Moses: A Life Review

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(More customer reviews)Since there is no archeological evidence that Moses ever existed, author Jonathan Kirsch uses the words of the bible,together with modern biblical scholarship to re-create the great prophet who exists between the lines of scripture. Kirsch goes through each chapter of the bible beginning with the book of Exodus and ending with the book of Deuteronomy and shows where various traditions and counter-traditions might have intersected. He shows the Moses who is portrayed as a great hero by the "Deuteronomist" and the Moses whose role is diminished by the "Priestly source." He discusses virtually every theory including the theory that their were two Moses and the first was murdered! This is surely not the book to read if you are a bible literalist (or an Orthodox Jew) and I certainly don't agree with all his points, being partial to the biblical story myself. But Kirsch is a lively writer and it is an interesting read nonetheless, as is Kirsch's "King David".

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Ancient Israel's Faith and History: An Introduction to the Bible in Context Review

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(More customer reviews)George E. Mendenhall has been described by eminent students of the Bible as one of the most creative American scholars of the ancient Near East in the twentieth century. Yet his fundamental work is largely unknown outside the guild of professional historians, philologists, and archaeologists. Now a comprehensive account of his reconstruction of the history of ancient Israel is available in a beautifully edited, attractively produced form. It can be understood and appreciated even by those who haven't mastered the technical tools of the professional scholar.
His pre-eminent interest, studied over a period of some six decades, has been the origins of ancient Israel. In Mendenhall's view, it is in Israel's origins that we find the essential clues to the interpretation of all subsequent Israelite history-including the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth and the early Christian Church some 1200 years after the time of Moses. A brief review such as this cannot hope to do justice to the enormous wealth of material in this superb book. I will attempt only a sketchy summary of each chapter.
Introduction
First he posits several illuminating general principles for understanding the phenomenon of religion, which are applied throughout the following chapters to Israel's particular historical phases.
Abraham to Moses
Then Mendenhall surveys the later part of the Bronze Age (2500-1200 B.C.) in the Eastern Mediterranean, covering the rise and fall of empires. He also characterizes (the main thrust of the chapter) the emergence, from at least 2000 B.C. onward, of numerous groups of "Apiru"--people who altogether disavowed political loyalties. He cites linguistic reasons for associating "Apiru" with "transgressor" or "outlaw." Apiru groups, lacking any legal protection, survived via banditry, mercenary militarism, or by converting agricultural assets to movable livestock and escaping to uninhabited regions inaccessible to political authorities. The less fortunate among them were prey to enslavement as state laborers--as were thousands of Apiru in Egypt.
Moses and the Exodus
Moses' leadership of the "exodus" of a few hundred Apiru from Egypt is tied in Biblical tradition (correctly, in Mendenhall's view) to two revolutionary religious innovations: monotheism in which the defining characteristic of God ("Yahweh") is ethical concern; and the use of a new form for the mediation of this Yahwism--the Covenant, derived by analogy from the forms and functions of international suzerainty treaties in use already for a millennium.
The Twelve-Tribe Federation
Mendenhall continues his historical reconstruction to the formation in two stages of the Twelve-Tribe federation of ancient Israel, created and sustained by the Mosaic Covenant, which put into practice the seemingly exotic notion of a state-less society.
David and the Transition to Monarchy
The federation functioned for about two centuries; pressure by Philistines accelerated the decline in morale and prompted desires for the institution of a political state capable of dealing more effectively with them. Samuel himself foresaw this move as the repudiation of Yahweh and the Covenant. Mendenhall illuminates the ingenious strategy then employed by David and the pagan bureaucrats inherited from the defeated Jerusalem to construct a synthesis of Yahwism and paganism, for which he adopts the term "Yahwisticism".
The Legacy of King Solomon
With King Solomon the "re-paganization of Israel" reached new heights. Mendenhall relates how Solomon's building program--involving the imposition of the corvée labor from which the Apiru slaves had escaped with Moses!--provided a new Phoenician Temple for the theologians and a swell Hittite palace for the king. "Yahweh," once the repudiator of coercion, had become merely the new "Baal," the Bronze Age hypostasis of state legitimacy and power. Mendenhall limns the intricate, unscrupulous struggles among Solomon's successors, and correlates the poetic oracles of Hosea and Amos to the ongoing upheavals of state, bringing into relief their invocation of the old covenantal elements.
Josiah Reforms the Imperial Religion
Mendenhall next turns to the fate of the kingdom of Judah and the biblical literature catalyzed by its history. He presents the historical preparation for Josiah and the latter's reforms. He also offers insights into the perverse consequences of the failure of Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem during Hezekiah's reign (the unwarranted confidence that Yahweh's highest priority was the protection of Jerusalem and its Temple).
Destruction and Exile: The Creative Reform of Yahwism
The destruction of Jerusalem predicted by Jeremiah (and Ezekiel) was a catastrophe for Israel-as-Davidic-Dynasty and produced enormous suffering for countless hapless individuals. Meditations on it by some of the greatest religious geniuses of history are enshrined in various Biblical writings, especially Jeremiah and Ezekiel; Job (the book is worth having for this section alone); and "Second Isaiah." But the universalizing re-expression of Israel's covenant faith by these writers was just one response to the Exile. With the return of the exiles to Palestine under the Persian Cyrus, Ezra and Nehemiah wrote another new chapter in the evolution of Yahwism.
Jesus and the New Testament Reformation
Reading the New Testament in the light of the Old Testament makes it clear that Jesus' message hearkens back to the Covenant faith and the inspired re-expressions and adaptations of it by the great prophets. In a word, it was a creative reformation movement within the tradition of Israel's faith. Mendenhall throws a flood of light on "the Kingdom of God," "Messiah," "Law," and on "covenant" itself as it reappears in the Christian Eucharist.
Summary
This magnificent book by one of the towering figures in Biblical scholarship throws an arresting new light on the universal significance of the ancient ethical-religious vision of Moses and pre-monarchic Israel. It shows how, despite the ever-changing vicissitudes of Israel's history, this vision reappears, creatively readapted, in the prophetic legacy, in the Exile, in Jesus and the early Church. It is well worth having just for the fascinating word-studies to be found throughout the text. No one who takes its insights seriously can look at either the Bible or the surviving religious institutions in the same way. I believe it should be read and deeply pondered by all who are committed to the life of faith.

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The author's magisterial survey leaves no scholarly stone unturned and no discipline disregarded. Findings from anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, historical analysis and social theory are all combined to paint a complete picture of Ancient Israel - a picture that is detailed and nuanced, yet presented in an accessible style. While careful not to move beyond the comprehensive evidence he has assimilated, the author does not shy from providing an account of the theological dimensions of both of Israel's history and the beginnings of the Christian faith.

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Ancient Israel in Sinai: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're looking for evidence that Israel really did make the wilderness journey described in Exodus, Ancient Israel in Sinai is the best scholarly case to be found anywhere, including the best collection I've seen of Egyptian linguistic evidence found in ancient Israel's cultic apparatus. But if you're looking for an examination of the wilderness route, not only from the Nile to Mt Sinai, but also from Mt Sinai all the way to Transjordan (as I was hoping to find), you may be disappointed. Hoffmaier does a wonderful job examining the first half of the journey, but devotes little attention to the second half. He does do a good job refuting the theory that Mt Sinai is in modern Saudi Arabia. I give it 5 stars for its scholarship, and 3 stars for the in-depth travel guide I was also hoping for.

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In his pathbreaking Israel in Egypt James K. Hoffmeier sought to refute the claims of scholars who doubt the historical accuracy of the biblical account of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt. Analyzing a wealth of textual, archaeological, and geographical evidence, he put forth a thorough defense of the biblical tradition.Hoffmeier now turns his attention to the Wilderness narratives of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. As director of the North Sinai Archaeological Project, Hoffmeier has led several excavations that have uncovered important new evidence supporting the Wilderness narratives, including a major New Kingdom fort at Tell el-Borg that was occupied during the Israelite exodus. Hoffmeier employs these archaeological findings to shed new light on the route of the exodus from Egypt. He also investigates the location of Mount Sinai, and offers a rebuttal to those who have sought to locate it in northern Arabia and not in the Sinai peninsula as traditionally thought. Hoffmeier addresses how and when the Israelites could have lived in Sinai, as well as whether it would have been possible for Moses to write down the law received at Mount Sinai. Building on the new evidence for the Israelite sojourn in Egypt, Hoffmeier explores the Egyptian influence on the Wilderness tradition.For example, he finds Egyptian elements in Israelite religious practices, including the use of the tabernacle, and points to a significant number of Egyptian personal names among the generation of the exodus. The origin of Israel is a subject of much debate and the wilderness tradition has been marginalized by those who challenge its credibility. In Ancient Israel in Sinai, Hoffmeier brings the Wilderness tradition to the forefront and makes a case for its authenticity based on solid evidence and intelligent analysis.

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The Creation of History in Ancient Israel Review

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(More customer reviews)This book examines the process of the creation of history in the Hebrew Bible. Brettler sets out to "show what various biblical authors were `trying to do' when they wrote" their respective works.
The author begins with a strong survey of the history of historical criticism, followed by a presentation of what he believes to be the "four central factors responsible for the production of ancient Israelite biblical texts:" the use of typologies, the interpretation of earlier texts, literary shaping, and ideological influence. During an introductory discussion of `history,' `ideology,' and `literature,' Brettler suggests that what has classically been understood as `history' should actually be called `historiography' or `history writing,' while history should be understood simply as, "a narrative that presents a past." Along the same lines, `ideology' is best considered "a specific set of beliefs," which Brettler differentiates from `propaganda,' which is the method used to disseminate those beliefs. Finally, the author discards the word `literature' as an accurate description of the biblical text, arguing that "literary works are determined by the community, not by their authors." Therefore since the author did not consider his work to be literature, but rather a history, we too should refrain from calling the narrative `literature.' Brettler does concede that there are various rhetorical or literary devices and genres employed within the biblical text, but since the author employed these devices with the intention of writing a narrative history, we too should refrain from referring to the results of his literary endeavors as `literature.' This is a fine hair to split and will certainly be criticized by future respondents.
Brettler then presents his evidence in a series of six chapters that increase in degree of redaction-critical difficulty. This section is cleverly bracketed by a discussion of Chronicles (chapter 2) on the front end, in which we have the extant sources (Samuel and Kings) used by the Chronicler in his redaction, and concluding with "Text in a Tel" (chapter six), a detailed discussion of redaction-criticism that uses the multi-layered redactions of 2 Kings 17 as the literary ground in need of excavation.
Brettler's indebtedness to his teacher, Michael Fishbane, is evident the moment Brettler begins his intrabiblical exegesis of the text (chapters 2-7). This is a strength of the book, in that the author highlights many textual examples essential to any survey of redaction-criticism methodology, and in seeking an explanation of each highlighted redaction, the author tells the story of the creation of the history of Israel.
Brettler's best work is with his treatment of Chronicles. He states, "The Chronicler...provides an incontrovertible example of the flexibility of the past in the hands of one biblical historian." But Brettler ultimately leaves open for debate the question of whether the Chronicler felt he was correcting earlier scribal errors or whether he was the historian "of a totalitarian regime, attempting to control the ideology of the population." This is an important question to say the least, for its answer determines whether the Hebrew Bible was composed as multiple redactions of early oral and written themes and histories, or was composed late in history solely from the ideological imagination of the Deuteronomistic Historians.
The author then proceeds with his analysis, suggesting that the repeated promotion of Judah over the firstborn Reuben in the Genesis narrative illustrates the biblical author's use of typologies within the text. In Deuteronomy, Brettler offers a classic treatment in which he substantially demonstrates a revision of history on the behalf of the Deuteronomist. The author's treatment of the Ehud-Eglon story as satire was a surprisingly compelling argument. Here, Brettler suggests that the purpose of this genre is to increase the life span of the story's moral by using mocking, sexual, and scatological references towards Israel's Moabite enemies. Finally, Brettler discusses ideology, using the book of Samuel as a vehicle that promotes David and offers an apology for the royal ideology of the Davidic line.
Brettler ends his book with a healthy discussion of whether it is possible to reconstruct actual history. Following R. G. Collingwood, Brettler offers an analogy to the American legal system which discusses the two tests that are used in determining the validity of an argument: the unanimity rule of criminal courts that requires something be "beyond a reasonable doubt," and the less stringent majority rule of a civil court that only requires a "preponderance of evidence." Holding up Lionel Grossman's view as a model, Brettler concludes that "history cannot be objective in the sense of `ontologically founded,' but can be `something like rationally justifiable or defensible, not arbitrary, and open to criticism.'" Inasmuch, one can never be certain that one has recreated the actual past, because the past, especially a narrative one, is never fully recoverable. The responsible scholar should accept this reality and "decide which of the alternative reconstructions of the Israelite past best fits the evidence." Brettler concludes, "Biblical historical texts reflect a combination of genuine interest in the past, strong ideological beliefs and refined rhetorical devices."
With the exception of the persistent denotation of possessive plurals with a double apostrophe (or is it a quotation mark?), a practice never before encountered by the present reviewer, Brettler's work is well written, well argued, and is a great addition to the library of the biblical scholar or historian interested in the narrative history of Israel.

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The Creation of History in Ancient Israel demonstrates how the historian can start to piece together the history of ancient Israel using the Hebrew Bible as a source.

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Israel: Ancient Kingdom or Late Invention? Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me say at the outset that this is a book for the academically inclined, seminary students, scholarly pastors, and members of academic teaching departments. It is a collection of speeches presented at an evangelical semianr on archaeology and the nation of Israel.
The best essay in my opinion was the last one, by John Walton. He shows how an understanding of Ancient Near Eastern studies helps us toward a more nuanced and vibrant reading of the first four commandments from Exodus 20.
Alan Millard's opening essay reminds us of the need to be careful that we don't overinterpret or misinterpret the archaeological data. Some people do this with Daniel 2:46, supposing that King Nebuchadnezzar is following the practice of an ancient Hellenistic cult by offering incense to Daniel, and some even say that he was worshipping Daniel.
But Millard shows how prostrating yourself before someone and offering up incense was an ancient Babylonian practice that conveyed great respect toward royalty or prophetic personages (like Daniel) that wasn't always construed as the worship of a deity.
James Hoffmeier has an interesting essay about the geographical issues found in the Exodus narrative, particularly with regard to Rameses and Pithom. Hoffmeier shows that there is nothing in archaeology that would dispute what the text says about these cities. But I must confess that I wish Hoffmeier would have dealt in greater detail with the wilderness wanderings prior to crossing the Red Sea. He acknowledges that it is a major challenge, but that there is nothing that clearly contradicts what we find in his limited discussion of Exodus 14.
Edwin Yamauchi goes on to say in his essay that there is not enough hard evidence to show a Zoroastrian influence on the theology of the Hebrew Bible, though he does not rule it out.
In one of the more important essays, Simon Sherwin concludes that it is unlikely that the Israelites learned their monotheism in Babylonian captivity, and that the available evidence suggests that some in Israel were returning to their roots by devoting themselves exclusively to Yahweh.
Generally speaking, the writers are cautious about approaches that value archaeological evidence over textual evidence. They are also wary of arguments from silence, or people who cite the lack of archaeological evidence as absolute proof that the Hebrew texts cannot be trusted.
A previous reviewer felt that the book was too biased and slanted toward the evangelical viewpoint. I would say "Of course! The book is a collection of essays from an evangelical conference! It says so right on page 1!
I would also want to add that having theological predilections doesn't automatically make a person's work invalid, otherwise, no one would read the work of liberals, either. Variety makes life interesting.
I appreciate the evenhanded approach to the issues. In my judgment, it would be a mistake to assume that this book is a naive and close-minded approach. The scholars in this book have made a good case for Israel as an ancient kingdom without ignoring the voices who say otherwise.


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Synchronized Chronology: Rethinking Middle East Antiquity Review

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(More customer reviews)I sometimes worry that stupid titles for my reviews will be off-putting. But not so worried that I don't make 'em. This is my second try with this review, perhaps Amazon will publish it.

Like "Solving the Exodus Mystery" by Ted Stewart [097186800X], Henry could benefit from proofreading. I found some of his choices to be a little confusing at first -- such as BCC for "B.C., Conventional" and BCS "B.C., Synchronized" -- and his footnotes are too terse. There is no index.

That said, generally his writing style is readable and clear. The organization of the book is excellent, linear, and not repetitive.

In brief, the Synchronized Chronology is a one-volume synopsis of Immanuel Velikovsky's "Ages In Chaos" series. That was published in three volumes (plus two unpublished works) over 26 years -- "Ages In Chaos", "Ramses II and His Time", and "Peoples of the Sea" -- all five based on his "Theses for the Reconstruction of Ancient History" published in 1945. Henry has produced a useful introduction and summary of the entire corpus, and doesn't try to hide this. On p 220 he even refers to it as "the Synchronized Chronology offered by Velikovsky." Henry is respectful of David Rohl's and Peter James' alternate chronologies, each of which emerged from the failure of the Glasgow Chronology, which began as an attempt to revise V's reconstruction. But Henry ultimately rejects Rohl and James.

I noticed some phrases and quotes direct from Velikovsky, such as "extravagant of labor" in reference to the clay Hittite strata at Gordion (p 186; found as a quote in "Ramses II and His Time", p 155) as well as a reference to MacQueen -- "Lydian 'seems to be Hittite'" -- with a footnote that can be sorted out using the book's bibliography. Apparently Henry attributes it to MacQueen's "Babylon" which appears to be incorrect (perhaps nonexistent). In this case, Henry gives the correct page number for MacQueen's first edition (59, in the note on 163) but the incorrect title (or perhaps one omitted title) in the bibliography.

In "Ramses II and His Time" Velikovsky cites this very same point from MacQueen's "The Hittites and Their Contemporaries in Asia Minor", p 59. This citation applies to the first edition. The allegedly expanded edition of MacQueen normally available to me has doesn't say this (p 59 being about something else), and refers elsewhere to "Arzawan" as MacQueen attempts to distance himself from the controversy about Hittite references to the Homeric Greeks, and possibly from Velikovsky's citation.

Henry's extensive use of Velikovsky is not plagiaristic or unscholarly. In this book, Henry introduced me to the idea (from "Cambridge Ancient History") that the Amazons were actually Hittites, whereas Velikovsky suspected they were Cimmerians. The identification of the Amazons isn't pertinent to the overall work in any case. It appears that Henry became convinced of V's accuracy by checking his footnotes.

Henry makes the point that "a characteristic pottery decoration" found in the former territory of the Philistines "looks so much like East Greek 'bird bowls'... They are colonial Greek and have nothing to do with the true Philistines of the 11th century." As he doesn't seem to be aware of the unpublished volumes of "Ages In Chaos" (which are available electronically), this would be an example of his thorough understanding of the framework, rather than some kind of reflux of what went before.

Henry follows Velikovsky in rejecting the Sothic Cycle. In his "Summary" chapter he explains its modern origin and notes that there's no evidence it was ever used in ancient Egypt. Henry doesn't use any archaeoastronomy anywhere in this book (that I noticed), which is different than Rohl, who makes questionable use of a supposed eclipse record from Ugarit, and Stewart who follows Rohl on that. The recent discovery that the Earth's rate of rotation has changed was made possible by an eclipse record from Babylon, and means that any ancient observations need to be used cautiously, or not at all.

He mentions in passing (p 242) an internet message he'd received regarding supposed incompatibility of the Kassite chronology with the Synchronized Chronology. I've seen plenty of unsubstantiated (indeed, unsubstantiatable) claims of that kind over the years, in print and on the web. Henry wisely saw through whatever the objection was, and showed his integrity by mentioning it. Earlier (p 156) he points out the fallacious foundation of Ken Kitchen's alleged dating for Shoshenq I. Kitchen's criticisms of alternate chronologies (y'know, those which don't agree with his) are quite energetic. Peter James' defenses against Kitchen's assaults are often entertaining. For a time, David Rohl had a sort of rude reference to Kitchen on the title headers of his website (which went down a while back). Even as he disagrees, Henry treats all three with respect. Throughout the book he deals with the ideas, not personalities.

This book makes an excellent introduction to Velikovsky's "Ages In Chaos" series (including the two unpublished volumes), and makes a good companion to Robert Compton's "Guide to Velikovsky". Readers of Rohl's "Test of Time" a.k.a. "Pharaohs and Kings" or Peter James et al's "Centuries of Darkness" should enjoy this book.

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A History of Prophecy in Israel - revised and enlarged Review

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(More customer reviews)Blenkinsopp's book is a classical introduction to the prophetic books of the Old Testament. This revised and enlarged edition keeps available an important work on the prophets of the Hebrew Bible. He leans heavily upon source analysis, especially P and D/Dtr, for his understanding of the development of the prophets. For Blenkinsopp critical scholarship is "unanimous" about the late authorship and collection of Deuteronomy, 116. There is less emphasis in the book on the original prophet or logia and more on what is from the Deuteronomic editors. Blenkinsopp still sees the prophets as real historical figures although well hidden by a later developed literature. The location of any unit as from the original prophet is then a product of scholarly argumentation.
The first chapter provides a brief summary of the prophet in Israel, including a brief history of criticism, analysis of terminology and the role of the prophet. Discussion is informed by recent developments in social science criticism but little emphasis is given to the ancient Near Eastern data. The book then develops the phenomenon of prophecy with reference to historical developments in Israel. Blenkinsopp, like many modern biblical critics, is skeptical of Israel's history before the monarchy yet he sees hints of a prophetic tradition before the monarchy in narratives about people like Deborah or Miriam. The true beginning, however, is with Samuel and the rise of the monarchy as shaped by the Deuteronomists.
The books is quite thorough in covering each prophetic book and provides extensive bibliographies (updated a little from1983) at the beginning of each unit. The analysis of each book combines a discussion of structural units, shaped by source, genre, and redaction criticism, with significant points of the book's message. Blenkinsopp also develops each work in relationship to the flow of Israel's prophetic movement. Though heavily dependent upon source analysis it is a must for those reading about the Old Testament prophets.


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This revised and enlarged edition of Joseph Blenkinsopp's 1983 book will be a welcome addition to the libraries of serious Biblical scholars. The author critically recounts the history of Israelite prophecy from a social-historical perspective.

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Introduction to the Psalms Review

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(More customer reviews)DeClaisse-Walford's short introduction to the Psalms is a helpful text for those who want an honest, academic overview without huge numbers of details. It is particularly lay-friendly, and puts the psalms in context quite clearly.

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Introduction to the Psalms: A Song from Ancient Israel seeks to provide the reader with a solid introduction to the Hebrew Psalter, one that is informed by an interest in its shape and shaping. Its author, Nancy deClaissé-Walford, provides an up-to-date study on the poetic style of the psalms in the Psalter, their Gattungen or genres, the broad shape of the book, and the history of its shaping. She introduces each of the five books of the Psalter, providing a detailed examination of those individual psalms that are either key to the shaping of the Psalter or interesting studies in poetic style. In the final chapter, deClaissé-Walford draws conclusions about the shape of the Psalter and about its story and message. She proposes a way to read the Psalms as a unified whole and in relationship to one another rather than as individual pieces. giving an inclusive, all-encompassing shape to the Psalter.Included are two appendices that provide a listing of the Superscriptions and Gattungen of the psalms in the Hebrew Psalter and an explanation of many of the technical terms found in their superscriptions.

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The Ancient Assyrians (Elite) Review

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(More customer reviews)Healy's book gives a quick review of the Assyria Empire from start to finish in a mere 64 pages. However its shortness is made up by the wonderful photos (12 in color) and diagrams presented in the book. One unusaul aspect of this book is there is no table of contents, index, or biblography. It's almost written like a research paper that was converted into a published book. Nevertheless the purchase price is well worth the money.

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For the greater part of the period from the end of the 10th century to the 7th century BC, the Ancient Near East was dominated by the dynamic military power of Assyria. At the zenith of its rule Assyria could lay claim to an empire that stretched from Egypt in the west to the borders of Iran in the east and encompassed for the first time in history, within the realm of a single imperial domain, the whole of the 'Fertile Crescent'. Mark Healy, covers the history of the Assyrians from their ancient beginnings to the eventual fall of the city of Nineveh.

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Moses: From the Mysteries of Egypt to the Judges of Israel Review

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(More customer reviews)The history of Mankind is, in larger part, the history of the transformation of consciousness.
This transformation is mapped, masterfully, eloquently, by Bock.
Before reading this book, Moses was a major character in the Pentateuch.
After reading this book, Moses is a major character in the history of Mankind.


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Bock draws a parallel between spiritual research and ancient texts to reveal the esoteric history of Moses. Drawing on the Anthroposophic ideas of Rudolf Steiner, the author views the age of Moses as a great turning point in mankind's spiritual history, one that influenced humanity everywhere and shaped the consciousness of more recent epochs. He describes this transition, and calls for humanity to recover the experience of the spiritual.

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The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate Review

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(More customer reviews)I enjoy books that push me out of my comfort zone and cause me to ask questions I had never considered before. John Walton's The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate (IVP, 2009) is one of those kinds of books. Walton offers an interpretation of Genesis 1 that focuses on the worldview of ancient Israelites.
In a nutshell, here is Walton's proposal: Genesis 1 was not intended to give us a scientific understanding of the material origins of the universe. Instead, the seven days of creation are a cosmic temple inauguration ceremony that describe the functional beginning of our world.
If your eyes have already glazed over after reading that summary, then consider his illustration about a college. At what point is a college created? Is it when the buildings go up? Or when the students and faculty arrive on campus and classes begin? Or when the commencement ceremony begins?
Walton's proposal is that Genesis 1 does not give us a narrative of when matter began to exist. The narrative concerns functional origins: when the world began to function the way God intended for human creation to flourish.
Walton writes:
"I believe that people in the ancient world believed that something existed not by virtue of its material properties, but by virtue of its having a function in an ordered system." (26)
In case some might wonder if Walton is denying the doctrine of creation ex nihilo (out of nothing), he clarifies:
"I firmly believe that God is fully responsible for material origins, and that, in fact, material origins do involve at some point a creation out of nothing. But that theological question is not the one we are asking. We are asking a textual question. What sort of origins account do we find in Genesis 1?" (44)
Walton's view could be classified as a highly sophisticated version of the older Gap theory (that there is a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2). It differs from the Gap theory in that Walton argues for a functional understanding of "create" all throughout the passage.
But it resembles the Gap theory by leaving room for a large span of time and material development that does not hinder the seven day creation process that occurs as the cosmic temple inauguration.
I appreciate Walton's careful treatment of the text. He refuses to get bogged down in trying to reconcile the ancient text with modern scientific understanding:
Taking the text seriously is not expressed by correlating it with modern science; it is expressed by understanding it in its ancient context." (111)
Walton's proposal has much to commend it. I have never been fully persuaded by the Day-Age theory (that the days in Genesis 1 refer to long periods of time) or by the Young Earth view (that the seven days took place in sequence ten thousand years ago). Walton's proposal offers the best of both worlds (inerrancy and science). The Day-Age and Young-Earth theories have never been completely convincing to me because it always seems like people are trying to read more out of the text than is there. (It reminds me of how so many interpreters tackle Revelation.) I am impressed by the way in which Walton seeks to deal seriously with the biblical text, regardless of the implications.
Yet, I have unresolved questions regarding this view. In the end, I have two main concerns.
1. This is a novel interpretation. That is, it has not been a primary interpretation throughout church history. I would be interested to know how ancient Jewish scholars commented on this text.
From my admittedly limited research, I see that many in the ancient world did indeed consider this text to be about material origins. Ancient commentaries do not, of course, change the biblical text. But it does soften the brunt of Walton's proposal, which argues that virtually all the ancients thought of creation stories in the way he proposes.
2. The implications of Walton's proposal may create separate spheres of knowledge. The desire to leave science and theology in separate spheres seems like a good way to keep controversy at bay.
Of course, science and theology impinge upon one another, as Walton would surely agree. Still, I am not sure that saying the Bible does not speak at all to the "how" of material origins is a resolution of the issue, but merely a way of relegating the origins discussion to the peripheral.
Asking "Where did we come from" is never a peripheral issue, as Walton would also admit. But I wonder if his proposal might lead some to the quick conclusion, "See? Who cares whether or not we evolved?" (And I do not find evolution to be persuasive as a model, even when it is of the theistic variety.)
John Walton is a recognized evangelical OT scholar. He is the co-author of one of the most respected evangelical OT Introductions in print. I am thankful for his commitment to the truthfulness of the biblical text. His interpretation is novel, but his research is impressive. The Lost World of Genesis One deserves further reflection and discussion. I look forward to seeing where the conversation leads.

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101 Myths of the Bible: How Ancient Scribes Invented Biblical History Review

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(More customer reviews)The use of the word "myth" in the title of this book is perhaps unfortunate. Readers who associate the word "myth" with falsehood may pass this interesting book by. The author has examined the biblical stories that we are all more or less familiar with and located earlier versions of those same stories in other cultures, particularly that of ancient Egypt. The evidence turns out to be surprisingly compelling.
This is not a book that attempts to debunk the Bible, but rather treats the stories sympathically. While this approach may offend the strict literalistic reader, other believers will be struck by the mythic power that these stories possess. It is also true that the open-minded reader will be impressed by the evidence that connects Bible stories to earlier accounts of the gods of the Egyptians and others. To me this was fascinating stuff!
One more point: The organization of this book makes it very easy to read. By having each chapter deal with a very specific story or "myth" and by presenting the antecedent myths and related evidence with the confines of the chapter, this book is very easy to read. One can turn to any chapter at random and read it with a complete understanding of the author's contention on that particular story. This makes the book an easy and informative read.

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In his startling book, Gary Greenberg exposes the reality behind the greatest story ever told. Learn about the Egyptian myths and ancient folklore that survive in one of history's most sacred texts, and discover how:-King David's bodyguard, not David, killed Goliath-Noah's Ark did not land on Mount Ararat-Samson did not pull down a Philistine temple-There are at least two versions of the Ten Commandments-The walls of Jericho were destroyed 300 years before Joshua arrived there-Sodom and Gomorrah were mythical cities that never existed-The story of Esther had nothing to do with the Jews of Persia-And much, much more101 Myths of the Bible provides a new dimension of biblical studies for believers, historians and anyone who has ever wondered about the facts behind the legends. By looking deeper into history, Greenberg shows that the true story makes the Bible more interesting than ever imagined!

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Studying the Ancient Israelites: A Guide to Sources and Methods Review

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(More customer reviews)Matthews enhances the understandability of his work by utilizing visual aids such as shaded boxes, maps, diagrams, graphs, and black-and-white photographs along with the main texts. He also provides a well-balanced summary of earlier and current scholarship on the ancient Israelites, providing the references.
One weakness in the book is the fact that Matthews only focuses on one time period in Israelite history. This book only includes sources and data in the second period of Israel, "the monarchy (1000-587 BCE)." But "early Israel (1250-1000 BCE)" is neglected. When one deals with the world of ancient Israel, one should cover this important foundational era in Israelite history as well. The reviewer looks forward to seeing another guide to this earlier time period with an equally well-balanced perspective to understanding the ancient Israelites. Matthews' work could also be strengthened with an inclusion of a description of the ethnographic aspects of the ancient Israelite society.
In chapter 5, the history and historiography of Western society is applied to reconstruct the society of ancient Israel. When Matthews discusses the benefits of the social sciences to the study of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, he introduces a number of the basic issues to beginners. However, the sociological and anthropological terminologies and models (such as Emic/Etic distinctions, socially shared cognition, luminal, endogamy and exogamy, and structural-functionalist) are not clearly defined for the beginner. Thus, he provides the beginner little guidance (124.125, 130) in navigating these more difficult topics. Finally, a few minor corrections should be made to the reference section, such as the addition of diacritical marks on names (e.g., Ahlstrom; 199). However, this in no way detracts from the great value of this volume.
This book would be a useful supplement for assisting "students, laypeople, and their instructor" (9). It is highly recommended to anyone who seeks a clear, concise, easy to follow guide to the study of ancient Israelites before jumping into the deep ocean that is the study of the ancient Israelite world.


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The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts Review

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(More customer reviews)In "The Bible Unearthed," Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman display a rare talent among scholars--the ability to make specialized research accessible to a general audience. In this book the authors reveal how recent archaeological research forces us to reconsider the historical account woven into the Hebrew Bible. Among the conclusions they draw are:
1) The tales of patriarchs such as Abraham are largely legends composed long after the time in which they supposedly took place. This is seen in anachronisms such as the use of camels, not domesticated in the Near East until nearly 1000 years after Abraham's time, in many of the stories.
2) There is good reason to believe that the Exodus never happened. Had migrants to the number of even a small fraction of the 600,000 claimed in the Bible truly sojourned in the Sinai Peninsula for 40 years, archaeological evidence of their passage would be abundant. In fact, there are no traces of any signifant group living in the Sinai at the supposed time of the Exodus.
3) The Israelite "conquest" of Canaan, such as there was, was far from the military invasion of the books of Joshua and Judges. Many of the cities described as being conquered and destroyed did not even exist at the time, while those that did were small, unfortified villages, with no walls to be brought down, by blowing trumpets or otherwise.
4) While there is evidence that a historical David existed, and founded some sort of ruling dynasty known by his name, there is good reason to believe that he did not rule over the powerful united monarchy described in II Samuel. One reason for doubt: Jerusalem, portrayed as the great capital of a prosperous nation, was during the time of David little more than a village.
5) Neither Israel nor Judah emerged as organized kingdoms until significantly after the supposed period of the united monarchy. Israel does not appear as a recognizable kingdom until the time of the Omrides of the 9th century BCE, while Judah does not appear as such until the late 8th century BCE, at the time of kings Ahaz and Hezekiah.
Along with their revision of the biblical account of history, Finkelstein and Silberman attempt to explain the origins of the Hebrew Bible, suggesting that the composition of much of the Bible can be tied to the religious agenda of King Josiah of Judah during the late 7th century BCE. While the origins of the Bible will never be known with certainty--there simply isn't enough evidence--Finkelstein and Silberman definitely provide a plausible interpretation.
The authors, as I noted above, do a superb job of making their work understandable to non-specialists; since even college history majors often don't study the ancient Near East, they take care to include sufficient background information for the reader to understand the context of their account. Anyone with an interest in the subject will find "The Bible Unearthed" to be fascinating reading. And anyone who thinks the Bible is an accurate history book should definitely read it.

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Readings from the Ancient Near East: Primary Sources for Old Testament Study (Encountering Biblical Studies) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is good for doing research in Ancient Near Eastern relgions and culture. Not much is given in terms of connection with biblical material, but it's not meant to be. It's a collection of very diverse primary sources that put the Tanakh (Old Testament) into its greater context - Ancient Near Eastern culture. I would recommend it for anyone doing research in that area. Its not as bulky, robust, and expensive as some other source collections, but it still offers a nice array of materials for a good price.

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Essential to a proper understanding of the Old Testament is a knowledge of the political, historical, and theological environment of the ancient Near East. While there is an abundance of material explaining this environment, primary source texts are often unavailable or inaccessible to the beginning Old Testament student.This volume in the Encountering Biblical Studies series fills that void. Readings from the Ancient Near East takes the student through a wide variety of primary source texts from the ancient Near East that illuminate every book of the Old Testament. It is the companion volume to Encountering the Old Testament, coauthored by Bill Arnold and Bryan Beyer.The editors have compiled this volume with the beginning Old Testament student in mind. The selections are intended to move a learner with little or no knowledge of the ancient Near East to a basic understanding of its significant texts and authors.Texts spanning more than two thousand years include Sumerian creation accounts, epic literature from Mesopotamia, cultic ritual texts from Egypt, and prophetic references from Syria. Readings from the Ancient Near East will surely become a standard text for professors, students, pastors, Sunday school teachers, and serious lay readers.

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Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible Review

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(More customer reviews)First off I want to say that I audited a course by the author of this book, and read through the book throughout the semester. It is part of the core curriculum for an M.A. in New Testament or Old Testament Exegesis at Wheaton. I am a pastor who preaches regularly. This book has impacted my entire understanding of the Old Testament in a powerful way.
The logical format of this book gives the reader a simple and effective way to slowly enter into the worldview of ancient people. The author is very good at giving readers hinge concepts to help understand the distinctions between our worldview and their worldview.
The book categorizes ancient near eastern thought into topics that are actually enjoyable to read. Each topic could easily overlap with other topics, and Dr. Walton does a great job of separating the topics without distorting them (in my opinion).
This book tackles thorny issues that separate Evangelicals from Liberals in the land of scholars, without alienating either side of the issue. Walton's premise is that we should abandon the old approaches to Ancient Near Eastern Thought and simply understand what they believed, and how it was different from or the same as Old Testament thought.
One concept that emerges as the book develops is the idea that some Israelite prophets argued for the support of the covenant with God rather than for the reinforcement of the Kings authority (as the prophets of other cultures and sometimes Israeli culture did). This sets Israeli prophets who held to the covenant with God at odds with everyone else who prophecied in Israel and around Israel. Coupled with the exclusiveness of the Jewish religion, and the people soon became alienated from those around them and sometimes from their own religion or people.
Probably the most helpful aspect of this book is his excellent approach to comparative studies without labeling certain parts of the bible as extensions of other cultures or vice versa. His approach, when properly understood, is actually what both sides of the historical divide on this topic ought to be doing. I find it not only full of wisdom, but extremely helpful in preparing sermons from the Old Testament.
A nice companion to this volume is The Bible Background Commentary of the Old Testament. I think that this book shows you how to use the Bible Background Commentaries.
One criticism that I would like to mention is that some of the charts in this book are a bit difficult for me to understand. That's an area that the next edition may have to improve on. However, there are only a few pages like that and the rest of the book is really a very very good summary and introduction to Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament.
Some of the topics he covers include but are by no means limited to:
The Ancient View of the World.
The Ancient view of the heavens.
The Ancient view of Temples
The Ancient view of Omens and Magic.
I think he has around 13 topics in all. This book is well worth reading and if you plan to teach from the Old Testament over the years, you might want to pick up a copy for your personal library. It's packed with helpful references also.


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A Brief History of Ancient Israel Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a short, concise and readable introduction to the history of Jews, from Genesis to Alexander. I want to emphasize that the organization directly considers Israelite history in relation to the content of the Bible. However, Matthews also makes extensive use of recent archaeology data and scholarly papers. This is meant to be an 'up-to-date' history, and in this aspect it succeeds. Reading is aided by several tables to simplify information. I dare say this is the perfect textbook for an impatient student.

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This is a brief history of ancient Israel.

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