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Zusatztext This is a well-researched! well-structured! and well-written discussion of a topic which! as Gray points out! many may have thought a "nonstarter" ... the book is a solid piece of work that leaves very few stones unturned. Klappentext Isolated passages from the writings of Josephus are routinely cited in general studies of early Jewish prophecy! but the present work is the first comprehensive examination of this material. Gray begins with a discussion of the significance of the belief--widely attested in Jewish sourcesfrom the late Second Temple period--that prophecy had ceased. She proceeds to outline a general theory about the nature and status of prophecy in this period. Giving careful consideration to the prophetic claims that Josephus makes for himself! she argues that these claims are more substantial andmore important for understanding Josephus than is usually thought. Gray goes on to examine Josephus' reports concerning prophecy among the Essenes and Pharisees! and his accounts of the activities of the "sign prophets" and other figures. In every instance! Gray interprets the evidence aboutprophecy in relation to Josephus' personal career and his thought and work as a whole. Drawing on a range of evidence! much of which has not played a significant role in other studies of early Jewish prophecy! this book is essential reading for anyone interested in Josephus! the history of prophecyin Israel! or the historical Jesus. Zusammenfassung This work examines the evidence from Josephus for prophetic figures in Jewish Palestine in the late Second Temple period, approximately 150 BC to AD 70.
