James K. HoffmeierAnmeldelser

This book is mostly an explanation on what being an "alien" meant in the days of the Bible; the differences between being a legal/resident alien and being a "foreigner", or illegal immigrant, are discussed.

I wrongly assumed it would focus on applying those Biblical principles to the current immigration "crisis", as alluded to in the title. It did certainly touch on this, and the final chapter sums it all up and applies it to our current situation, but that wasn't the bulk of the book.

The text was somewhat repetitive, and unfortunately, it was rather dry reading (think history textbook). That said, I agreed with most of Hoffmeier's positions, and do think it could be helpful for those wanting to know what the Bible says about immigration. As a supplemental text to a more thorough history book, or especially the Bible, it would add lots of insight.

A quote that pretty well sums up the author's position:

"The Bible clearly distinguishes between the status of a legal alien (Hebrew 'ger') and a foreigner (Hebrew 'nekhar' and 'zar'), and one consequence of this is that there really is a difference between the legal standing of a present-day documented alien and an illegal immigrant. Therefore it is legally and morally acceptable for a government to deal with those in the country illegally according to the nation's provisions. The Christian insists, however, that they be dealt with in a humane manner. Expatriation (as Abraham experienced) in itself is not inhumane, but it must not be done in a heartless manner." (p.157)

How have the societies and events of the past affected the shape of the world as we know it today? How can we use archaeological data to help us understand the peoples and culture of the Ancient Near East? Can archaeological studies help us to understand the Bible, and if so, how? These are just some of the questions discussed in this fascinating journey around the archaeological remains of the Ancient Near East. James K. Hoffmeier provides the reader with a review of Bible history and examines the role of archaeology in understanding the Biblical text. Beginning with Genesis, this intriguing survey follows the Bible narrative right through to the early churches of Revelation.�The book is divided into three sections—two of which cover the Old Testament and one to the New Testament—and is interspersed with stories from the author's own experience as an archaeologist, which bring the thrill of archaeological discovery vividly to life. Beautifully illustrated with photographs, charts, maps, diagrams, and illustrations of sites, this striking overview is for anyone interested in learning  more about the societies and events of the Ancient Near East and how they affect our understanding of the Bible.

A much clearer and even-handed handling of the biblical text as it relates to issues of immigration than the last book I read. Hoffmeier relates that an alien in Israel (gur) was one who was very similar to a legal immigrant in today's America, not an illegal one. The one hiccup came at the end, when Hoffmeier used the word "should" in relating how to apply OT provisions concerning legal aliens instead of "could." Granted, for a government or individuals to claim biblical standing for their decisions, they "should" follow biblical examples. Hoffmeier takes great exception with individuals/churches who claim "God's love" for people, but then fail to apply clear mandates from Scripture for their actions. Well worth reading for anyone who is wrestling with the issues of immigration from a biblical perspective.

A much clearer and even-handed handling of the biblical text as it relates to issues of immigration than the last book I read. Hoffmeier relates that an alien in Israel (gur) was one who was very similar to a legal immigrant in today's America, not an illegal one. The one hiccup came at the end, when Hoffmeier used the word "should" in relating how to apply OT provisions concerning legal aliens instead of "could." Granted, for a government or individuals to claim biblical standing for their decisions, they "should" follow biblical examples. Hoffmeier takes great exception with individuals/churches who claim "God's love" for people, but then fail to apply clear mandates from Scripture for their actions. Well worth reading for anyone who is wrestling with the issues of immigration from a biblical perspective.

Of the modern political controversies, the question surrounding illegal immigration is the one that causes me the most self-doubt. I have long held that contempt of law should never be rewarded and that amnesty is not the proper response. However, in the last few years, God has taught me to love justice. My compassion for the immigrant wars with the clear sense of right and wrong concerning the law. So, a while back (read a year and a half) I elected to receive an early review galley copy of a book on the subject. I shamefully have just gotten around to reading it.

The book is written by an Old Testament scholar at Trinity International University and attempts to collect the biblical evidence that might be applied to the issue of illegal immigration in an easy to ready format. I generally appreciate the books narrative structure, essentially tracing the story of Israel from Abraham to the Exile and then jumping to Jesus before concluding. Unfortunately, this narrative approach does not pay the dividends one might expect. Hoffmeier’s book contains lengthy paraphrasing of biblical stories set off by inordinately long block quotes of biblical text. He largely fails to actually make an argument when he works through this material instead choosing to leave his points only loosely connected to the present discussion.

Hoffmeier also makes several interpretive arguments that are more assertions than arguments. For example, he attempts to align certain Hebrew words with legal resident and non-legal resident arguing that the text makes an important distinction between them. This might be the case, but Hoffmeier offers no philological evidence to back up his claim with the exception of noting that the LXX uses proselytos indicating a religious understanding of the term for some. He does provide footnotes for this material, but he does not incorporate the arguments apparently given by the texts he cites. More troubling is Hoffmeier’s tendency to seamlessly weave together archeological material with the text of the Old Testament to make his arguments. Much of the information he provides is interesting but ultimately irrelevant, and awkwardly pins the text to the archeological material treating them as if they are the same sort of thing.

Hoffmeier’s consideration of the New Testament is extremely terse, and one wonders at the wisdom of spending six chapters on the Old Testament and rushing through the New Testament material. His points are generally fine, his argument based on Romans 13 is largely agreeable, but he makes awkward material choices. He spends a long time arguing that the “least of these” in Matthew 25 should only apply to Christians or disciples of Jesus , leaving us to infer that this means that the text cannot apply to illegal immigrants. Then, in the next chapter, he points out that the vast majority of illegal immigrants are Christians. I was left scratching my head at his logical inconsistency.

Ultimately, I largely agree with Hoffmeier’s conclusions, but I cannot help but say that he has done a poor job arguing them. Perhaps the great shortcomings of the book should be attributed to its obvious orientation to lay readers, but the book fails if it is read as a primer for ethical reflection on the issue of illegal immigration. If you want an easy to read book that will discuss some of the issues in a lay-friendly manner and do not mind its hasty conclusions, then this book would at least make a decent starting point. If you are hoping for substantive exegesis and ethical argumentation, look elsewhere.½

The Immigration Crisis thoughtfully analyzes the ethical dilemma of illegal immigration and what the Christian response should be through a study of the Old and New Testaments. After a brief introduction to the moral and legal complexities involving the practices of "sanctuary" and amnesty toward illegal immigrants, Hoffmeier presents readers with various hermeneutical options in the application of biblical laws for today. He maintains that having a biblical worldview is the best way to evaluate contemporary problems; thus, the author spends the majority of the book exploring all the cases in the Bible that pertain to immigration and the treatment of immigrants.

While readers can get lost in the lexical discussion of words such as alien, foreigner, sojourner, and resident, it is helpful to know how the Law views each of these people. This sets the tone for the rest of the book by establishing the difference between aliens (permanent residents, sojourners or legal immigrants) and foreigners (travellers, invading enemies or illegal immigrants), indicating that illegal immigrants are not to be treated the same as legal immigrants, which is a logical argument. Furthermore, Hoffmeier effectively demonstrates how the practice of "sanctuary" as carried out today has no biblical basis after an examination of the parameters surrounding the cities of refuge in Israel.

However, after spending much time in the Old Testament, it is unfortunate that the last two chapters about the Christian perspective are so short in comparison. The author does explain why the New Testament is largely silent on how we are to regard aliens and foreigners but the reader is left wanting more analysis and clarification on the immigration crisis specifically and not just on general legal matters. This book offers the perspective that Christians are to treat others with God’s justice, yet it does not fully develop the concept of how Christians are to extend this justice and mercy to illegal immigrants, other than to ask these people to apply for immigration status legally. This teaching may be an ideal principle but it still does not address the practicalities that face countless suffering immigrants on a daily basis.½

It has been almost a year now since one of the most high profile elections of recent history. With all the news in recent months about the economy and the debates over climate change, we forget that eleven months ago one of the hottest topics in the news was immigration reform. Many of us Midwesterners may have moved on to other debates, but I imagine that for many of our fellow Americans to the south immigration is still a daily concern.

Concerned citizens have listened to the arguments from both the conservative and liberal points of view. But how should we who hold to a Biblical worldview look at this debate? Dr. James K. Hoffmeier, professor of Old Testament and Near Eastern archaeology at Trinity International University has recently added an under-represented perspective in his book The Immigration Crisis: Immigrants, Aliens, and the Bible.

In this very helpful book Hoffmeier surveys the practices of Ancient Near Eastern peoples as well as relevant Old Testament texts as a guide to how 'immigration' was handled in those days. One of the themes that recurs throughout Hoffmeier's discussion is the distinction that is made between legal and illegal immigrants in the Bible. The laws and traditions of the Ancient Israelites and their neighbors reveal that immigration was as a complex issue then as it remains to be today.

Not only does Hoffmeier offer a comprehensive overview from both ancient texts and archaeology, he also presents his conclusions with great wisdom in how they might be applied today. Obviously nations such as our own would be unwise to adopt every law and practice of these ancient theocratic systems. Yet it is hard not to see how adopting some of these principles might move this country forward in finding a solution for the current crisis.

Pick up a copy of The Immigration Crisis at your local Christian bookstore or order it from your favorite online retailer.

While Hoffmeier clearly looks closely at the Biblical issue of the alien and applies it to the current immigration crisis in a thoughtful way, I found myself pretty disappointed by this book.

While his archaeological and exegetical work were sound, I was disappointed by Hoffmeier's hermeneutic, with how he interpreted the Biblical material to today's crisis. I found his book way too short, and not really dealing with the complexities of the issue.

Christine Pohl's book Making Room, though not directly about immigration, is, I think, a much better text for approaching this issue from a theological perspective.

Hoffmeier carefully treads were few have ventured. Dr Hoffmeier has provided the careful exegetical basis for an informed decision on the Immigration crisis that is seen in the United States and mirrored, though in various forms, in most nations in the world. He is not afraid to challenge, graciously, the apparent non-biblical positions that pervade the current dialog on the matter.
Hoffmeier use of ancient texts, maps, archaeological and anthropological data, in support of his biblical exegesis, makes this work not only useful, but an enjoyable trek through time.
I commend this work to anyone who has engaged in the debate over a biblical approach to contemporary immigration policies and to those who are in positions to teach a biblical viewpoint.

Excellent work, enjoyable read!!

This book is a very nicely presented introduction to biblical archaeology (and very well priced). In less than 200 pages, with many full-colour photographs and a number of maps, the author surveys the archaeology relevant to both Old and New Testament.

Hoffmeier is at pains to be show that archaeology does not so much "prove" the Bible as "improve" our understanding of its background. He treats both the discoveries and the scriptures with great respect and writes clearly to give any interested reader a good introduction to the current state of play (the book was published in 2008 by Lion). He is realistic about the gaps in our archaeological understanding and discusses points at which archaeologists disagree.

I'm no expert on archaeology, and so I found much here that is new to me and helpful to know - any Bible reader would gain from this book.

I have long appreciated James Hoffmeier's work. During an archaeology class I took in college, his book Israel in Eqypt was an invaluable counterweight to the prevailing scholarly wisdom regarding the Exodus.

That said, The Immigration Crisis is something of a disappoint. It attempts a biblical theology of the issues of immigration and aliens that then would, presumably from the title, be applied to America's immigration crisis. Chapter after chapter, however, seems underdeveloped, particularly in light of the complexity of the issue. The application, what one assumes from the title is the motivation behind the book, spans a mere eight pages, is fairly generic, and leaves aside some of the most painfully contentious issues.

The greatest contribution of the book is that Hoffmeier has done a tremendous job of culling the Bible for what it has to say about aliens and how they should be treated. It's left to another author or perhaps a second edition to apply the Bible's principles to some of the more difficult questions in the immigration debate.

To preface this review I want to note that I came to this book not necessarily as a fan of Hoffmeier's work(in fact I've read nothing else of his and was not really familiar with him), but rather for the subject matter which seemed to imply application of the Bible's teachings towards this modern dilemma/issue/controversy/etc. This was a book that I received as an early review copy from Crossway Books as part of librarything.com's Early Reviewers books. While I certainly entered with my opinion fairly established on the topic, I was not even sure of what stance Hoffmeier took, and so approached it with an openness to hear someone take a fairly definitive stance largely because of their interpretation of Scripture(and if they disagreed, I was ready to dialogue with the information and not simply write it off).

All that said, however, I believe what Hoffmeier has actually done here is research any and all references to immigration/aliens in the Bible and directly apply them to today's standards without giving proper consideration to what the issue really is today. Although we are meant to feel as if we have an impartial author on this issue because he is an immigrant himself and has many relations with immigrants, there is not much given to personalize the plight of the immigrant. Instead we are given all these references to legal immigrants(ger) and the rights they claimed and are told that these same standards should be applied today. I think most people would agree that any legal immigrant/citizen of a country is entitled to certain rights, so this seemed like an unnecessary point that distracted from what is really the contentious issue.

We are left at the end of the book with an extremely short chapter which seeks to wrap up the research and provide an answer for today, but instead we seem to be left with a cold, impersonal response that all are supposed to acquiesce to the laws of the governing nations. It really is a disservice to all the work of the rest of the book to bring everything to this synopsis which seems so undeveloped. Much could be gained from understanding immigrants more and really seeking to understand what is meant by Romans 13 rather than simply taking it at face value. I may still not have agreed with the interpretation, but it really deserves to be a much longer book that really digs deeper into this issue. It feels like we just got half of what the book's title implies, so I hope for the sake of expanding this conversation he will go further with this topic to provide a strong support for his stance. As Christians we all need to welcome dialogue and see outside of ourselves, but we need to be ready to give a clear explanation.½

In "The Immigration Crisis" Professor Hoffmeier has written an extremely useful introduction to a Biblical approach to the hottest political/ethical issue in our country today. As a Christian layman I found this book informative on a issue I had not studied myself. The book is short (163 pages) probably because the author approaches the subject without adding a bunch of weepy- eyed illustrations. As a grandfather of six, five of which have an illegal alien father, I approved of this direct approach to the issue. I also appreciated the fact the author did not provide a quick and easy fix. The book attempts to establish a Biblical worldview of immigration which churches and individuals can apply to immigrants and the related governmental policies.
Even after finishing the book 3 weeks ago four points made by the author still are running around in my mind. First the translation of the Hebrew word "ger" as "legal resident alien" or "legal sojourner" is key to understanding how ancient Middle Eastern government handled immigration. Perhaps the most interest fact established by looking at the book of Genesis is that every nation controlled of its borders thus controlling who entered their nation. The summary at the end of Chapter 2 (p. 59) lists several other principals of immigrant control seen in the book of Genesis.
The second idea still bouncing around in my head is that the laws of Israel dealing with the "ger" were in direct contrast to Israel's treatment during its time in Egypt. Israel cruel treatment while in Egypt leads to laws that allow the "legal resident alien" to have remarkable equality with the citizens of the nation. This included laws preventing the economic exploitation of the legal alien.
The misuse of the scripture by proponents of the Sanctuary City movement is the third thought. The sanctuary city was designed by God to insure that everyone would receive a fair trail, in the case of accident murder (manslaughter). The avoidance of the law (immigration law from our viewpoint) was never the purpose of the sanctuary city as some use the phrase today.
The fourth idea is that the New Testament is remarkably silent on the treatment of the immigrant. In the New Testament the Christian is the alien with citizenship in a spiritual kingdom. While obedience to the earthly government's laws is part of a Christian walk before the world. This obedience to laws that are not contrary to God's word should be considered when a Christian deals with all people, not just the illegal alien.
This book is the first I have read on the immigration issue and I found it spiritually rewarding. I am looking forward to further study on the issue. The principal of relying on God's word to walk in this world has been reinforced by Professor Hoffmeier's book, which is probably what he had in mind when he wrote it.

I am currently reading through this book and plan to post a reviw soon. In the review, I plan to compare it with another recent book on immigration and religion. More to come.

This book provides a biblical/historical view of immigration. It is clear throughout the book that the author is scholarly and thorough in his approach. The book offers a very thorough assessment of immigration issues throughout the bible, including an understanding of the relevant hebrew words and traditions.

One complaint I had about the book (and the reason for 4 stars rather than 5) is that the book was either poorly named or fell short at addressing the topic. The author seems handy with the current issue of what Christians are to think about immigrants to America, both legal and illegal, and while he seems to introduce the text (via title and introduction) to address this issue, the book barely enters the discussion. Rather it is an academic survey of biblical immigration (some historical, some theological). And while the implications of the theology therein may relate to the discussion of the "crisis of immigration" in America today, the author only briefly makes a few arguments to the point. Therefore, I believe the book may be more aptly titled "A Biblical, Historical and Theological View of Immigration" or, the content of the book should have dealt more thoroughly with "The Immigration Crisis" at hand.
Bottom line: a well written book by an authority on the subject, though perhaps deceptive with its title.

The introduction shows why the author has some interest and authority in the topic of immigration. Then the author establishes the foundation for the issues. Next he shows how resident aliens and foreigners are differentiated and treated in the Old Testament history and law. He also provides suggestions and conclusions about how these factors should guide our thinking about immigration issues.

I found the book very interesting. The distinction between resident aliens and foreigners was helpful, as was the description of the many benefits afforded resident aliens in Israel. I have recently read the Pentateuch but was surprised to see how often the aliens were included in the laws, including social benefits like gleaning and receiving part of the tithe, as well as participating in the feasts and offerings. He discusses Matthew 25:31-46 so well that it caused me to go reread it and rethink how I have applied it. I also agree with his discussion on the practice of sanctuary.

I recommend the book as a study of the topic and how it addresses the treatment of legal immigrants and gives some good thought toward how we should treat the concept and the reality of illegal immigrants.

I liked this book. Now considering it is really more of a Biblical study than an indepth analysis of the issue of immigration, that is saying something. No one can accuse Hoffmeier of not being thorough in his examination of the texts. I was really impressed at how he laid out his assumptions regarding the text and carried that throughout the whole book. He has some good critiques of the ways that social justice advocates treat the texts of scripture, and while he deconstructs their proof texting he does not trash their projects - rather he simply points out where their projects extend beyond the reasonable application of the texts. I think this is a very healthy approach to the issue.

My opening statement about the focus of this text, as a biblical study, does not mean that Hoffmeier fails to tackle the issue of immigration. In fact the opening chapters show an intimate connection to the issue as well as outlining what is at stake. His discussion of illegal versus legal aliens is worth pondering. But even more attention should be paid to his discussions of how we treat the aliens in our midst. I wish he had spent more time on his treatment of Christians as aliens. But still this book is a solid work and a very worthwhile read.

In a time of rapid demographic changes caused by rampant illegal immigration and laxly enforced immigration policies, as well as escalating political infighting on such issues which have further clouded the situation, it is with great joy that someone gets back to the basics of the conversation. What are the basics you ask, well the bible for one. Inside this outstanding book you will discover that the bible has a great deal to say about what an alien (legal), and a foreigner (illegal) are and how they are to be treated. You will discover what the true "sanctuary city" is and why the modern model is a farce, as well as learn what the true purpose of such an institution was. You will, once finishing the book, have a clearer understanding of what is required by God of you towards aliens and foreigners and how countries have a right to protect themselves from unwanted intrusions from outside. I was happy to see that my own thoughts on the matter at hand have been vindicated in this book and hope that those who are on the fence about the subject will have their minds opened up to the truth. Immigration reform will only begin when people are rightly informed about what God intended for them to know and do. Only then can the people of God make the difference by influencing the law to make it closer to God's law thereby settling the argument for good.

This book is a comprehensive look at the current immigration debate from a biblical perspective. Its aim is to give Christians an understanding of their role both as citizens of the U.S. and as citizens of heaven. I highly recommend this book for a well thought out position on the current "crisis".

NO OF PAGES: 244 SUB CAT I: Exodus, The SUB CAT II: SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: Scholars of the Hebrew Bible have in the last decade begun to question the historical accuracy of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt, as described in the book of Exodus. The reason for the rejection of the exodus tradition is said to be the lack of historical and archaeological evidence in Egypt. Those advancing these claims, however, are not specialists in the study of Egyptian history, culture, and archaeology. In this pioneering book, James Hoffmeier examines the most current Egyptological evidence and argues that it supports the biblical record concerning Israel in Egypt.NOTES: Purchased from Amazon.com. SUBTITLE: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition

NO OF PAGES: 336 SUB CAT I: Exodus, The SUB CAT II: Archaeology SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: In his path breaking Israel in Egypt James K. Hoffmeier sought to refute the claims of scholars who doubt the historical accuracy of the biblical account of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt. Analyzing a wealth of textual, archaeological, and geographical evidence, he put forth a thorough defense
of the biblical tradition. Hoffmeier now turns his attention to the Wilderness narratives of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. As director of the North Sinai Archaeological Project, Hoffmeier has led several excavations that have uncovered important new evidence supporting the Wilderness narratives,
including a major New Kingdom fort at Tell el-Borg that was occupied during the Israelite exodus. Hoffmeier employs these archaeological findings to shed new light on the route of the exodus from Egypt. He also investigates the location of Mount Sinai, and offers a rebuttal to those who have sought
to locate it in northern Arabia and not in the Sinai peninsula as traditionally thought. Hoffmeier addresses how and when the Israelites could have lived in Sinai, as well as whether it would have been possible for Moses to write down the law received at Mount Sinai. Building on the new evidence for
the Israelite sojourn in Egypt, Hoffmeier explores the Egyptian influence on the Wilderness tradition. For example, he finds Egyptian elements in Israelite religious practices, including the use of the tabernacle, and points to a significant number of Egyptian personal names among the generation of
the exodus. The origin of Israel is a subject of much debate and the wilderness tradition has been marginalized by those who challenge its credibility. In Ancient Israel in Sinai, Hoffmeier brings the Wilderness tradition to the forefront and makes a case for its authenticity based on solid evidence
and intelligent analysis.NOTES: Purchased from Amazon. SUBTITLE: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition