"The first five books of the Bible are known in the Jewish faith as Torah and to Christians as the Pentateuch. In them is the foundational basis for the Judaeo-Christian faith in God's primary revelation of the Old Testament. These books have always raised the most questions about what God intended, how God speaks to human beings, why Israel was chosen, and the great themes of creation, election, covenant, and salvation." "Roland Murphy, one of the leading biblical scholars in the United States, answers everything you ever wanted to know about these important biblical books. He gives clear, easy-to-understand responses to the questions most frequently asked of a biblical scholar. To read this book is almost to have studied an encyclopedia on the basic biblical education every contemporary Christian should have. It will be ideal for classrooms, study groups, and whoever reads the Bible for spiritual richness."--BOOK JACKET