Hebrew Prophets and Sages in Ancient Israel: And their Relevance to Contemporary Dalit Prophets and Sages is a newly published book emerging from the authorship of Prof. Rev. Dr. Kondasingu Jesurathnam. It is a text book and resource guide for the graduate and postgraduate students of theology as well as pastors who would want to study the Bible seriously as the Word of God in relation to the Indian, Christian and Dalit context. At the outset, the book deals with the historical and sociological background of ancient Hebrew Prophets as well as Sages apart from their communication techniques in two different parts. Then the book deals with the relevance of the Hebrew prophets and the sages in the light of Dalit prophets and sages in contemporary India. It is aimed that the readers of this book not only use the materials for academic purpose but also for homiletical purpose. I am convinced that the readers will be inspired, challenged and motivated by reading the content of this book and continue to serve as God's effective servants.

Contents

Preface
Abbreviation

Part-I: An Introduction to the Hebrew Prophetic Thought and Literature of the Old Testament

Chapter 1: General Introduction
Chapter 2: Pre-Monarchic and Monarchic Prophets and their Ministry
Chapter 3: Prophecy in the Eighth Century Bce (Amos, Hosea, Isaiah of Jerusalem & Micah)
Chapter 4: Seventh Century Prophecy (Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum & Habakkuk)
Chapter 5: Prophetic Ministry During the Exilic Period (Ezekiel and Deutero-Isaiah-Chaps. 40-55)
Chapter 6: Prophetic Ministry During the Post-Exilic Period (Trito-Isaiah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi)
Chapter 7: Prophecy in the Ancient West Asia
Chapter 8: Formation of the Prophetic Books
Chapter 9: Exegetical Study on the Selected Texts of Isaiah 40-55
Chapter 10: Prophecy in India
Chapter 11: Hebrew Prophets and Dalit Prophets: A Comparative Analysis

Part-II: An Introduction to Poetic and Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament

Chapter 1: Extent and Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry
Chapter 2: Extent and Characteristics of Hebrew Wisdom
Chapter 3: Poetry in Ancient West Asia
Chapter 4: Wisdom in Ancient West Asia
Chapter 5: Literary Types of Psalms and their Traditions
Chapter 6: Literary Types of Wisdom and their Traditions
Chapter 7: Survery of the Content and Theology in Poetic and Wisdom Books of the Old Testament
Chapter 8: Dalit Sages and their Relevance to the Ancient Hebrew Sages
Chapter 9: Exegetical Study on the Selected Psalms
Chapter 10: General Conclusion

Selected Bibliography
Author Index
Biblical Index

Prof. Rev. Dr. Kondasingu Jesurathnam is currently Friedemann Golka Professor of Old Testament at the United Theological College, Bangalore, South India. He is also an ordained minister of Telugu Baptist Church. He serves as the President of the Society for Biblical Studies in India (SBSI). The current work is an outcome of his sabbatical project where he spent his research time at the University of Muenster, Germany and at the Princeton Theological Seminary at USA. This work is also the product of long time involvement of the author in teaching and reflecting as well as working with Dalit communities on Dalit-Bible interconnection for nearly two decades. Earlier the author has completed his PhD dissertation at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom and the same was published in 2010. The author has also published a Dalit commentary on the book of Jeremiah and general introduction to the Old Testament apart of numerous research articles on Dalit biblical hermeneutics. The current work also follows another research project entitled: Hebrew Prophets and Sages in relation to Dalit Prophets and Sages.