In the Hebrew Bible, silence is much more than the absence of sound. It is an exceptional phenomenon that can presage divine abandonment or conversely God’s mercy and forgiveness. John Kessler’s study traverses the full range of peak human experiences grounded in silence, and careful exegesis of these biblical accounts brings forth their deeper meaning. A fitting climax is a meditation on the silence of the sacred, not only at the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem Temple but as well in the experiences of everyday people, with Sabbath observance a rich example.
~Richard Bautch, Professor of Humanities and Associate Dean of The School of Arts and Humanities, St. Edward's University
Kessler is a perceptive reader of the Hebrew Bible, calling attention to exegetical and literary matters, as well as to theological significance. His comprehensive analysis of the motif of silence in the Hebrew Bible is remarkable. Readers will be surprised by how much is said about silence, how meaningful silence is, and how the biblical text communicates important concepts even through silence. With great confidence and ease, Kessler leads the reader into the depths of this important biblical theme—a pleasure to read.
~Elie Assis, Dean of the Faculty of Jewish Studies, Bar Ilan University
Kessler creatively engages a topic that often mystifies modern readers. He showcases responsible, yet accessible, readings of particular passages as he traces the theme of silence throughout the Hebrew Bible. By providing implications for contemporary theology and life he reveals the relevance of this theological concept and these biblical texts for confessional communities today. A must-read.
~Mark J. Boda, Professor of Old Testament, McMaster Divinity College
Kessler offers an excellent discussion of the concepts, functions, contexts, and ethos of silence in the Hebrew Bible. With exegetical rigor and keen theological discernment, he shows how and why the dialectic between sound and silence, and more specifically the fraught space between the two, is often where our most profound experiences with God are to be found. This is clearly a book written with close attention to our contemporary situation; it invites and rewards serious reflection.
~Samuel E. Balentine, Professor of Old Testament Emeritus, Union Presbyterian Seminary
A thorough and thought-provoking exploration.
~Mark McEntire, Catholic Biblical Quarterly
Written for a general readership which draws on the Bible for contemporary life, this exploration of silence is also valuable to biblical scholars because Kessler’s close reading of texts involving silence offers perceptive exegetical observations and thought-provoking considerations.
~Thomas Renz, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament
Between Hearing and Silence provides carefully organized and analyzed forms of Old Testament silence, including readings of complex silences, like god’s silence in Job. It expands the reader’s point of view beyond the page and into dimensions of space, time, relationships, and politics. For those who have not paid attention to silences, this study will be eye-opening and immerse the reader into the emotional realm of biblical characters. For those interested in the theoretical sophistication of the analysis of silence, the book provides an example of how the multiple dimensions of silence can challenge biblical hermeneutics.
~Brett J. Esaki, Reading Religion
