Blessing and Curse in Syro-Palestinian Inscriptions of the Iron Age

The Author: Timothy G. Crawford is Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Bluefield College in Virginia. He received the Ph.D. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the B.A. from Samford University. Dr. Crawford's other academic work includes studies in Aramaic at the Oriental Studies Faculty of Cambridge University, England and excavation at Tel Batash (Timnah), Israel. In addition to articles written for the Mercer Dictionary of the Bible (1990), he is currently involved in projects to produce a new introduction to the Massorah of the Hebrew Bible and a new handbook to the inscriptions of the period and geographical area covered in the current volume.

"This work will enhance previous studies on blessing and curse in the Bible by putting the biblical material in its ancient Near Eastern context. The work establishes some cultural differences in expressing blessing and curse. It is a valuable resource for biblical and ancient Near Eastern specialists and students." (Joel F. Drinkard, Jr., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
"The subject of blessing and curse in the Old Testament has been frequently studied, and scholars have advanced widely differing theories about its meaning and development. Crawford here undertakes the task which should have been done years ago of presenting a full survey of all the relevant data from Hebrew and related inscriptions which date from the period of the Israelite kingdoms." (H.G.M. Williamson, University of Cambridge) "...the study...adds important detail to our understanding of blessings and curses in the ancient Near East." (Bernard F. Batto, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly)
"This study is well done, and it is useful for readers who may wish to know more about how blessing and curse formulae were used in Syro-Palestine in the first half of the first millennium B.C.E." (William H. Shea, Hewbrew Studies)