The Development of God in the Old Testament

Behind the Greek title pantokrator, the Almighty, lies a far older Hebrew name, El Shaddai, with roots in the religions of the ancient Near East. Markus Witte follows that name from its origins into Hellenistic Judaism, then turns to justice as the category that defines the bond between God and humanity, reading texts from the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint side by side. A third essay sketches a short literary-historical biography of Yahweh as creator of the world, master of history, guarantor of justice and giver of wisdom.

Running through all three studies is a single argument: the Old Testament's ways of speaking and thinking about God form the ground on which the New Testament speaks of Jesus Christ. A compact, closely reasoned book for students and scholars of biblical theology who value careful philology and the history of religion.