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Tanach: The Stone Edition/Black: The Torah/Prophets/Writings: The Twenty-Four Books of the Bible Newly Translated and Annotated (The Artscroll Ser.))

Tanach: The Stone Edition/Black: The Torah/Prophets/Writings: The Twenty-Four Books of the Bible Newly Translated and Annotated (The Artscroll Ser.))

List Price: $59.99
Your Price: $37.79
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Unfortunately based on the Leningrad codex
Review: According to an Artscroll representative I contacted via email, the text is based on the Leningrad codex (L19), which is not as reliable as the Keter Aram Tzova or Aleppo codex.

The translation is not to my liking: it twists the text. Makes you doubt things you believed before.

For beauty and jewishness, two points

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Very Best
Review: All that has been said by the other reviewers is true; this is indeed a very beautiful volume and a true bargain at the price.

The type face is wonderfully easy to read, the binding nicely embossed and expensive looking and feeling, the comments enlightening, and the charts in the back an unexpected benefit.

This is indeed an Orthodox version of the Tanach, and some Reform Jews may want to consider that the comments and charts will naturally take that position instead of the Reform position.

Unless the slight differences in theological positions are a consideration in such a purchase, there is no question that the Stone Tanach should be your first choice in a personal or a gift Tanach.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: G-d's Word comes to life at the hands of His servants
Review: B"H

Although I personally prefer older translations of Scripture (like Soncino) for their poetic rhythm, all must admit that this is the best translation of Tanach to come out in a long time. What makes this version superior, is that it was translated directly from the original by frum (Orthodox) Rabbis, unlike the new JPS Tanakh or the Everett Fox versions which are NOT KOSHER and written by heretics who do not believe in G-d's word. Baruch HaShem (Thank the L-ORD) we now have a translation of the Bible true to His intent.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best and Standard Jewish Orthodox Translation
Review: Do not be fooled by the concise commentary or seemingly "dynamic equivalent translation". This is a serious reference piece that should propagate any person's shelf, be they Jewish or non-Jewish. The translation breathes new life into Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures), and is derived mostly from Rashi's (Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitchaki - 11th Century Biblical Commentator) commentaries on Tanakh. The Hebrew text itself is the Rabbinic Bible (Mikraot Gedolot, which has its origins in the 1525 printed edition by Daniel Bomberg Publisher). This is a distinctly Jewish text, and as such follows Jewish readings. The fact that the Hebrew is presented alongside (fully punctuated and 'tropped'), with parallel references means that a word can be paralleled easily with the Hebrew. For example: in Gen 1.2, the rhyming couplet tohu v'bohu is rendered by Rashi as "astonishingly empty", a simple reference to a Lexicon or Dictionary indicates what bohu and tohu mean literally. One therefore gets the best of three worlds - an excellent 'true to the text' translation (that is not 'dynamic', but 'formally' equivalent), within the translation, Jewish interpretation of the text, - how it has been traditionally understood, and a concise but very useful commentary.

Due its size and compactness however, the authors were probably unable to provide Rashi's valuable commentary alongside. For this reason, one should keep this as a reference...the Chumash (Torah) published by Artscroll under the same patron "Stone" deserves to be on the shelf...currently Artscroll is publishing the rest of the Tanakh series in a similar manner to the already popular Torah, and have completed Joshua/Judges and Samuel (Yehoshua/Shoftim and Shmuel) under the patron "Rubin". In addition to this Artscroll as a 'tanakh series' whic provides more of an English based commentary, overview and translation of the Tanakh.

In order to really maximise benefit from this Tanakh one should have at least a basic understanding of Hebrew. However, English Speakers will find the text extremely interesting and helpful in understanding the text.

Christian apologists and Missionaries however, will probably scorn this translation, possibly in favour of the outdated King James Version. It must be pointed out here that this the Artscroll is a Jewish text, and will support a Jewish Orthodox outlook and will thus be unsupportive to missionary practices. The reader must always refer back to the Hebrew to support a position where it is provided for in the Artscroll. In fact it is a work of Scholarship, and is a work of Scholarly inquiry...almost all modern translations (specifically the NEB, NRSV, TEV, NJB etc.) that are not particularly Jewish reflects scholarship that only now has come to light in non-Jewish scholarship, that has been reflected in Jewish scholarship centuries before.

As noted above, this Artscroll Stone Tanakh is well worth the buy. In fact, No home should be without it, and in its student size edition, makes an excellent Travel Sefer (Travel Book).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best and Standard Jewish Orthodox Translation
Review: Do not be fooled by the concise commentary or seemingly "dynamic equivalent translation". This is a serious reference piece that should propagate any person's shelf, be they Jewish or non-Jewish. The translation breathes new life into Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures), and is derived mostly from Rashi's (Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitchaki - 11th Century Biblical Commentator) commentaries on Tanakh. The Hebrew text itself is the Rabbinic Bible (Mikraot Gedolot, which has its origins in the 1525 printed edition by Daniel Bomberg Publisher). This is a distinctly Jewish text, and as such follows Jewish readings. The fact that the Hebrew is presented alongside (fully punctuated and 'tropped'), with parallel references means that a word can be paralleled easily with the Hebrew. For example: in Gen 1.2, the rhyming couplet tohu v'bohu is rendered by Rashi as "astonishingly empty", a simple reference to a Lexicon or Dictionary indicates what bohu and tohu mean literally. One therefore gets the best of three worlds - an excellent 'true to the text' translation (that is not 'dynamic', but 'formally' equivalent), within the translation, Jewish interpretation of the text, - how it has been traditionally understood, and a concise but very useful commentary.

Due its size and compactness however, the authors were probably unable to provide Rashi's valuable commentary alongside. For this reason, one should keep this as a reference...the Chumash (Torah) published by Artscroll under the same patron "Stone" deserves to be on the shelf...currently Artscroll is publishing the rest of the Tanakh series in a similar manner to the already popular Torah, and have completed Joshua/Judges and Samuel (Yehoshua/Shoftim and Shmuel) under the patron "Rubin". In addition to this Artscroll as a 'tanakh series' whic provides more of an English based commentary, overview and translation of the Tanakh.

In order to really maximise benefit from this Tanakh one should have at least a basic understanding of Hebrew. However, English Speakers will find the text extremely interesting and helpful in understanding the text.

Christian apologists and Missionaries however, will probably scorn this translation, possibly in favour of the outdated King James Version. It must be pointed out here that this the Artscroll is a Jewish text, and will support a Jewish Orthodox outlook and will thus be unsupportive to missionary practices. The reader must always refer back to the Hebrew to support a position where it is provided for in the Artscroll. In fact it is a work of Scholarship, and is a work of Scholarly inquiry...almost all modern translations (specifically the NEB, NRSV, TEV, NJB etc.) that are not particularly Jewish reflects scholarship that only now has come to light in non-Jewish scholarship, that has been reflected in Jewish scholarship centuries before.

As noted above, this Artscroll Stone Tanakh is well worth the buy. In fact, No home should be without it, and in its student size edition, makes an excellent Travel Sefer (Travel Book).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: God and his kingdom; can it get any better?
Review: How many books are truly non-fiction? Can one guarantee that all items in a given book are true? Well, I can unequivocally declare that this work, being a compilation of His word and the word of some of the holiest people to ever grace mankind's presence, is perfect. Artscroll has done a wonderful job in bringing together different commentaries from throughout the ages, from the biblical age to the computer age. The font is easy on the eyes, as it is with most of Artscroll's publications. And to match the beauty of God's word found in the Artscroll Tanach is a handsomely designed cover. If you are searching for that something that is missing in your life, buy this work. If you think that your life is complete and are not searching for anything, buy this book. After you buy this Tanach, you will not only be thanking me, but even more importantly, you will be thanking God. Have a terrific day!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: GREAT!
Review: I actually have the student sized edition of the same title.Anyhow this one is a more regular sized edition, whereas the student one is smaller, for a more 'personal fit' or perhaps for ease of comfort when carrying it around on trips or whatever.

This version of Tanach is extraordinary! I really like this one. The original Hebrew is on the right side of the two pages (when you open the book) and the Artscroll translation is on the left. There are footnotes and commentary on the bottom parts of the pages to help the reader understand and study the Bible in more depth. Also there are several appendixes/appendices at the end of the book, as well as introductions to each book or section of the Bible that also aid in studying the Bible.

Also, this Artscroll translation is really excellent. For e.g., in Genesis 22 the Akeidah, or the binding of Isaac, the testing of Abraham, Hashem says, "Please take your son, your only one, whom you love..." which actually is more correct because the Hebrew specifies that Hashem gives Abraham a choice, out of love for him, "please" and not "Take your son..." as in the more traditional English renderings in other versions.

I also recommend you purchase the Living Torah by Aryeh Kaplan, the Five Books of Moses by Everett Fox, and the Torah Anthology (a multi volume set which is very expensive but very worth the cost).

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Nice, Beautiful, Sturdy, edition of the Tanakh.
Review: In addition to the beautiful page layout, this edition of the tanakh (a.k.a. old testament) contains the Hebrew text on the right hand page and the English translation on the facing, left hand page. Each page also includes brief commentaries by Jewish commentators such as Rashi on selected verses. As a believer in Y'shua as Hamaschiach (the messiah) I found it interesting to find how differently some of the key messianic passages were conveniently rendered to fit the non-messianic Jewish perspective. For example, in Zechariah 12:10, the phrase most often found in the King James version of the Bible, "they shall look upon me whom they have pierced. . ." is rendered in this version as "and they shall look upom me about those they have stabbed." This is not saying the same thing!!! This edition of the Tanakh has mistranslated this verse. The Hebrew phrase "et asher" is supposed to be translated as "whom they have pierced" not as "about those they have slain" or "concerning whom they pierced." Such a word twist changes the meaning of the verse completely by saying that the Jewish people will look to God about a third party who was slain in an end time battle, according to the context of Zechariah 12:10. The Hebrew word "et" is an untranslatable portion while "asher" means "whom." Sounds like a case of rabbinic revisionism based upon theology! The King James version is correct. This just goes to show how careful that we have to be, and even the writers of the Talmud, all agreed that at one time, Zechariah 12:10 was a messianic passage referring to the coming of the messiah! But not anymore! All in all, this is a great reference volume!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Tanach Review
Review: It is the best translation in English. It grasps the the depth of what HaShem has given His people, and provides the thought behind the Hebrew.

It is a well presented Tanach, the typeface is easy to read.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Very nice, with interesting commentary
Review: My main purpose in purchasing this volume was to have the Hebrew text as an incentive to continue studying Hebrew. I was brought up as a Christian to love and respect the Hebrew Bible.
It has been fascinating to read the English translation. It is slighly easier to read than the NKJV, although not quite as fluid as the NIV. I am not commenting on the accuracy of these other translations, as most people reading this will already have their own opinions about that.
The greatest thing about this edition is the Jewish perspective: The introduction is beautifully written and very sensitive. The comments, while not overwhelming in quantity, convey the essence of Jewish thought over the centuries and certainly put many passages in perspective.
I recommend this volume to anyone, Jewish or not, who wants a high quality, readable, well presented Jewish Bible. In particular, I recommend it to other Christians who realise the importance of the Tanach and want to get a slightly different perspective.


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