Uncovering an ancient foundation myth, and literary tour de force, obscured within the modern Bible.

Embedded within the Bible lies a largely unknown story of the founding of ancient Israel and its religion, interwoven with other ancient tales more than two thousand years ago in the process of creating the Torah. Generations of scholars have painstakingly worked to recreate the “Priestly Source,” also known as “P.” The complete text has not appeared until now on its own in either Hebrew or English.

Beginning with the creation of the world and ending at the edge of the promised land, the Priestly Source offers a distinctive account of the origins of the people of Israel and a unique perspective on their relationship with their god, Yahweh—one in stark contrast to what is found when we read the Bible now. With a translation by Liane Feldman, an authority on the text, The Consuming Fire reveals the mythical foundation for the practice of sacrifice in ancient Israelite and Jewish religion. By presenting this fascinating material on its own, The Consuming Fire offers an opportunity to expand our understanding of ancient traditions and to find something new and beautiful at the source.

About the Author

Liane M. Feldman is Assistant Professor in the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University. She is author of The Story of Sacrifice: Ritual and Narrative in the Priestly Source.

Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Translator’s Note

Introduction

1. Creation and the Flood
2. The Era of the Patriarchs
3. The Descent to Egypt
4. At Mount Sinai
5. Building Yahweh’s Dwelling
6. The Eight-Day Inauguration of Yahweh’s Dwelling Place
7. Leaving Mount Sinai

Appendix: Possible Materials from the Priestly Narrative in the Book of Joshua
Selected Bibliography
About the Author

Reviews

"This standout addition to the World Literature in Translation collection is based in diligent scholarship and provides a readable, modern translation that will be accessible to a broad audience. . . . Rivet[ing]."
— Publishers Weekly

"The Consuming Fire succeeds in offering its readers an exciting and intriguing way to think about the Bible."
— The Reporter

"The translation is outstanding. . . . Feldman notes that her work is only a beginning. Let’s hope that in future she will address this problem with the same acuity, knowledge, and modesty that marks this arresting book."
— Reading Religion

“This book will challenge and delight anyone interested in ancient Israel and the Bible. Thanks to its accessible and engaging introduction and its thoughtful translation, it will also be an essential tool for teaching.”—Annette Yoshiko Reed, author of Jewish-Christianity and the History of Judaism

"Liane Feldman has provided students and scholars with a valuable resource for critically evaluating the Priestly Source. This volume will empower readers to draw their own conclusions."—Yitzhaq Feder, author of Purity and Pollution in the Hebrew Bible

"Feldman makes accessible a work of ancient Israelite literature that has been hiding in plain sight–one of the most important voices from the Bible, now available to everyone in all its literary and theological beauty. This book is a masterful piece of scholarship."—Joel Baden, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Yale University

About the Book

About the Author

Table of Contents

Reviews