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BONDS OF LOVE: METHODIC STUDIES OF PROPHETIC TEXTS WITH MARRIAGE IMAGERY (ISAIAH 50:1-3 AND 54:1-10, HOSEA 1-3, JEREMIAH 2-3). By R. Abma. Pp. 281. Assen, The Netherlands: Van Gorcum, 1999. Cloth, $70.00.
This volume is the fortieth in the series Studia Semitica Neerlandica. It is a valuable addition to studies of these prophetic texts and of the topic of marriage imagery. Abma' s style is concise and readable; though the subject matter is dense at times, the explanations are always clear. She moves smoothly from broad arguments to specific details. Much as a photographer may employ both a panoramic and a zoom lens, she uses both in her analyses, as well as an electron microscope.
The purpose of this study is to offer a fresh interpretation of several prophetic texts that present the covenant relationship as a marital relationship. This is not a comparative text study. The focus throughout is marriage imagery, and the primary goal is better understanding of the marriage metaphor as found in each of the selected texts. This metaphor is significant because it sheds light on the character of Yhwh and his relationship to Israel. Abma's purpose is to read these texts as separate voices that share a certain amount of vocabulary and imagery. Bringing them together gives the reader a fuller picture of an intriguing model of divine and human partnership.
The book contains seven chapters: three provide general background, three deal specifically with Isaiah, Hosea, and Jeremiah texts, and the concluding chapter discusses theological implications of this study.
In chapter 1 (Introduction), the writer spells out the goals and scope of the study, and explains the selection of the texts. The chapter concludes with a useful appendix which diagrams various marriage terms used in the prophetic texts to be analyzed.
Chapter 2, "Background Issues in Relation to Marriage Imagery," is...