The themes that configure Joshua - obedience to the commands of Moses, possession of Canaan, and the extermination of the Canaanites - reveal a fundamental concern to construct an identity for the people of God. Strangely, however, many of the materials in the book subvert attempts to connect identity too closely with religious practice, possession of land, or ethnic separation. Tracking these themes through Joshua, this reading reveals a narrative agenda which, negatively, denies that any are distinctive marks of identity and, positively, presents Israel as a nation constituted by choices: the choice of YHWH for Israel and of Israel for YHWH. "Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant." -Isaiah 55:3 As they have for centuries, people still turn to the Hebrew Bible to hear afresh the life-giving words of God's everlasting covenant. Berit Olam ("The Everlasting Covenant"): Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry brings to all interested in the Bible, be they lay people, professional biblical scholars, students, or religious educators, the latest developments in the literary analysis of these ancient texts. This multi-volume commentary reflects a relatively new development in biblical studies. The readings of the books of the Hebrew Bible offered here all focus on the final form of the texts, approaching them as literary works, recognizing that the craft of poetry and storytelling that the ancient Hebrew world provided can be found in them and that their truth can be better appreciated with a fuller understanding of that art. The authors reflect a variety of religious traditions, professional backgrounds, and theoretical approaches. Yet they share a common desire to make available to all of God's people the words of the everlasting covenant in all of their beauty. 336 pages.