Exodus and Exile: A Concise Biblical Theology

by Karel Deurloo, David E. Orton (Translator), Collin Cornell (Introduction), Joep Dubbink (Introduction)

Overview

Exodus and Exile is a masterpiece of biblical theology, newly available in English. The capstone work of legendary Dutch teacher Karel Deurloo, the book makes a brief and accessible argument: that the themes of exodus and exile constitute the dual center of all Scripture. These events disclose the person of God, the One who is powerful to liberate and merciful to restore.

The book begins with a focus on the Name of God. Over against prepackaged, default, and ambient knowledge of God, Deurloo restarts, theologically, from presentations of Yhwh in Hebrew Scripture. The book then provides a birds’-eye view of the Law and the Prophets, rereading these canonical units according to the major event at the heart of each, namely, exodus and exile. Through careful mapping of these texts, Deurloo uncovers what the disparate voices of Scripture tell us about Yhwh.

Intended for a wide readership of scholars, pastors, pastors-in-training, and interested Christians, the bold and distinctive vision of Exodus and Exile will provoke and inspire biblical theology and theological interpretation of Scripture. A key feature of the book’s appeal is the way it draws together threads that typically remain separate: it attends to the texture of the Hebrew language, à la Robert Alter. It takes up the mantle of Franz Rosenzweig and Martin Buber. It prioritizes the canonical form of scripture, à la Brevard Childs. In the wake of Karl Barth, the book further assumes a dialectical and dissident interest. With post-supersessionist theology, it shares a keen awareness of Israel’s priority and gentile ingrafting. This then carries the story of Scripture—of God’s dealings with the people of God—forward into the life of the church today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481323307
Publisher:	Baylor University Press
Publication date:	09/01/2025
Series:	Explorations in Theological Interpretation
Pages:	140
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Karel Deurloo was Professor of Old Testament and later Biblical Theology at the University of Amsterdam.

David E. Orton is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and an academic translator and editor.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Deurloo’s Exodus and Exile (Collin Cornell and Joep Dubbink)
Preface (Karel Deurloo)
Translator’s Note (David E. Orton)
1 Exodus and Return
2 Law and Prophets
3 The Divine Name in the Exodus
4 The Giving of the Torah and the Land
5 "I Will Lead You into Exile"
6 "He Cannot Deny Himself"
7 The Song of Praise and the Songs of Ascent
Epilogue

What People are Saying About This

Katharine Dell

A timely translation of a classic piece of Dutch biblical theology, Deurloo’s book speaks powerfully to our modern theological context. His emphasis on the emancipation embodied in the Torah’s Exodus theme and the restoration of fractured relationships through the preaching of the Exile’s prophetic voices, combined with a sense of the uniqueness of Israel’s God, characterizes this short and readable guide. The focus is on the special and particular witness of texts about God and his acts of liberation for humankind, a dialectical theology where God meets Israel primarily through actions and experiences. Christian witness joins that of Israel through baptism and through scriptures that take up the old covenant within the context of the new.

Walter Moberly

This is an accomplished and engaging reading of the biblical text in an assured second naivety mode. It is accessible to pastors, theology students, and general Christian readers. It also offers fresh insights to the biblical scholar. A little gem of a book.

Katherine Dell

A timely translation of a classic piece of Dutch biblical theology, Deurloo’s book speaks powerfully to our modern theological context. His emphasis on the emancipation embodied in the Torah’s Exodus theme and the restoration of fractured relationships through the preaching of the Exile’s prophetic voices, combined with a sense of the uniqueness of Israel’s God characterizes this short and readable guide. The focus is on the special and particular witness of texts about God and his acts of liberation for humankind, a dialectical theology where God meets Israel primarily through actions and experiences. Christian witness joins that of Israel through baptism and through scriptures that take up the old covenant within the context of the new.

Brent A. Strawn

What a gift to have Karel Deurloo’s Exodus and Exile available in English! Deurloo’s volume—beautifully and helpfully introduced by Cornell and Dubbink—offers a new (but in truth quite old) way forward in thinking about biblical theology, the relationship of the Testaments, and the way Christians may best read and interpret Israel’s Scriptures as "fellow citizens" of God’s household. Don’t let the concision or slight age of this book (originally published in Dutch in 2003) deceive you: this is fresh, truly profound work that sets a stunning example for the rest of us to follow.