# Wurthwein or Brotzman & Tully?



## Hamalas (Jan 16, 2020)

I'm taking a class (at PRTS) this semester on the text and transmission of the Bible. I have some choice in what to read and for the Old Testament portion, I'm looking at reading either Ernst Wurthwein's _The Text of the Old Testament: an Introduction to the Bilblia Hebraica _or Ellis Brotzman & Eric Tully's _Old Testament Textual Criticism: a Practical Introduction_.

Which would be best to read?

I know Wurthwein is "the classic" but is the scholarship now more dated? My sense (and I could be wrong) is that Wurthwein probably also tends liberal while Brotzman & Tully would trend more evangelical. Being completely honest, this is not an area I expect to do much more reading in, so if I only ever read one good book on Old Testament textual criticism which would be most helpful as a pastor (or is there another option I should consider)? Thanks in advance!


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## RamistThomist (Jan 16, 2020)

I really enjoyed Brotzman.
https://tentsofshem.wordpress.com/2019/02/21/old-testament-textual-criticism-brotzman/


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## iainduguid (Jan 16, 2020)

Wurthwein is a classic; if you read this book, you would presumably read the third, updated edition, which was published in 2014, so not too dated. I'd probably go for Brotzman, though, as it is a bit more accessible. Either will hopefully give you a taste of the challenges of Old Testament textual criticism, which are quite different from the issues that face the NT scholar, and some sympathy for those whose calling it is to translate the Biblical text.

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## Taylor (Jan 16, 2020)

My Hebrew professor in seminary was Eric Tully, so you can only guess which one we used. 

Like Jacob, I did enjoy the Brotzman. It was helpful.


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## Hamalas (Jan 16, 2020)

Brotzman & Tully it is. Thanks gents!


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## greenbaggins (Jan 17, 2020)

While none of us would agree with everything he says, Emanuel Tov's book is actually the standard nowadays, even while the others have not lost their value. I had to read all three, and got good stuff out of all of them, though. All three volumes have been updated within the last ten years.

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