Abraham J. Heschel's "The Prophets" - A Timeless Classic

Mateo Gonzalez: I love how the books explains about the various Prophets.

United States on Mar 20, 2023

Amazon Customer: I am presently studying Hosea, so this book has given me a good interpretation vs that of the Bible. Background history of the subject, is always good to have when you are reading the Bible

United States on Dec 29, 2022

Stephen Wagner: Fantastic and insightful read. Highly recommend for someone wanting a classical perspective of the pre-exilic prophets.

The book is divided into two parts. The first half is composed of chapters which are general commentaries on the individual books of the pre-exilic prophets (Dr. Herschel also covers the second half is Isaiah which he dates as post-exilic). The second half contains chapters of topical discussions probing the prophetic mindset and culminating in a defense of the Hebrew prophetic revelation as an unprecedented and incomparable ancient phenomenon.

Highly recommended for the in-depth Bible reader

United States on Oct 27, 2022

Trooper: A man who writes beautifully and intellectually. His books are a gift to the reader. I am a Catholic lay member of the Dominican Order. We place great emphasis upon scholarship as we seek Truth and Wisdom where ever she is to be discovered. As an avid student of Judaism, Abraham Joshua Heschel has become a major recourse for my studies.

United States on Jun 27, 2022

Alex Kertesz: Great to study this book!

Australia on Feb 16, 2022

Adrian Edwards: Amazing synthesis of history, context, and application of the prophets - both to their time and what it means for us in relationship with God. Big read - well worth it.

United Kingdom on May 09, 2020

Tristan Sherwin: It’s only took me several weeks (and several highlighters), but I’ve finally made it through this gem.

Heschel, though sometimes a little bit all over the place with his thoughts (some parts of this could do with some developmental editing), is never anything short of illuminating.

*The Prophets* is a must read on the biblical prophets; especially with regards to their distinction, and their message’s distinction, within the ancient world.

United Kingdom on Jan 25, 2019

DAV: C'est un chef d'oeuvre. Depuis 40 ans je cherchais un penseur qui pourrait réconcilier l'idée religieuse avec le sens moral, l'universalité de certaines valeurs, voire un engagement politique. Et j'ai lu Heschel!
Pour les prophètes, l'essence de la religion ce n'est pas un rituel ou un autre, mais c'est l'indignation contre l'injustice, l'engagement contre la corruption et les abus de pouvoirs, la lutte contre l'indifférence.
L'engagement d'Heschel dans le mouvement des droits civiques de Martin Luther King en tant qu'acte religieux illustre parfaitement cette tradition prophétique.
Je trouve aberrant que ce livre ne soit pas encore traduit en Francais... Triste signe des temps ou les grenouilles de bénitiers de toutes religion s'aiment de haïr ensemble!

France on Apr 08, 2016

Ruah: The first part of the book was wonderful--and I see why this is a classic in the field that anyone interested in the Prophets- or prophecy itself - would do well to read. He opens up the relationship the prophets had with God and with the people-- a very moving picture of the pathos of God. My only caveat is that in the second half of the book when he is speaking about mysticism, he makes the mistake many activists make. He assumes that all mystics are just interested in their own personal experiences and journey with God. I don't know enough about Jewish mysticism to speak much here- so maybe he is only intending to write about his own tradition - but in Christianity, one of the primary ways mystical experiences are tested for their genuineness is by their fruit. Theresa of Avila-- herself a mystic/reformer/activist/writer - said that if the experiences did not bear the fruit of increased love and service to others then they were not to be trusted. Christian mysticism in never just about the individual- increased love of God and intimacy with God is seen as enhancing love of neighbor. I would be surprised if Jewish mysticism did not also have that caveat- as so much of the...

United States on Jun 21, 2015

Joe Lesinsky: Heschel's fundamental thesis is that the prophets were people whose heart and soul willingly or not resonated with the spirit of Adonai, and reflected a state and purpose which cannot be characterised in any other way or subsumed under any other intellectual tradition. Accordingly, he reflects a faith perspective within the Jewish tradition, for which he gives further justification and testimony in most of his other works, including texts such as  Man Is Not Alone: A Philosophy of Religion  and  God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism . Since some core elements of this book were first published in 1936, when he was in his late 20s, it is clear Heschel's conception of God as having passionate concern with his creation was an early structure of his thought which informed everything he thought and wrote thereafter, offering a bridge to greater faith commitment to those of us brought up on secular assumptions. Apart from what it provides to Jewish people, this work also provides a strand of informed support to those Christians who encounter debates about whether God in his omnipotence cares, in any way resembling that of (some of) his human creation, for the...

United Kingdom on May 23, 2012