First, a little mea culpa. I am not a "biblical scholar"; I don't read Hebrew (although I can recognize it); I am, however, very interested in the indepth study of ancient writings, including the Bible.

Biblical scholarship is usually very dense and is not quick reading. This book is built on a lot of detailed analysis which, thankfully, gets pulled off into a separate Appendix, although much gets brought into the main book. I really appreciated the indexes, the bibliography, and the fact that there are footnotes (and not endnotes), as well.

Schifferdecker is a beautifully clear and organized writer. Her writing structure allows the reader to delve into the subject at different levels: I was interested in the higher level issues of God's relationship with humanity, and nature in creation (I've always been fascinated with Behemoth and Leviathan, mythological beasts listed among many other real-life creatures in Job). ( )