The Hebrew Bible: A Translation With Commentary (3 Vols)

This and John Goldingay's translation of the Hebrew Scriptures offers a fresh and arresting rendition into English from the Hebrew originals. While I do like my usual Bible translations (RSV-CE/2CE, NRSV-CE, ESV with Apocrypha, NIV, CSB, NKJV, SAAS and the NJPS Tanakh) for study, I've always wanted to get a better grasp of OT translations into English. Alter has produced over the span of well over a couple of decades a literary masterpiece which has gotten me to ruminate over various OT passages. The best part of this collection though is that it reproduces all of the individual volumes into the traditional Jewish divisions of Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim (3 volumes). The text is typeset very nicely (lots of whitespace so things don't look too cramped) with the Biblical text in single columns above double columned translator notes with font sizes being around 8-to 9 point for the text and 6-7 point for the translator notes. The paper used by WM Norton is also a joy to read off (and to turn as well) and if you ignore the translators notes at the bottom, this can easily pass as a reader's Bible (albeit a fairly large one). Highly recommended if you can grab this set during one of Koorong's sales on all products.