Jacqueline Vayntrub, *Body Language: Voice, Embodiment and Textuality in the Hebrew Bible*. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2026.

Emmylou Grosser, *Unparalleled Poetry: A Cognitive Approach to the Free-Rhythm Verse of the Hebrew Bible*. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023.

For over two and a half centuries, the study of biblical Hebrew poetry has largely been influenced by metrical theories and the concept of parallelism. Although there is a growing agreement that biblical poetry does not adhere to metrical norms, a cohesive understanding of parallelism itself, or the features that classify biblical poetry as 'verse' or 'poetry' in the absence of meter, graphical lineation, and line-ending markers, has not yet been achieved. This monograph argues for the necessity of a new paradigm for biblical poetry, one that separates itself from both parallelism and meter. By employing the Cognitive Poetics framework developed by Reuven Tsur, Emmylou Grosser shifts the conversation regarding the structure of biblical poetry towards the auditory and perceptual experiences of the listener or reader. She contends that the line-units of biblical poetry emerge within the cognitive experience of the audience and offers a comprehensive analysis of the free-rhythm versification system that is intrinsic to biblical poetry. Grosser's cognitive perspective on biblical poetry tackles the extensive variety of lines and poems found in the Bible, shedding light on both the structural elements of biblical poetry and the artistic effects that can be achieved. This book presents a promising new paradigm for those who engage with the Bible, while also opening avenues for new investigations into nonmetrical poetries and the notion of 'parallelism' observed globally.

Alex Jassen, *Violence, Power and Society in the Dead Sea Scrolls*. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2025.

Violence emerges as a pivotal theme within the Dead Sea Scrolls. It captivated the Sectarians who penned these scrolls, viewing themselves as victims of oppression. Their apocalyptic vision was filled with aspirations of retribution against their foes. In this scholarly work, Alex P. Jassen examines the intricate relationship between violence and power as depicted in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the ancient sectarian movement that both created and preserved these texts. By adopting a multidisciplinary approach, he offers profound insights into the origins and significance of violence for those connected to the Dead Sea Scrolls. He demonstrates how they navigated a landscape overshadowed by more powerful Jewish factions and the overwhelming influence of foreign entities. Jassen investigates the complex interplay between violence, power, and social groups, drawing on cross-cultural instances of sectarianism, millennial movements, and marginalized communities, with particular emphasis on New Religious movements such as the Branch Davidians.

Jacqueline Vayntrub, *Body Language: Voice, Embodiment and Textuality in the Hebrew Bible*. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2026.

Performance, transmission, and corporeality were crucial to ancient understandings of textuality. Written text was far more than a mere memory aid; it served as a formidable tool for encapsulating and conveying the essence of embodied vocal presence. In this audacious and perceptive book, Jacqueline Vayntrub elucidates how the core concepts of embodied speechmaking shaped a tradition of aesthetics and interpretation in the Hebrew Bible. For both authors and readers, biblical texts functioned as vessels that preserved voices for future generations, capturing transient moments of performance and transporting audiences to an idealized or stylized past. Through in-depth analyses of various passages and examinations of the social and material dimensions of speech in the ancient Near East, Vayntrub presents a compelling reimagining of the biblical authors’ perspective on literary creation.

Archibald L.H.M. van Wieringen and Sehoon Jang, eds., *The Function of the Reader in the Formation and the Reception of the Book of Isaiah*. Leiden: Brill, 2024.

What new insights from readers were vital for the creation of both the Book of Isaiah and external texts such as the Gospel of Luke? In this meticulously curated volume, a team of esteemed international scholars who specialize in Isaiah explores, for the first time, the intricate roles that readers have in shaping and interpreting the Book of Isaiah. Traditionally, since the rise of exegesis as a critical field, considerable attention has been directed towards the author's impact on the development of biblical texts. However, with the recent progress in literary studies regarding the role of the reader, it becomes crucial to also examine the exegetical question of how readers influence the text. As a text progresses, it inherently reflects a shift in its audience. Therefore, the evolution and reception of the Isaian text can be understood as a result of this continuous transformation.

Lindsey Davidson, *Scribal Culture in Ben Sira*. Leiden: Brill, 2018.

This monograph explores the concept of scribal culture as a lens for analyzing the characteristics of textual referencing in the Book of Ben Sira (c.198-175 BCE), offering fresh perspectives on how Ben Sira crafted his wisdom literature. While the term "scribe" is frequently attributed to Ben Sira, this label brings with it certain interpretive difficulties. By employing comparative analysis, this study situates the sage’s writing style within various historical, literary, and socio-cultural contexts. It illuminates aspects of Ben Sira’s text and the early Jewish practice of textual reuse. Utilizing both physical and material evidence related to reading and writing, this book uncovers the skill and intricacy involved in Ben Sira’s ongoing textual reuse. Consequently, Ben Sira’s work exemplifies outstanding writing that resonates with an appreciative audience.