The Grammar of God

Looking at the Bible from another angle

Kushner has a lot to say about grammar and translation, but she doesn't shy away from her own experience and background and as I would except. Instead of a textbook, academic discussion, Kushner's inclusion of her story brings a life to a discussion of grammar and translation that resonated with me. I am not Jewish and do not speak Hebrew, so having that perspective painted, especially in Genesis, fleshed out my view of the text in a new way for me.

There are times when I felt that her story was distracting from the discussion of grammar and translation. Especially in the chapter titled Memories. I'm glad I stayed with it because her story always tied together in the end.

This book engaged me intellectually and emotionally. This might be a challenging read for people who are not word nerds or interested in biblical translation. A Christian coming into this book expecting a Christian perspective would not find what they are looming for. At the same time, Kushner is always respectful of Christians and shows an interest in understanding how Christians read and understand the Old Testament.