The Catholic Biblical Quarterly

Roy L. Heller's evaluation of Deuteronomy 13 and 18 and the Elijah and Elisha stories in 1–2 Kings explicates a threefold paradigmatic agenda stitched by Deuteronomic prophetic theology. Exegetically, H. explains the distinction between a false and true prophet of Yhwh in Deut 13:1-6 and 18:9-22 by recounting narratives of Kings that affirm that divine intervention rescued confused, weakened, and downtrodden individuals, including Elijah and Elisha. Instructively, H. shows how the encounter of a just and compassionate God transformed the fate, faith, and destiny of a victimized people (Israel). And, theologically, H. observes that the themes of Yhwh exclusivity (the combined effort of Elijah and his appointed successor, Elisha, in the destruction of Baal worship) and divine justice (e.g., the vineyard of Naboth) are Deuteronomic Torah whose teachings may neither be added to nor subtracted from the commanded word of the Lord (Deut 13:1). The layout of this investigative work is not the standard lengthy commentary nor the verse-by-verse variety. Rather, the study is divided into focused narratives on Elijah and Elisha: Hebrew text (nonvocalized) and English translation, and insightful discussion on text, form, and structure. H. examines in detail the translation, meaning, structure, and syntax of the Elijah–Elisha accounts and addresses their relationships primarily to the instructions about false and true prophets in Deut 13:1-6 and 18:15-22. H.'s textual study scrutinizes vocabulary and phrases, time sequences, communication patterns, and movements within the text; this approach complements his textual knowledge and cross-citing of texts. Impressive is his detailed grammatical, syntactic, and semantic analysis of key words, phrases, and clauses. Likewise, his exegetical and theological comments are scholarly and reader friendly. Several Hebrew misprints (pp. 90, 97) are noted and maštîn bĕqîr is translated with the ecclesiastically appropriate "urinate" rather than "piss" on a wall (1 Kgs 14:10, p. 98).

Heller observes that the narratives of Elijah and Elisha portray a dual perspective—the expected Israelite prophetic role model and the unexpected ambiguity. The former parallels acts of other prophetic figures in Israelite history, for example, performing miraculous signs, speaking in the name of God, pronouncing judgments on Israel's enemies as well as on the nation of Israel for its idolatrous worship. The ambiguity is exemplified by Elijah's cowardly running from the threats of Jezebel, his self-pitying complaint to God that he was the only true Israelite left, and Elisha's cursing a group of nĕʿārîm qĕṭānîm ("little children," better, "young persons" inexperienced regarding divine direction [see b. Soṭah 46b]), forty-two of whom are devoured by two she-bears.

In chap. 1 ("Prophecy and Ambiguity"), H. deals with the Deuteronomic view of false and true prophecy, projecting similarity and dissimilarity. Generically, a divine message is transmitted in a dream and the receiver or prophet acts on the message. If the sign or wonder, not necessarily a miracle, comes to pass, it does not necessarily qualify the dreamer of dreams as a valid prophet of God. The prophet who speaks and instructs, shows signs, and demonstrates miracles in the name of other gods (Deut 13:2) whom Israel has not known (see Deut 11:28) is a false prophet. Reason, more than appearance and miracles, is the conviction; loving the Lord your God with all your heart and soul is the commitment; and doing God's commandments without adding or subtracting and hearing God's voice are the [End Page 311] testimony of a true prophet, kô ʾāmār HaŠem. Deuteronomy 18:15-22 speaks of God raising up a prophet in the tradition of Moses whose conviction of divine call must be fulfilled (in the lifetime of the utterance?) irrespective of signs and miracles performed by a declared prophet. Moral authority underscores a true prophet.

In...