[First posted February 18, 2014, when we decided on another translation of the TORAH as S6K’s choice.—Admin1]
Welcome to Sinai 6000, Everett Fox [EF]! Good news for all: EF’s translation is downloadable for free as PDF; please go to this link:
THE SCHOCKEN BIBLE toby.weebly.com/uploads/2/7/4/8/2748917/everett_foxxstorah.pdf
I’ve had EF’s translation of THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES for about a decade now; read it when I was still a fanatic Christian though unlike fanatics of that major world religion, I read the “Pentateuch” not for its true worth, but—can you relate to this —just so I can claim I’ve read Moses’.
At that time I regarded it like Christians tend to do—with an attitude of “religious obligation” since it is supposed to be the foundation of New Testament books. Strangely, TORAH is regarded as passé, obsolete, only for the Jews, in fact superseded by the Gospels; “OT” theology was not only distortedly ‘updated’, it was irreverently supplanted by the counter-theology in the Pauline epistles, surprising for a supposed Jewish Rabbi that Paul claimed to be. So who among Christians really bother to go through OT more than once except perhaps professors who have to teach OT in seminaries?
What did I know then? Like most Christians I swallowed Christianity’s ‘Progressive Revelation’ and ‘Replacement Theology’ hook-line-sinker! Like fish out of water, I shriveled up outside of what should have been my Scriptural ‘home’ environment and primary source of Divine Revelation from the beginning of my quest for the One True God. Further on the piscene metaphor, just like fish that don’t get eaten up by fishermen who fish for sport rather than food, I was providentially thrown back to savor and drink from that true biblical ‘water from the Rock’—The Torah.
I praise YHWH Who never gives up on Truth-seekers who never give up on their quest for more light until they are finally led back to His one and only complete original Revelation on Sinai; yes, the same one they and I have read but ignored, to my great loss. But never mind me, I’m forgetting this is about Everett Fox. . . .
As our website habitués know, we’ve used different Hebrew translations of the TNK in this website:
- AST/ArtScroll, JPS/Jewish Publication Society,
- P&H/Pentateuch and Haftorahs;
- and for a year, because it prints the Tetragrammaton Name “YHWH”, we’ve used the HNT/His Name Tanakh by Benmara of hearoyisrael.net; however, it is an unfinished work, still in progress, on its 9.0 version.
Why are we switching now to Everett Fox? Read below and you’ll soon find out. Better yet, get a copy — there is no ebook version on Amazon, just hard copies for sale at different prices. I bought mine from Borders in Santa Rosa, CA. way back in 2003, and am resurrecting it now to become S6K’s official translation but only for the TORAH. We will “Alter”-nate with Robert Alter’s THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES, also with commentary; this is another MUST HAVE for your personal library, Alter’s literary language is ‘par excellence’. The reason we chose Fox over Alter is the NAME — Fox uses it all over while Alter does not.
For the TNK, we will be falling back on AST/JPS, that is, until James D. Tabor and Robert Alter finish their translation-projects on the whole TNK.
NSB@S6K
AKA ‘Admin1′
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For starters:
Widely acclaimed by Bible scholars and theologians of every denomination, Everett Fox’s masterful translation re-creates the echoes, allusions, alliterations, and wordplays of the Hebrew original. Together with its extensive commentary and illuminating notes, this unique translation draws the reader closer to the authentic living voice of the Bible.
Hereunder are sample reviews from amazon.com—please note the statistics on this book; of the 50 reviews, here’s the rating:
5 star 
(43); 4-star (3); 3-star (2); and 2 stars and 1 star (1)
We will feature only the 5 stars, and 1-star.
This review is from: The Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (The Schocken Bible, Volume 1) (Paperback)
Simply The Best Ever, November 16, 2004
Everett Fox’s translation of the Torah is plain and simple the finest translation from Hebrew I have ever seen. None of the other notable English translations, from the JPS Tanakh to the excellent Bloch translation of Song of Songs even comes close to the power and faithfulness of Fox’s Five Books of Moses. He comes as close as is linguistically possible to capturing the rhythm, nuance, and grace of the Hebrew original as is possible in another language. Furthermore, when he knows that pure translation will be insufficient to capture a play on words– how many native English readers even know the Bible is full of plays on words?— he provides transliterations of the relevant Hebrew phrases as well, so the device becomes apparent.
Some have complained that in forcing the English language to follow the patterns of a different grammatical system– to say nothing of worldview– he has twisted even poetic English beyond recognition. But not only is this text highly readable poetry, it reinforces with every word the nearly-always neglected fact that the Tanakh (the “Old Testament”) was not written in English, or Latin, or Greek, and represents a vastly different set of literary (and religious) endeavors than the Christian scriptures. It forcefully gives the reader a much-needed reminder that this is not the book you think it is.
Most translations, in smoothing the text out into English prose and poetry, either sacrifice accuracy (e.g. the King James), or sacrifice the poetry (e.g. the JPS, which contains some of the least poetic poetry I can think of), resulting in an anemic set of verses bearing little resemblance to the wild, vibrant song of the Hebrew original. Fox’s unique word-flow unpacks the dense Hebrew into a torrent of breathtaking imagery (e.g., “At the beginning of God’s creating
of the heavens and the earth,
when the earth was wild and waste,
darkness over the face of Ocean,
rushing-spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters–“).
He retains the proper transliterations of the Hebrew names, for an authentic-sounding “Yitzchak” instead of “Isaac,” “Yaakov” instead of “Jacob,” “Moshe and Aharon” instead of “Moses and Aaron.” Perhaps most importantly, he refuses to translate the Tetragrammaton, and so instead of “the LORD said this” or “the LORD said that,” his text references YHWH (the w instead of the v I expect results from his basing his work on Rosenzweig, who of course used the w because it is pronounced v in German).
My one niggling complaint is his decision regarding the translation of emphatic doubling, so that repetitions like “mot yumat” are translated “he shall die, yes die.” It certainly reflects a doubled verb form, and it is certainly different from the traditional, “shall surely die,” but I am not wild about the sound of it. But that’s a small thing amidst a sea of greatness.
The footnotes and commentary are also very useful, although more so, I think, if you are not a fluent Hebrew speaker familiar with the original text. Nonetheless, I am both, and I still found several highly valuable pieces of information that I did not know, and many more additional comments that presented the text in ways that I had not quite thought of before.
One word of warning: if you are looking for a Torah with the traditional Jewish type of commentary (like Hertz or Hirsch or the Artscroll), this is not it. The commentary is not religious, but literary, linguistic, historical, and cultural. You should still get this translation, just be aware of what it is and is not. Nobody who reads the Bible and speaks English should be without a copy of this. That goes double for anyone who speaks English but not Hebrew.
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Uncomfortable with this version, September 7, 2012 I tried working with it a couple of times before returning. Some of the author’s comments made me uncomfortable with his theology. The translation didn’t line up with ancient Hebrew, so this would not be a work I would feel secure in quoting. Although it will take more effort, I would rather have the ancient Hebrew text and work through the translation. Ancient-Hebrew.org is working on a translation, and I am excitedly awaiting that.
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A new beginning…, June 17, 2003
Schocken Press has undertaken an ambitious project, to retranslate the Bible into modern language capturing the sound and quality of idiom of the original languages as much as possible. The first volume of this project is available in The Five Books of Moses, Shocken Bible: Volume I, translated and with commentary by Everett Fox.
‘Based upon principles developed by Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig, this new English translation restores the poetics of the Hebrew original—the echoes, allusions, alliterations, and word-plays that rhetorically underscore its meaning and are intrinsic to a text meant to be read aloud and heard.’
The underlying premise of most translations of the Bible have been to clarify the meaning of the text. While this is certainly not overlooked here, it can be the case that in the pursuit of textual clarity, the ability to make it audibly intelligible gets lost — a lot of passages from the New Revised Standard Version, for instance, are so precise in construction that they defy oral expression.
Fox says in his Translator’s Preface: ‘I have presented the text in English dress but with a Hebraic voice.’
Careful attention has been given to rhythm and sound. Too many English translations overlook the auditory quality of the words, and while striving to capture the idea of the text, they miss the crucial ‘hearing cues’ that an oral rendering would give the listener. To this end, the text is printed as if it were in blank verse (save where a poetic style was already present and could be carried forward). Proper nouns (the names of persons and places) retain their Hebraic forms; odd, though, that the title of the book is The Five Books of Moses rather than The Five Books of Moshe. Also, a principle of the ‘leading-word’ is employed here.
A good example follows:The New English Bible translated Genesis 32.21-22 as:
for he thought, ‘I will appease him with the present I have sent on ahead, and afterwards, when I come into his presence, he will perhaps receive me kindly.’ So Jacob’s present went on ahead of him…
Here, one would get the idea that the ‘present’ is the key word. But, in Hebrew, it isn’t. Fox’s translation reads thusly:
For he said to himself:
I will wipe (the anger from) his face
with the gift that goes ahead of my face
afterward, when I see his face,
perhaps he will lift up my face!
The gift crossed over ahead of his face…
A very different sense of meaning, cadence, and purpose comes out from this translation.
Fox is heavily indebted to the work of Buber and Rosenzweig (who worked on a German translation similar in character to this English translation) in the early part of this century. Fox dismisses the idea that this is simply an English variant of their German masterpiece, but does acknowledge great inspiration and methodological similarities. ‘Buber and Rosenzweig translated the Bible out of the deep conviction that language has the power to bridge worlds and to redeem human beings. They both, separately and together, fought to restore the power of ancient words and to speak modern ones with wholeness and genuineness.’
Fox begins each of the five books with an essay discussing historical context, textual contents, themes and structures, and other important items. Fox continues a running commentary of the text on pages opposite the Biblical text, and has extensive notes.
This is a work of care and precision, and very useful for Biblical research. Worthwhile for scholars, Bible enthusiasts, and occasional readers, this book is an interesting addition to any collection, and a vital piece for research and exegesis of the Torah.
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Definitive Translation, August 23, 2001 How many people have actually read the bible? While many describe this text as the most important work of western civilization, too many people find it both impenetrable and poorly written. That is not the fault of the actual text; indeed the Hebrew poetry of the bible is among some of the best ever written. The problem lies instead in the translation. Myriad efforts at popular translations have been made, from putting the bible into common English to straight line-by-line English. While these methods render the text more easily read, they also cost it the poetic language and much of its drama.
Everett Fox has solved these problems with a translation that is nothing short of masterful. The language is lucid, the prose poetic, and the story intact. Moreover, Fox is an honest translator, detailing his decisions and pointing out where multiple meaning exist. I have read literally dozens of translations of the bible. In my opinion, this is far and away the best.
Fox’s contribution to the text will surely be remembered and appreciated both now and for decades to come.
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For anyone who’s ever tried reading the Bible and gave up., May 31, 2000
While this is the most authentic and poetic translation of the Torah, the five books of the Bible that Jews hold as sacred but Christians & Muslims see as a lot of rules and stories that served as the basis for their guy, it can be read by anyone.
Everett Fox does an amazing job of capturing the Hebrew syntax and poetry down to repeating words which are repeated in the context and bring more insights than many translations which gloss over the word plays.(like the fact that Moses’ “basket” and Noah’s “ark” is the same word. Or that it is the REED sea not the red sea.)
But the most important part of this book is the fact that it makes the “boring” parts of the Bible exciting and vibrant. You will never badmouth Leviticus, Numbers or Deuteronomy again after you read this translation. Trust me.
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The Five Books Of Moses/ Fox’ Version– Critical Review, June 29, 2005
Until recently, I was unaware of the competing versions of the Bible by Biblical scholars Dr. Robert Alter and Dr. Everett Fox. Both have authored many books and critical essays about the Bible, culminating with parallel academic versions of The Torah (interestingly, they both chose the title, “The Five Books of Moses.”), biography of David’s life (both chose to use 1,2 Samuel) and both offered competing translations of Genesis.
The good news is, is that both men offer surprisingly interesting renditions of these books. I was especially pleased to recently receive Dr. Fox’ version of the Torah after having Dr. Alters for two months. Both books offer slightly different translations along with the running commentary, Dr. Fox’ reserves most of his at the beginning of each book, but what stands out is perhaps cadence. Dr. Fox’ is a bit easier to read. Yes, he does substitute/ replace the English/ Latin names with the original Hebrew names. I also found his line of reasoning an interesting contrast to Dr. Alter– 21st century Talmudic debate!
The soft cover is very durable, but it is heavy to carry. It is also printed in large fonts.If you’re like me, not crazy about the JPS standard version and you want a lively Chumash, I strongly recommend this version. Do I recommend this over Dr. Alter’s? No. It’s like hearing “Our Love is Here To Stay” and loving Sinatra’s version, but also loving Louie Armstrong’s.
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A fine translation that sounds well when read out loud, March 6, 2004
Since I do not read Hebrew or Greek I have to read the scriptures in English and like all readers of translations my views of them are affected by the goals and purposes they took in preparing their translations. I have read many over the years and there are many that are quite good and have different points to recommend them. And their critics are always able to point out their limitations and even some questionable points.
This translation is quite interesting in its approach to capture the pulse, feel, and literary style of the Hebrew in English. I cannot say how effectively it was done, because I can’t read Hebrew. Many others have praised it. I can say that it reads in a very vivid and dramatic way. It has a lively and powerful feel to its language. There are times it does not read as idiomatic English, but you would expect that if it were trying to capture Hebrew, right?
There are also many helps for the reader including introductory essays, helpful footnotes, and a great suggested reading list for further study. The hard cover edition I have is very handsomely printed in easy to read type, fine paper, with some black and white illuminations to start the books. I think this is wonderful addition to the shelves of English translations out there and deserves to be read by anyone interested in getting at a more aural approach to these scriptures. This translation really does sound better being read out lout than it reads for the eye. As I understand things, that is what the translator was after, and he succeeded.
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Original Textual Accuracy, September 20, 2001
Though I am only a second-year student of ancient Hebrew, I can say confidently that the Fox translation is not only accurate to the Hebrew grammar and syntax, but it also consistent with the original literary devices used by Moses.
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Fox’s Five Books of Moses is SUPERB, April 26, 2000 Whether your interest is in the Bible as literature, as inspiration, or as a study in religion — Everett Fox’s translation/commentary is superb. It is like rediscovering the first five books of the Bible. The commentary is especially strong in explaining the literary devices used in the original Hebrew, and the translation does a remarkable job of bringing the literary strengths and techniques into English — with striking results.
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Excellent, August 21, 2007
I used to say that it was pointless to try to study the Bible without Hebrew — that it was impossible to “feel” the text, to get the humor, the irony, the poetry. Not anymore. This is a must for any student of the Bible, as it captures the liveliness and strangeness of the original and expose it as the allusive, alliterative, jabberwocky text that it is. It has been said that for one who is serious about Biblical religion, the Bible is to be read as a love letter, not a thematic novel. One should pick over each word, each letter, and ask, with the obsession of one reading a love letter, “Why did he choose this word? Why a comma here and not a period? What echoes with what?” This gets the non-Hebrew reader much closer to being able to do so Hebrew is best, but this is, finally, a good second choice. It would be perfect if it had Hebrew written alongside – a great way to learn for students. Maybe future editions could be dual-language, as I’d assume that most people who are this hard-core into studying also are Hebrew students.
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A top-notch commentary., January 21, 2007
This is the only Torah Commentary that I have bought thus far. After reading the reviews and finding a great price on the H/C in Amazon Marketplace I bought it. It is hard for me to imagine a better commentary on the Five Books of Moses! I may add more Torah commentaries to my library, but this one will always have a home for my Torah studies. The print is large enough for easy reading. Everett Fox uses the Hebrew names throughout the book. He points out that most English translations convey the idea of the text and translate out the sound. I appreciate the amount of information this commentary provides. An example is the subject of Moshe’s physical appearance in Exodus 34:29. Mr. Fox footnotes an alternative meaning. The footnotes are plentiful and most of all, helpful. The Translator’s Preface is well done and explains the background of this translation. I really like the Introductions to each book. Another feature that I appreciate is the Guide to the Pronunciation of Hebrew Names. This is very helpful if you are like me and know little Hebrew. The Hebraic thought in Torah makes this commentary so much more vibrant than what you would read in a standard English rendition of Torah in most modern Bibles. This book is a refreshing read and I highly recommend it!!
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S6K Admin1: If you’re not convinced and care to read ALL 50 of the reviews, please go to:
Please read the sequel following this post, featuring excerpts from the book, mainly:
- TRANSLATOR’S PREFERENCE and
- ON THE NAME OF GOD AND ITS TRANSLATION
—as explained by author Everett Fox.
