A little-known text of Hellenistic Judaism, "4 Baruch" (or "Paraleipomena Jeremiou") reflects the situation in Palestine on the eve of the Bar-Kokhba War by retelling the story of the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people. Neglected for far too long, "4 Baruch" is now made accessible to scholars and students alike through a critical edition of the Greek text, a new English translation, and a substantial commentary on this early Jewish writing of the beginning of the second century C.E. The commentary elaborates its historical and literary setting and provides a theological interpretation of its religious ideas. On the basis of his close and careful reading of the text, Jens Herzer argues for the basic integrity of "4 Baruch" as a genuine Jewish work that was preserved after the war by a Christian group that also added a Christian ending.

About the Author

Jens Herzer, Ph.D. (1993) in Judaic Studies, Humboldt-University Berlin, is Professor of New Testament Exegesis and Theology at the University of Leipzig, Faculty of Theology. He is the author of Die Paralipomena Jeremiae: Studien zu Tradition und Redaktion einer Haggada des fruhen Judentums and Petrus oder Paulus? and Studien uber das Verhaltnis des Ersten Petrusbriefes zur paulinischen Tradition (both from Mohr Siebeck) and of numerous articles on 4 Baruch.

Reviews

'Jens Herzer's introduction, edition, translation, and commentary on the Paralipomena Jeremiou constitute the most thorough and extensive discussion of this text to appear in English for more than a century. This is a first rate contribution to the study of the Pseudepigrapha.'John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament, Yale University'No one is better qualified than Jens Herzer to present this important Jewish work in a new edition and translation with commentary. His earlier work on this text has rightly won wide acclaim in the world of Judaic scholarship. This book will certainly put 4 Baruch squarely on the map again and provides students with the necessary tools for studying this fascinating document.'Pieter W. van der Horst, Utrecht University.