Author Description

Many people's image of the Israelites is shaped by the Bible, and in this way ancient Israel seems more familiar than most other ancient nations. But what do we actually know about the lives and beliefs of the early Israelites? How far does the story told by the Bible match the historical and archaeological record? In his survey, beginning in the late thirteenth century B.C. and ending with the catastrophic fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., Ben Isserlin looks at all aspects of Israelite culture, both material and intellectual, and places it within the context of the contemporary Near Eastern world. The book first sets the scene with the geography and history of Israel, its origins and social structure; it then surveys towns and villages, agriculture, industry, and trade, as well as the spiritual world of religion, literature, art, and music. --From publisher's description.