailhamers work on Genesis is especially good. It seems that Sailhamer pays more attention to the begining of the Pentatuech (giving Gen. 1:1 several pages) than the end (sumarizing the death of Moses in half a page).

All in all, this is a wonderful work and a relatively easy read, other than the introduction. I recomend it highly; especially his exegesis of the early sections of Genesis. ( )