The New Old Testament

by Harvey Jacobs

First published 2019

Yahweh serves as narrator and commentator while biblical history unfolds with irreverent humor. Jacob operates as history's first con artist while his son Joseph interprets dreams that shape nations. The prophet Balaam delivers divine messages through unconventional means. Hairy Elijah mentors his follower Elisha, who bristles at baldness jokes. David slays giants before his son Solomon exchanges letters with the Queen of Sheba. Daniel tames lions through mysterious communication while Joshua brings down Jericho's walls with his horn playing. The stories span from the world's creation through the judges, kings, and prophets of ancient Israel. Between the Hebrew Bible's end and the Christian era's beginning, Joseph of Nazareth navigates his unique position as husband to Mary. Each tale strips away traditional reverence to reveal the human comedy behind sacred narratives, transforming familiar religious figures into recognizable characters driven by ambition, fear, and folly.

Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, humor

Vibes: irreverent, thought-provoking, whimsical

Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator

Setting: Jericho, Israel

Period: Ancient, Biblical, Christian Era

307 pages · Paperback · Independently published

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