The Tent of Fine Linen

Ithamar knows only the harsh life of a slave, imposed upon him by his Egyptian overlords. Everything changes, however, when the uncle he has never metMosesreturns to Egypt. The question of whether Yahweh has heard their cries for help is about to be answered, as a proud young pharaoh dares to defy the God of Israeland Ithamar unexpectedly finds himself at the heart of both a new nation and the purposes of a powerful God. Again and again, Yahwehs plans weave together the lives of the unlikely: not only a slave and the uncle raised as an Egyptian prince, but also a destitute Israelite widow and a young Moabitess, an overlooked shepherd boy and a woman with intelligence, beautyand a fool for a husband. And at the centre of their national life is a tent like no other, where the God who speaks and acts dwells among them Using Old Testament stories and imagined scenes, The Tent of Fine Linen follows the people of Israel from the Exodus through to the reign of King David, through the eyes of lesser Biblical characters. This is the second instalment of The Line of Shem trilogy, which aims to build up an overview of the main characters and themes of the Old Testament, and enrich both new and established readers of the Bible. In The Tent of Fine Linen, Corinne Brixton has once again capitalised impressively on the biblical stories powerful appeal. Using the ingenious narrative device of re-telling the biblical story from Moses to David through the eyes of minor characters (Ithamar, Naomi and Abigail), she has combined careful research with literary imagination and verve. I was struck by her ability to join the dots of the biblical narrative intelligently, and I enjoyed her characterisation, and her use of conversation and point of view, to bring events to life. There is real insight in her understanding of how Israel nurtured its memory of its origins and identity through families. The style is nicely tinged with a certain biblical otherness. Above all, this is an invitation into a closer engagement with Scripture. There is much to enjoy and learn from here! Prof. Gordon McConville, Professor of Old Testament Theology, University of Gloucestershire; author of Exploring the Old Testament and Deuteronomy (Apollos Old Testament Commentary)