Let’s talk Bible – Deuterocanonicals

I would be willing to pay for an audio version of the Apocrypha if it exist. Does anyone know if it exists?

 

There are cassette tapes of the New American Bible--including book introductions from the "historical-critical" prespective approved since 1943 by the Roman Catholic Church--available from the Daughters of St Paul and from many Catholic bookstores. These include the deuterocanonical books interspersed through the OT.

I am a great fan of Bible tapes and listen all the time to a collection of tapes of several different translations. I strongly commend this habit to any student of the Bible.

You can also do what I have done with some texts: buy a cheap KJV with apocrypha (the Oxford World Classics paperback is available at Barnes & Noble and Borders--very fat beige paperback with red trim at top of spine) or a cheap copy of any of the following (JB, NJB, NAB, CEV "with", NLT "with", NRSV "with", REB "with", RSV "with"/Catholic edition RSV) and make your own Apocrypha tape in a couple of hours.

 

A cheap way to have audio for the Deuterocanonical texts would be to go to one of the web sites with the text. Then have the computer read it to you, using text-to-speech (TTS) technology that you probably already have on the computer, or that you can install for free from the Microsoft website if you use Windows. With the free versions of TTS, the voices are not very natural sounding, but they are understandable.

 

I just now placed an order for this particular apocrypha because it is only $12.99 + $3 shipping. I searched around the web and found the same book for around $20 - $25, so it's a good deal.

For convenience and pleasure, I would prefer to have an audio version of the apocrypha, but I don't think it exist (yet). Every night when retiring to bed, I listen to the KJV bible on CD and it would be nice to be able to add the apocrypha, but I'll have to settle for reading it until someone markets an audio version of it.

Thanks for the link.

 

Two minor points:

Although Ezra is part of the Hebrew Bible, not all of Ezra is in Hebrew; chunks of it are in Aramaic. There is doubtless a good historical explanation but I don't know what it would be. I love these books BTW because they are so beaurocratic.

The Hebrew Bible as a single volume in translation is convenient but misleading to the extent that it implies that the various books are of equal dignity and weight. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The chumash (five books of Moses) are the actual "bible" containing the Law and describing the covenant between God and the Jews. It is ALWAYS in the form of a scroll. It is read in its entirety in a continuous cycle (one year for most congregations; three years for some Reform congregations) during Shabbat services and the reading is surrounded with an elaborate ritual. Torah readings require a reader, a "gabbai" or general factotum who undresses the scroll, places it on the lectern, and raises it for the congregation to see following the reading as well as various persons who are honored by being "called up" to recite the blessings as each section is read.

The Torah scroll itself is written in a special "Torah script" by a qualified scribe using prescribed ink and parchment. It is written without punctuation or most vowels making reading it a particular challenge for anyone not an Israeli. In preparing a reading (takes me a minimum of three weeks when I'm in practice) use is made of a special book containing a facsimile of the Torah text and a parallel "pointed" text containing vowels, punctuation, and certain notes. Technically, during the reading, the reader is accompanied by a person following a "pointed" text who will prompt or correct where necessary. The congregation also follows a pointed text and can, and often does, shout out corrections. (Thanks a lot guys. )

There are unique chants for Torah readings and special blessings. Certain prayers are recited over the open Torah scroll (a practice I deplore).

None of these things applies to the reading of the haftarah, which is taken from the prophets or the writings. True, certain books, especially Esther, receive special treatment and are written as scrolls but no haftarah receives anything like the ritual and reverence of a Torah reading. There are special blessings, but only before and after the reading. There is no gabbai. There is no ritual of lifting the book (which is usually in "book" form, BTW). The reader's text is "pointed"; indeed, frequently the haftarah is read in translation instead of Hebrew.

The difference in the ritual of the reading is both stark and deliberate.

 

Okay, the book came in the mail and I've begun reading it, but I noticed that the book of Enoch isn't in it. Why not? Is the book of Enoch discredited? I was told that the book of Jude refers to the book of Enoch - and I'd really like to read the book of Enoch as well.

I just finished reading the chapter titled "Bel and the Dragon" and found it to be pretty cheesey.

 

You would be interested to know that the Book of Enoch is to be found in _The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden_.

 

You would be interested to know that the Book of Enoch is to be found in _The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden_.

 

Originally Posted by me again

What you are referring to is Jude 14-15 and 1Enoch 1:9; however,
the book of Enoch is Pseudepigrapha (works that imitate books of the Hebrew Bible) not Apocrypha - It was never included in the Greek Septuagint, Greek Orthodox Canon, Roman Catholic Canon, or Protestant Apocrypha.

(Though from what I have read, the book of Enoch was almost included in the biblical canon.

If you want to read the book, you can find it here

Or there are several different copies you can order from Amazon.com (most are around $11.00). Here is one example

The Book of Enoch

 

Originally Posted by me again

What you are referring to is Jude 14-15 and 1Enoch 1:9; however, the book of Enoch is considered Pseudepigrapha (works that imitate books of the Hebrew Bible) not Apocrypha - It was never included in the Greek Septuagint, Greek Orthodox Canon, Roman Catholic Canon, or Protestant Apocrypha.

The book is said to have been written between 200BC and 200AD and was discredited after the Council of Laodicea in 364. I haven't really studied this, but it appears the big problem is the Book of Enoch's theology is Christian not Jewish/Hebrew.

If you want to read the book, you can find it here

Or there are several different copies you can order from Amazon.com (most are around $11.00). Here is one example: The Book of Enoch

 

Interesting...

Thanks to all for the information and the links.

William

 

Re: Interesting...

I second that. I have learned a lot from all of the responses. Thanks!