The Biblical Hero: Portraits in Nobility and Fallibility, Elliott Rabin (Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, 2020)
A trip to the shopping mall or supermarket will easily convince a person that heroes are an important part of our culture—any culture, for that matter. There are miniature Wonder Women, Spidermen, Elsas, and Supermen running around everywhere. Heroes educate us and inspire us, both as a society and as individuals. They offer us hope for a future where good triumphs over evil.
Elliot Rabin, in his book, The Biblical Hero: Portraits in Nobility and Fallibility, examines the lives of seven heroes in the Hebrew Scriptures. These heroes are Moses, Samson, Esther, Abraham, Jacob, David, and God. Most of us have heard the stories of these heroes from our childhood. They have been the subjects of sermons, and the topics of Bible studies and small group discussions. I thought I was well acquainted with them, but I was wrong. Rabin’s book shows them in a new light. He puts flesh on the skeletons we know and provides more details to the stories we have so often heard. When I came to the end and put the book down, I felt like I had become good friends with a group of people I had only bumped into occasionally at church.
Rabin uncovers the strengths and weaknesses of his six human heroes of the Hebrew Scriptures. In retelling their stories, he shows how they educate, inspire, and give us hope for the future. He also unveils the differences between biblical heroes and the heroes of the Greeks, Romans, and Marvel Comics. The lives of these biblical heroes have a message for people of faith. Rabin underscores what we might learn from them.
Rabin’s book is a thorough study of the lives of these men and women. He has done his research. Not only does he tell their stories in greater detail, but he also compares their lives with the heroes of other cultures and literature. He does this in a clear and concise writing style.
I like this book. I think any person of faith and student of Scripture will find a great amount of “solid food” to nurture their faith and motivate them in their lives and service.
I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.