One hundred and fifty years of sustained archaeological investigation has yielded a more complete picture of the ancient Near East. The Old Testament in Archaeology and History combines the most significant of these archaeological findings with those of modern historical and literary analysis of the Bible to recount the history of ancient Israel and its neighboring nations and empires.
Eighteen international authorities contribute chapters to this introductory volume. After exploring the history of modern archaeological research in the Near East and the evolution of “biblical archaeology” as a discipline, this textbook follows the Old Testament’s general chronological order, covering such key aspects as the exodus from Egypt, Israel’s settlement in Canaan, the rise of the monarchy under David and Solomon, the period of the two kingdoms and their encounters with Assyrian power, the kingdoms’ ultimate demise, the exile of Judahites to Babylonia, and the Judahites’ return to Jerusalem under the Persians along with the advent of “Jewish” identity. Each chapter is tailored for an audience new to the history of ancient Israel in its biblical and ancient Near Eastern setting.
The end result is an introduction to ancient Israel combined with and illuminated by more than a century of archaeological research. The volume brings together the strongest results of modern research into the biblical text and narrative with archaeological and historical analysis to create an understanding of ancient Israel as a political and religious entity based on the broadest foundation of evidence. This combination of literary and archaeological data provides new insights into the complex reality experienced by the peoples reflected in the biblical narratives.
Preface
Archaeological Ages
Historical Timeline
Ancient Jerusalem
List of Maps
List of Figures
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
Part I. Archaeology, the Bible, and Epigraphy: Discovery, Techniques, and Development
1. Introduction to the Geography and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, by Gary P. Arbino
2. Introduction to the Old Testament and Its Character as Historical Evidence, by Mark Elliott, with Paul V. M. Flesher
3. The West’s Rediscovery of the Holy Land, by Victor H. Matthews
4. “Bible Lands Archaeology” and “Biblical Archaeology” in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries, by Rachel Hallote
5. A Critique of Biblical Archaeology History and Interpretation, by William G. Dever
Part II. Israel before Settling in the Land
6. In the Beginning, Archaeologically Speaking: Archaeology to the Bronze Ages in Canaan, by K. L. Noll
7. Archaeology and the Canaanites, by Jill Baker
8. The Book of Genesis and Israel’s Ancestral Traditions, by Mark Elliott and J. Edward Wright
9. Israel in and out of Egypt, by J. Edward Wright, Mark Elliott, and Paul V. M. Flesher
Part III. Israel Settles in the Land of Canaan
10. Looking for the Israelites: The Archaeology of Iron Age I, by J. P. Dessel
11. Looking for the Israelites: The Evidence of the Biblical Text, by Paul V. M. Flesher
12. The Philistines during the Period of the Judges, by Ann E. Killebrew
Part IV. The Kingdoms of the People Israel
13. The United Monarchy: David between Saul and Solomon, by Baruch Halpern
14. Israel: The Prosperous Northern Kingdom, by Randall W. Younker
15. The Southern Kingdom of Judah: Surrounded by Enemies, by Aren M. Maeir
16. Daily Life in Iron Age Israel and Judah, by Jennie Ebeling
17. Israel and Judah under Assyria’s Thumb, by J. Edward Wright and Mark Elliott
18. The Religions of the People Israel and Their Neighbors, by Richard S. Hess
Part V. Judah as a Province: From the Babylonians to the Persians
19. Destruction and Exile: Israel and the Babylonian Empire, by Bob Becking
20. Persia and Yehud, by Charles David Isbell
Glossary
Bibliography
Gazetteer
Index of Biblical and Ancient References
General Index
Contributors
