Sign of the Covenant: Circumcision in the Priestly Tradition

Bernat (Biblical studies, Hebrew College, Newton Center, MA) considers the biblical passages dealing with the covenant of circumcision, asking what it actually means. He notes that in the time of Abraham, most men from Egypt and the Middle East were circumcised. Therefore, he searches the relevant texts to determine what made this a sign of a covenant between God and Israel. He mentions the role circumcision has in establishing status and that even when the Torah speaks of the "circumcision of the heart" rather than the body, women are not considered. The links between Passover and circumcision are discussed from both a religious and anthropological standpoint. He also looks at the threatened punishments if the covenant is broken. Bernat closes with the encounter between the Jews and the Greco-Roman world, where circumcision set Jewish men apart from the dominant society. One striking fact is that the actual ritual is not described anywhere in the Bible. The act of circumcision is apparently sufficient without priestly oversight. The Society of Biblical Literature publishes the paperbound edition; Brill publishes the hardbound. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)