For pastors, seminary students, and scholars who find themselves studying the concept of idolatry and/or the Pentateuch, Southeastern prof Tracy McKenzie’s recently released Idolatry in the Pentateuch: An Innertextual Strategy is a helpful and informative read.

Idolatry in the Pentateuch lays the foundation for exploring a significant strategy within the composition of the Pentateuch: In the last days, God will provoke Israel to jealousy by embracing another nation—a Gentile nation!

In the book, McKenzie begins with a concise history of interpretation and the state of Old Testament studies. He addresses both the manner in which the Pentateuch was produced and how theological intentions can be discerned from the its texts. Next, he reads the final shape of the Pentateuch, using a compositional approach to interpretation, while also keeping an eye on the diachronic complexities within its pages. Finally, he analyzes several idolatry-related texts and traces the theological intentions through an inner-textual compositional strategy.