The History of Ancient Israel: A Guide for the Perplexed

Reviews / Votes

This is a very welcome addition to the longstanding debate among biblical scholars over the reconstruction of the history of ancient Israel. It is a balanced introduction directed at the "perplexed" who are confused by the often contentious nature of the debate. * Biblical Theology Bulletin * A lucid account of the history of the nation of Israel ... Readable, informative ... I am pleased to have this book on my shelf and no doubt I will refer to it again and again. * Regent's Reviews * This compact, dense survey summarizes and evaluates changes that have taken place in the 'the history of ancient Israel' during the last 50 or so years. Davies (biblical studies, Univ. of Sheffield, UK) draws on a variety of disciplines that have examined the historical streams that resulted in the Hebrew Bible, a process that is quite difficult to reconstruct because so much is known and, at the same time, so little is certain historically. For many readers, the book will be an introduction to new methodologies and conceptual approaches to the study of the relevant fields (indeed, of history as a whole) resulting from the newest social theorizing, archaeological investigation, and other approaches, which are all described in considerable detail. Summing Up: Recommended. Advanced undergraduates and graduate students, as well as scholars in related areas of study. * CHOICE * Philip Davies deftly cuts through the current debates among researchers of ancient Israel and Judah. He evaluates the varieties of ancient historiographical literature in and outside the Bible, peels back the many layers of meaning that the deceptively simple label of "Israel" conceals within it, and surveys contemporary research methods for building a comprehensive portrait of the people behind that label. This book is a must read for anyone who hopes to understand both the narratives of the Bible and the ancient realities that these narratives sometimes reveal and sometimes shield from their readers. * K. L. Noll, Brandon University, Canada * A splendid guide to studying the history of ancient Israel. Davies seeks a balance between describing the great works of the past, the present state of the question, and prospects for the future. He rightly spends some time on explaining, "What is history?"-that is, how does the modern historian approach the writing of history? He also clarifies the essential question of why we cannot write the history of ancient Israel simply by telling the Bible story with perhaps a few inscriptions and a little archaeology thrown in. The importance of integrating the social sciences, as well as archaeology, into the modern writing of history is given an appropriate emphasis. The final section on "constructing" a history is illustrated by discussing the strengths and weaknesses of several recent approaches. This make an excellent textbook for any class on the history of Israel, not to mention serving as a guide and introduction for anyone interested in the subject. * Lester L. Grabbe, University of Hull, UK *