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Nahum M. Sarna ז״ל

Brandeis University, Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, Faculty Member

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Nahum M. Sarna (1923–2006) was born in London into a family that was both traditionally observant and Zionist. After receiving an intensive elementary and secondary Jewish education, he attended Jews' College, then part of the University of London, where he earned his B.A. (1944) and M.A. (1946), studying rabbinics, Bible and Semitic languages. From Jews' College Sarna also received a Minister's Diploma (1949), a degree that certified its holders as pulpit ministers rather than legal decisors (posekim). He moved briefly to postwar Israel (1949), but because conditions there were not favorable for serious study, he came to Dropsie College in Philadelphia and completed his Ph.D. (1955) under Cyrus Gordon. While pursuing his studies, and shortly thereafter, Sarna taught at Gratz College in Philadelphia (1951–57). Between 1957 and 1965 Sarna served at the Jewish Theological Seminary as librarian (1957–63) and as associate professor of Bible.In 1965, he moved to Brandeis University where he was soon promoted to Dora Golding Professor, and served in that chair from 1965 to 1985. Between 1966 and 1981 Sarna was a member of the committee that translated the last section of the Jewish Bible (Ketuvim, or Writings) for the Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures of the Jewish Publication Society (1982). Sarna successfully employed both ancient Near Eastern material and the traditional Jewish sources to illuminate the Bible. He also pioneered in "inner biblical interpretation," showing how biblical writers often interpreted and reinterpreted each other. In a very active retirement, Sarna held visiting professorships and initiated and edited the JPS Torah Commentary, for which he wrote the volumes Genesis (1989), and Exodus(1991). Famed as a pedagogue and lecturer, Sarna was highly influential in training many of the current generation of Bible scholars, though he wrote for the intelligent laity as well. As Jeffrey Tigay observed, "No scholar has done as much as Sarna to educate English-speaking Jewry about the Bible," as exemplified in Understanding Genesis (1966), Exploring Exodus (1986) and in Songs of the Heart: An Introduction to the Book of Psalms (1993), and the aforementioned JPS Torah volumes.

Professor Nahum M. Sarna passed away on June 23, 2006.

[This page was first established in 2018, and is curated by Mr. Menachem Butler.]

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About Nahum M. Sarna z"l (1923-2005) by Nahum M. Sarna ז״ל

Alan T. Levenson, “Finding a Jewish Voice: Nahum Sarna and Robert Alter,” in The Making of the Modern Jewish Bible: How Scholars in Germany, Israel, and America Transformed an Ancient Text (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011), 157-180, 227-229

Marc Brettler, “In Memoriam: Nahum M. Sarna (1923-2005),” Shnaton, vol. 16 (2006): 5-8 (Hebrew)

Shalom E. Holtz, “Review of ‘Studies in Biblical Interpretation’, by Nahum M. Sarna,” Jewish Quarterly Review, vol. 93, no. 3-4 (January-April 2003): 623-624

Wolfgang Saxon, “Obituary: Nahum Sarna, 82, a Translator of the Torah,” The New York Times (25 June 2005): A16

Jeffrey H. Tigay, “Foreword,” in Nahum M. Sarna, Studies in Biblical Interpretation (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2000), ix-xx

Marc Brettler and Michael Fishbane, “Editors’ Preface,” in Marc Brettler and Michael Fishbane, eds., Minhah le-Nahum: Biblical and Other Studies Presented to Nahum M. Sarna in Honour of his 70th Birthday (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1993), 9-11

Articles by Nahum M. Sarna ז״ל

Nahum M. Sarna, “Israel in Egypt: The Egyptian Sojourn and the Exodus,” in Hershel Shanks, ed., Ancient Israel; from Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple, second edition (Washington, DC: Biblical Archaeology Society, 2011), 35-57

Nahum M. Sarna, “The Sabbatical Year in the First Temple,” in Yaakov Elman, Ephraim Bezalel Halivni, Zvi Arie Steinfeld, eds., Neti’ot Ledavid: Jubilee Volume for David Weiss Halivni (Jerusalem: Orhot, 2004), 113-117

Nahum M. Sarna, “Rashi the Commentator,” Lexington Theological Quarterly, vol. 34, no. 1 (Spring 1999): 1-11

Nahum M. Sarna, “Joseph: Prelude to Nationhood (Genesis 37-50),” in Ada Feyerick, Cyrus H. Gordon, and Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis: World of Myths and Patriarchs (New York: NYU Press, 1997), 201-237, 244-245

Nahum M. Sarna, “The Patriarchs (Genesis 12-36),” in Ada Feyerick, Cyrus H. Gordon, and Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis: World of Myths and Patriarchs (New York: NYU Press, 1997), 117-165, 242-244

Nahum M. Sarna, “The Mists of Time (Genesis 1-11),” in Ada Feyerick, Cyrus H. Gordon, and Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis: World of Myths and Patriarchs (New York: NYU Press, 1997), 49-81, 240-241

Nahum M. Sarna, “Naboth’s Vineyard Revisited (1 Kings 21),” in Mordechai Cogan, et al., eds., Tehillah le-Moshe: Biblical and Judaic Studies in Honor of Moshe Greenberg (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1997), 119-126

King Ahab's unavailing attempt to acquire the vineyard 1 of a certain "Naboth the Jezreelite" and... more King Ahab's unavailing attempt to acquire the vineyard 1 of a certain "Naboth the Jezreelite" and Q ueen Jezebel's infamous ' &tratagem designed to ensure that her husband realize his desire are narrated at 'length in I Kings 21. This text preserves several noteworthy and perplexing features that have not been fully elucidated.

Nahum M. Sarna, “Parashat Ki Tissa (Exodus 30.11-30.35),” in Stuary Kelman and Joel Lurie Grishaver, eds., Learn Torah With… (Los Angeles: Alef Design Group, 1996), 154-157

Nahum M. Sarna, “Notes on the Use of the Definite Article in the Poetry of Job,” in Michael V. Fox, et al., eds., Text, Temples, and Traditions: A Tribute to Menahem Haran (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1996), 279-284

Nahum M. Sarna, “Variant Scriptural Readings in Liturgical Texts,” in Ziony Zevit, et al., eds., Solving Riddles and Untying Knots: Biblical Epigraphic, and Semitic Studies in Honor of Jonas C. Greenfield (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1995), 203-206

Nahum M. Sarna, “Abraham Ibn Ezra as an Exegete,” in Isadore Twersky and Jay M. Harris, eds., Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra: Studies in the Writings of a Twelfth-Century Jewish Polymath (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1993), 1-27

Nahum M. Sarna, “Songs of the Heart Understanding the Book of Psalms,” Bible Review, vol. 9, no. 4 (August 1993): 32-37,40

Nahum M. Sarna, “Legal Terminology in Psalm 3:8,” in Michael Fishbane and Emanuel Tov, eds., Sha’arei Talmon: Studies in the Bible, Qumran, and the Ancient Near East, Presented to Shemaryahu Talmon (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1992), 175-181

Nahum M. Sarna, “Titles of Psalms,” in Moshe Idel, Moshe Bar-Asher, Yosef Tobi, Harold Fisch, and Nahum M. Sarna, eds., Segulah le-Ariella, Segulla to Ariella: Essays and Belles-Lettres in Memory of Ariella Deem Goldberg (Jerusalem: [n.p.] 1990), 99-112 (Hebrew)

Alan T. Levenson, “Finding a Jewish Voice: Nahum Sarna and Robert Alter,” in The Making of the Modern Jewish Bible: How Scholars in Germany, Israel, and America Transformed an Ancient Text (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011), 157-180, 227-229

Marc Brettler, “In Memoriam: Nahum M. Sarna (1923-2005),” Shnaton, vol. 16 (2006): 5-8 (Hebrew)

Shalom E. Holtz, “Review of ‘Studies in Biblical Interpretation’, by Nahum M. Sarna,” Jewish Quarterly Review, vol. 93, no. 3-4 (January-April 2003): 623-624

Wolfgang Saxon, “Obituary: Nahum Sarna, 82, a Translator of the Torah,” The New York Times (25 June 2005): A16

Jeffrey H. Tigay, “Foreword,” in Nahum M. Sarna, Studies in Biblical Interpretation (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2000), ix-xx

Marc Brettler and Michael Fishbane, “Editors’ Preface,” in Marc Brettler and Michael Fishbane, eds., Minhah le-Nahum: Biblical and Other Studies Presented to Nahum M. Sarna in Honour of his 70th Birthday (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1993), 9-11

Nahum M. Sarna, “Israel in Egypt: The Egyptian Sojourn and the Exodus,” in Hershel Shanks, ed., Ancient Israel; from Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple, second edition (Washington, DC: Biblical Archaeology Society, 2011), 35-57

Nahum M. Sarna, “The Sabbatical Year in the First Temple,” in Yaakov Elman, Ephraim Bezalel Halivni, Zvi Arie Steinfeld, eds., Neti’ot Ledavid: Jubilee Volume for David Weiss Halivni (Jerusalem: Orhot, 2004), 113-117

Nahum M. Sarna, “Rashi the Commentator,” Lexington Theological Quarterly, vol. 34, no. 1 (Spring 1999): 1-11

Nahum M. Sarna, “Joseph: Prelude to Nationhood (Genesis 37-50),” in Ada Feyerick, Cyrus H. Gordon, and Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis: World of Myths and Patriarchs (New York: NYU Press, 1997), 201-237, 244-245

Nahum M. Sarna, “The Patriarchs (Genesis 12-36),” in Ada Feyerick, Cyrus H. Gordon, and Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis: World of Myths and Patriarchs (New York: NYU Press, 1997), 117-165, 242-244

Nahum M. Sarna, “The Mists of Time (Genesis 1-11),” in Ada Feyerick, Cyrus H. Gordon, and Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis: World of Myths and Patriarchs (New York: NYU Press, 1997), 49-81, 240-241

Nahum M. Sarna, “Naboth’s Vineyard Revisited (1 Kings 21),” in Mordechai Cogan, et al., eds., Tehillah le-Moshe: Biblical and Judaic Studies in Honor of Moshe Greenberg (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1997), 119-126

King Ahab's unavailing attempt to acquire the vineyard 1 of a certain "Naboth the Jezreelite" and... more King Ahab's unavailing attempt to acquire the vineyard 1 of a certain "Naboth the Jezreelite" and Q ueen Jezebel's infamous ' &tratagem designed to ensure that her husband realize his desire are narrated at 'length in I Kings 21. This text preserves several noteworthy and perplexing features that have not been fully elucidated.

Nahum M. Sarna, “Parashat Ki Tissa (Exodus 30.11-30.35),” in Stuary Kelman and Joel Lurie Grishaver, eds., Learn Torah With… (Los Angeles: Alef Design Group, 1996), 154-157

Nahum M. Sarna, “Notes on the Use of the Definite Article in the Poetry of Job,” in Michael V. Fox, et al., eds., Text, Temples, and Traditions: A Tribute to Menahem Haran (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1996), 279-284

Nahum M. Sarna, “Variant Scriptural Readings in Liturgical Texts,” in Ziony Zevit, et al., eds., Solving Riddles and Untying Knots: Biblical Epigraphic, and Semitic Studies in Honor of Jonas C. Greenfield (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1995), 203-206

Nahum M. Sarna, “Abraham Ibn Ezra as an Exegete,” in Isadore Twersky and Jay M. Harris, eds., Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra: Studies in the Writings of a Twelfth-Century Jewish Polymath (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1993), 1-27

Nahum M. Sarna, “Songs of the Heart Understanding the Book of Psalms,” Bible Review, vol. 9, no. 4 (August 1993): 32-37,40

Nahum M. Sarna, “Legal Terminology in Psalm 3:8,” in Michael Fishbane and Emanuel Tov, eds., Sha’arei Talmon: Studies in the Bible, Qumran, and the Ancient Near East, Presented to Shemaryahu Talmon (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1992), 175-181

Nahum M. Sarna, “Titles of Psalms,” in Moshe Idel, Moshe Bar-Asher, Yosef Tobi, Harold Fisch, and Nahum M. Sarna, eds., Segulah le-Ariella, Segulla to Ariella: Essays and Belles-Lettres in Memory of Ariella Deem Goldberg (Jerusalem: [n.p.] 1990), 99-112 (Hebrew)

Nahum M. Sarna, “Letter: Interpreting the Bible,” Commentary Magazine, vol. 90, no. 3 (September 1990): 11

Nahum M. Sarna, “Writing a Commentary on the Torah,” (Cincinnati: University of Cincinnati Judaic Studies Program, 1990)

Nahum M. Sarna, “The New JPS Torah Commentary,” Judaica Book News, vol. 20, no. 1 (Fall-Winter 1989): 10-13

Nahum M. Sarna, “Genesis 21:33: A Study in the Development of a Biblical Text and its Rabbinic Transformation,” in Jacob Neusner, et al., eds., From Ancient Israel to Modern Judaism: Intellect in Quest of Understanding: Essays in Honor of Marvin Fox (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989), 69-75

Nahum M. Sarna, “Ancient Libraries and the Ordering of the Biblical Books,” Library of Congress, Center for the Book, 1989), 7-22

Nahum M. Sarna, “Israel in Egypt: The Egyptian Sojourn and the Exodus,” in Hershel Shanks, ed., Ancient Israel: A Short History (Washington, DC: Biblical Archeological Society, 1988), 31-52

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘A Vindication of Judaism: The Polemics of the Hertz Pentateuch’ by Harvey Meirovich,” AJS Review, vol. 26, no. 2 (November 2002): 399-401

The final section of the book discusses how the tripartite division of the Ame ican Jewish religi... more The final section of the book discusses how the tripartite division of the Ame ican Jewish religious community developed. Tracing the ideological and institutio al differences back to Europe, Karp explains how the conferences of the antebell period determined the religious structure of American Jewry. He focuses in on Cleveland Conference of 1855. But this general chapter is followed by a long ess on the Conservative Movement. While the essay is very good, why are there no p allel chapters on Orthodoxy and Reform? The postscript deals with Solom Schindler, the radical Reform rabbi of Temple Israel in Boston, who left Judaism o to return and apologize for the "mistakes I have made" in a guest sermon deliver to his former congregation in March 1911. This, too, is provocative, but does not pr vide the tying together of the various topics that would have been satisfying.

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘God at War: A Study of Power in the Exodus Tradition’, by Thomas B. Dozeman,” Jewish Quarterly Review, vol. 89, no. 1-2 (July-October 1998): 239-240

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘A History of Bible Translation and the North American Connection’, by Harry M. Orlinsky and Robert G. Bratcher,” AJS Review, vol. 20, no. 1 (1995): 169-172

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Students of the Covenant: A History of Jewish Biblical Scholarship in North America’, by S. David Sperling,” The Journal of Religion, vol. 74, no. 1 (January 1994): 120-121

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘I have Built You an Exalted House: Temple Building in the Light of Mesopotamian and Northwest Semitic Writing’, by Victor Hurowitz,” Biblical Archaeology Review, vol. 19, no. 6 (November-December 1993): 10,72

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Max L. Margolis: A Scholar’s Scholar’, by Leonard Greenspoon,” Jewish Quarterly Review, vol. 82, no. 3-4 (January-April 1992): 120-121

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Justice and Righteousness in Israel and the Nations’, by Moshe Weinfeld,” Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 107, no. 1 (January-March 1987): 144-145

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘God Speaks Naturally’, by Nathan Barack,” The Jewish Advocate of Boston (31 May 1984): 17

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘King and Messiah: The Civil and Sacral Legitimation of the Israelite Kings’, by Tryggve N.D. Mettinger,” Israel Exploration Journal, vol. 30, no. 3-4 (1980): 242-243

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Studies in the Early History of Judaism’, by Solomon Zeitlin,” Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 98, no. 3 (July-September 1978): 315-316

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible Supplementary Volume’, ed. Keith R. Crim,” AJS Newsletter, no. 21 (October 1977): 7

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘The Massorah, vols. 1-3’, by Christian David Ginsburg,” AJS Newsletter, no. 18 (September 1976): 22

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘The Targum to Job from Qumran Cave XI’, by Michael Sokoloff,” Israel Exploration Journal, vol. 26, no. 2-3 (1976): 51-53

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Linguistic Evidence in Dating Early Hebrew Poetry’, by D.A. Robertson,” Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. 95, no. 1 (March 1976): 126-129

treated in full as a noun but is also listed under the verb ys' as a hiphil participle; words as ... more treated in full as a noun but is also listed under the verb ys' as a hiphil participle; words as yoseh and meraggel, which also function as nouns, are to be found only unde root. But there is no perfect way of listing; the attempt of Brown-Driver-Briggs to l everything under a root also has its problems.

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, vol. 1’, eds. G.J. Bottwerweck and H. Ringgren,” AJS Newsletter, no. 17 (June 1976): 17,22

Nahum M. Sarna, “Biblical Studies: Some Recent Publications,” AJS Newsletter, no. 14 (June 1975): 12-13

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic’, by Frank Moore Cross,” Interpretation, vol. 29, no. 1 (January 1975): 75-78

The last part of this book is largely concerned with the work of the priestly school. Cross agree... more The last part of this book is largely concerned with the work of the priestly school. Cross agrees with Engnell that there never was a priestly narrative independent of JE. The priestly editor was an exilic tradent who imposed a periodized framework and genealogical outlines on the JE epic tradition. His aim was to reconstruct the events and institutions of the Mosaic age as symbolic of the reality of his day and as paradigmatic for the future restoration.

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Documents of Jewish Sectaries, by Solomon Schechter’, Prolegomenon by J.A. Fitzmayer,” Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 94, no. 4 (October-December 1974): 515-516

Nahum M. Sarna, “Jewish Studies After College: An Exchange,” Response: A Contemporary Jewish Review, vol. 8, no. 1 (Spring 1974): 102-103

Nahum M. Sarna, “Review of ‘Genizah Bible Fragments with Babylonian Massorah and Vocalization’, ed. I. Yelvin,” AJS Newsletter, no. 10 (January 1974): 10

Nahum M. Sarna, “Exodus, Book of,” in Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 2 (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 689-700

Nahum M. Sarna, “Biblical Literature: Hebrew Scriptures,” in Mircea Eliade, ed., The Encyclopedia of Religion, vol. 2 (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1987), 152-173

Nahum M. Sarna, “Hebrew Language, Jewish Study of,” in Joseph R. Strayer, ed., Dictionary of the Middle Ages, vol. 6 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1984), 128-129

Nahum M. Sarna, “Exegesis, Jewish,” in Joseph R. Strayer, ed., Dictionary of the Middle Ages, vol. 4 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1984), 538-542

Nahum M. Sarna, “Psalms,” in Encyclopaedia Mikra’it, vol. 8 (Jerusalem: Bialik, 1982), 437-462 (Hebrew)

Nahum M. Sarna, “Semes,” in Encyclopaedia Mikra’it, vol. 8 (Jerusalem: Bialik, 1982), cols. 182-189 (Hebrew)

Nahum M. Sarna, “Rachel,” in Encyclopedia ha-Ivrit, vol. 30 (Jerusalem: Encyclopedia Publishing, 1978), cols. 980-981 (Hebrew)

Nahum M. Sarna, “Rehab,” in Encyclopaedia Mikra’it, vol. 7 (Jerusalem: Bialik, 1976), cols. 328-329 (Hebrew)

Nahum M. Sarna, “O.T. Canon, Text, and Versions,” in Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 2 (1973), 881-895

Nahum M. Sarna, “Biblical Literature, Section II,” in Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 2 (1973), 881-895

Nahum M. Sarna, “Rebekah,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 13 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), cols. 1601-1602

Nahum M. Sarna, “Psalms,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 13 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), cols. 1303-1322

Nahum M. Sarna, “Patriarchs,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 13 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), cols. 181-183

Nahum M. Sarna, “Othniel,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 12 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), cols. 1520-1521

OSTRYNA (in Jewish sources fipplK), town in Grodno oblast, Belorussian S.S.R. Jews are first ment... more OSTRYNA (in Jewish sources fipplK), town in Grodno oblast, Belorussian S.S.R. Jews are first mentioned in Ostryna some time before 1569 as contractors of customs and taxes. In 1623 the Lithuanian Council (see *Councils of the Lands) placed Ostryna under the jurisdiction of the Grodno community. The number of Jewish poll tax payers in the town and surrounding communities was 436 in 1765. There were 405 Jews in Ostryna in 1847, 1,440 (59% of the total population) in 1897, and 1,067 (67.3%) in 1921. The Jews engaged mainly in trading, forestry, crafts, peddling, and agriculture: in the early 1920s there were 60 Jewish farmers in Ostryna. When the Germans evacuated Ostryna in 1919 the Jewish youth and military veterans established a Jewish police force to guard against peasant attacks. For the sake of Polonization of the region, the government of independent Poland moved Polish clerks, teachers, and settlers into the town. A Jewish self-defense group, which was organized in 1934, acted elfectively against peasants who. incited by Polish students, were attempting to loot Jewish shops. A Jewish savings and loan fund was established in 1912 with 214 members: it was dissolved in World War 1 and later renewed as a cooperative bank which had 168 members in 1921. A Hebrew school, in which the "direct method" (Ivrit be-lvrit) was used to teach Hebrew, was established by the Zionist M. Gornilki. The first coeducational school was founded in 1913. In 1921 the CYSHO (*Ceniral Yiddish School Organization) established a Yiddish school which operated a club to promote cultural activities in the spirit of the *Bund. From the earliest days of the movement Zionists were active in Ostryna. In 1923 they opened a •Tarbut school. There was a Jewish public library in the town. In 1923 a branch of *He-Halutz was organized and in 1928 of He-Halutz ha-Za'ir. An attempt was made to establish a training center ihakhsharahK based on forestry in the area. A training center of *Ha-Shomer ha-Za'ir was established in 1927. Many halutzim from Ostryna emigrated to bre? Israel and some of them settled in kibbutzim. Among Ostryna's rabbis were Jacob Zevi Shapiro, author of Tiferet Ya'akov on the Mishnah; Jacob Tabszunsky, who during World War I gathered a group of students around him: and S. Gerszonowicz. the last rabbi, who was murdered along with his congregation by the Nazis. Harry Austry'n *Wolfson was a native of Ostryna.

Nahum M. Sarna, “Orpah,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 12 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), col. 1477

Nahum M. Sarna, “Nadab,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 12 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), col. 750

Nahum M. Sarna, “Joseph,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 10 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), cols. 202-209

Nahum M. Sarna, “Jochebed,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 10 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), col. 130

Nahum M. Sarna, “Jephthah,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 9 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), cols. 1341-1343

Nahum M. Sarna, “Jael,” in Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 9 (Jerusalem: Keter, 1972), cols. 1247-1248

Nahum M. Sarna, *Studies in Biblical Interpretation* (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 2000)

Ada Feyerick, Cyrus H. Gordon, and Nahum M. Sarna, *Genesis: World of Myths and Patriarchs* (New York: NYU Press, 1996)

Nahum M. Sarna, *On the Book of Psalms: Exploring the Prayers of Ancient Israel* (New York: Schocken Books, 1995)

Nahum M. Sarna, ed., *Olam Hatanakh: Tehillim*, two vols. (Tel Aviv: Dodezon-Itti, 1995; Hebrew)

Nahum M. Sarna, *Songs of the Heart: An Introduction to the Book of Psalms* (New York: Schocken Books, 1993)

Nahum M. Sarna, *The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus* (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1991)

*Segulah le-Ariella, Segulla to Ariella: Essays and Belles-Lettres in Memory of Ariella Deem Goldberg*, eds. Moshe Idel, Moshe Bar-Asher, Yosef Tobi, Harold Fisch, and Nahum M. Sarna (Jerusalem: [n.p.] 1990)

*From Ancient Israel to Modern Judaism: Intellect in Quest of Understanding: Essays in Honor of Marvin Fox*, eds. Jacob Neusner, Ernest S. Frerichs, and Nahum M. Sarna (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989)

Nahum M. Sarna, *The JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis* (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1989)

Nahum M. Sarna, *The Writings* (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1982)

Nahum M. Sarna, *The Book of Job: A New Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text* (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1980)

Nahum M. Sarna, * The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary* (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1973)

Nahum M. Sarna, *Understanding Genesis* (New York: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1966)

Nahum M. Sarna, *The Teaching of the Bible* (Cleveland: Cleveland College of Jewish Studies, 1965)

Nahum M. Sarna, *The Heritage of Biblical Israel* (New York: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1964)

Nahum M. Sarna, *A Syllabus of Biblical History* (Pittsburgh: College of Jewish Studies, 1953)

*Minhah le-Nahum: Biblical and Other Studies Presented to Nahum M. Sarna in Honour of his 70th Birthday*, eds. Marc Brettler and Michael Fishbane (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1993)

Nahum M. Sarna, “Studies in the Language of Job,” (unpublished PhD dissertation, Dropsie College, 1955)