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A passage from the book...In the early Christian centuries thousands turned to the Bible, as drowning men to a life buoy, because it offered them the only way of escape from the intolerable social and moral ills that attended the death pangs of the old heathenism. Then came the Dark Ages, with their resurgent heathenism and barbarism, when the Bible was taken from the hands of the people. In the hour of a nation's deepest humiliation and moral depravity, John Wycliffe, with the aid of a devoted army of lay priests, gave back the Bible to the people, and in so doing laid the foundations for England's intellectual, political and moral greatness. The joy and inspiration of the Protestant Reformers was the rediscovery and popular interpretation of the Bible. In all the great forward movements of the modern centuries the Bible has played a central role. The ultimate basis of our magnificent modern scientific and material progress is the inspiration given to the human race by the Protestant Reformation.Unfortunately, the real meaning and message of the Bible has been in part obscured during past centuries by dogmatic interpretations. The study of the Bible has also been made a solemn obligation rather than a joyous privilege. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Shahak The New Prophet of Israel
I couldn't resist reading this book. My three favorite American intellectuals Noam Chomsky, Edward W. Said and Gore Vidal have in one way or another recommended it. This in itself is high praise.

I find Israel Shahak's book a spring of fresh water in an arid intellectual environment of disinformation, propaganda and outright intellectual intimidation. For me Shahak is in the same mold as Jewish Prophets of old, warning Israel against a new catastrophe.

I do not pretend to the intellectual heights of Shahak.I can only judge the accuracy of the book by comparing it to areas where I do have expertise, namely the history, as it pertains to the Lithuanian, Polish, Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires. The only portion of the book I found lacking was Shahak's knowledge of Petlura's government of Ukraine during the First World War.

When I sent Shahak a short article about Petlura from a Symposium "Ukrainian & Jews" he responded in a letter to me dated June 1, 1999, quote..."I am sorry for my mistake about the regime of Petlura. Your evidence, especially the translated documents, is very persuasive and I accept it. If possible I will change the next editions" Jewish History, Jewish religion" accordingly."...unquote.

I found Shahak's book made me understand portions of the Bible which I had difficulty understanding. It provided the cultural context for an intellectual conundrum that I had in regard to the Old Testament.

The two conundrums are the ethnic cleansing condoned by God of the Canaanites in Deuteronomy and the other was the dialogue between Jesus and the Canaanite women in Mathew 15:21-28, where he replies , quote..."I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."...unquote.

It is only after reading Shahak that I finally understood the unchristian behavior of Jesus. He after all was not a Christian but a Jewish Rabbi, well versed in the Talmud with all of the cultural taboos associated with it in those times. He came to save the Jews and the World. It was Paul (Saul), another well trained Rabbi who brought Jesus' reformed Judaism to the Pagan Mediterranean world and created Christianity.

This book is replete with insights that only and intellect of rigorous and highly developed moral understanding of History could deliver.

A must read.
This book will merit either 5 stars, given by people without an agenda and who care to advance human understanding of the past and its mistakes. Or an obvious 1 (for lack of a 0, by the other end of the spectrum).

Consider that this book was written by an Israeli Jew whose family had lived for generations in a Jewish ghetto in Poland. Prof. Shahak had survived the Holocaust and elected to settle in Israel where he lived out his life. Prof. Shahak, together with historian Ilan Pappe ("The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine") and prof. Shlomo Sand ("The Invention of the Jewish People") are smart, progressive, well-educated members of Israeli academia who understand that the present course of Israeli politics is untenable. These authors are the soul and conscience of humanity that separate and protect us from degenerating into the abyss of the primitive. Perhaps, extinction.

"The Black Book of Communism" makes for a hefty companion book to all of the above titles.

AN EXCELLENT CRITIQUE BY A COURAGEOUS MAN
Shahak is a courageous man for going against the conventional wisdom and speaking out for human rights for all.His eloquent thesis in this book gives him the moral authority to speak out on racism and racial superiority, easily wresting this mantle from the likes of Eli Weasel, whose shrill weasel words of 'Never again!' only apply to Jews.Shahak has the wisdom to understand that the Iraeli state's treatment of non-Jews as 3rd class citizens undermines the legitimacy of the state, which could lead to its dissolution.

A disastrous misinterpretation of Jewish religion
Israel Shahak wanted in fact to be a follower of Karl Popper, the author of "Enemies of the Open Society". But attention! Shahak the intended peace dove changes his personality radically when he becomes Shahak the pamphlet writer. His book with the misleading title "Jewish history, Jewish religion" is nothing but a harsh and crude pamphlet against Jewish religion and identity. According to Shahak, the rabbines are sly control freaks who govern the Jewish community by lies and assasination: Such insinuations are a true gift to fanatical anti-Jews like the "biblebelievers" or Radio Islam, but this book has nothing to convince any reader with academical education. The level is too base, the accusations are too exaggerated, the footnotes are too short to inspire this reader to trust the author. Shahak pretends even that sense of humour is un-Jewish, and he is attempting to prove it by writing this bitter booklet that has no trace of understanding for the positive role of Jewish religion in many peoples' lives. I agree with the late Mr Shahak that Israel should be a multi-ethnical state for all kind of citizens, but I strongly disagree on his way of expressing this goal.

Paranoid Fantasy
Despite its title, this is not a book about three thousand years of Jewish history and religion. There is virtually no historically informative and detailed discussion of biblical history, the Second Commonwealth, the Spanish Inquisition, the Haskalah, the Holocaust or modern Israeli history. To be sure, there is some - generally fictitious - treatment of the development of Rabbinic Judaism. There is also virtually no discussion of Jewish theology or philosophy. To be sure, there is some - again, generally fictitious - treatment of Jewish religious law.
Shahak argues that Jews, and Orthodox Jews in particular, are evil. He claims that their history is not one of persecution but of persecuting. We have here the old motifs of the Jew as both wretched and oppressive, as both thuggish and conniving. Torquemada and Bogdan Chmielnicki emerge as the heroes of the story. There is no positive discussion of Jewish historical figures and the Jewish contribution to ideas and ideals.
Shahak argues that Orthodox Judaism is evil. In particular, he claims that Jewish religious law calls for the oppression of non-Jews and that it is racist and murderous. He also claims, perhaps most bizarrely, that Orthodox Judaism is not monotheistic and that Orthodox Jews worship the devil. There is no discussion of the virtues emphasized by Judaism, kindness, mercy, charity, humility, wisdom and love.
The mean allegations made by the book are available online - at numerous white-supremacist websites. Decisive responses are also readily available online. The book is therefore a waste of money.
This edition includes a new foreword by Ilan Pappe, a radical critic of Israel. One couldn't tell from his criticism here that the Arabs started the 1948 war against Israel, that Israel's leaders were mainly secular socialists, and that Israel allows for more freedom of religion and politics than any of Israel's neighbours do. The book lends no credibility to whatever criticism Israel may or may not deserve.
There are many informative books on Jewish history and religion available from amazon.com. A very popular history is "A History of the Jews" by Paul Johnson. Friendly introductions to Judaism include "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Judaism" by Benjamin Blech and "This is My God" by Herman Wouk.
Shahak is not a reliable authority on Jewish history or religion. His book is a concoction of outrageous fabrications, gross exaggerations and wild misinterpretations. I do not recommend it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A concise and informative history with a balanced point of view.
There are two broad audiences for histories of the Old Testament period in Israel: those who want to know the archaeology and those who want to know the history as it is depicted in the Bible.Now, there are a wide range of books for those audiences.Some take a delight in debunking the Bible, while others are respectful of it while presenting honest archaeology, while others ignore archaeology (or make very selective use of it) and discuss only what is in the Bible.This book is in the middle category.The editor and the various authors clearly do not regard the history of Israel as presented in the Bible as authoritative or terribly accurate.They do not go out of their way to attack the Bible, but use it as a only a small part of a larger scientific framework of examining Israel's history.

As a believer in the Bible, I would like to reassure those who still would like to know what archaeology has to say, that they can read this book and not lose their faith.Not because the book doesn't challenge some of the beliefs readers of the Bible might have, but because faith and science measure and discuss different things.In my view, knowing what honest examination of history tells us can enrich what we know from the Bible.We also don't need to worry about what God has told his prophets because of what someone without faith has thought up.We can consider and examine everything without having to set our faith aside.Ignoring history out of fear is, I believe, more damaging and a poor witness of our faith.

This book covers the period from the time of Abraham through the destruction of the second temple by the Romans.The period from the Greeks through the Romans is not covered in the King James Bible, so for those unfamiliar with the gap of several centuries from Malachi to the opening of the New Testament, this book is particularly helpful.

You will find this book to be readable, balanced, thoughtful, and informative.There are many useful pictures, diagrams, maps, and footnotes.I found the discussion the range of thought about historical events and how some theories were developed and why discovery favors some approaches over others to be fascinating.I am glad that I have this on my library shelf.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
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Customer Reviews (8)

A must for anyone who has an interest in Israel
A must for anyone who has an interest in Israel - Martin Gilbert is an outstanding Historian and has put together a collection of materials from a historical perspective which brings alive to the reader the History of Modern Israel, becoming a nation and many of those that supported it. Whether young or old, a casual observer or a dedicated historian, this book is for you!

The Story of Israel
This is a book the likes of which I have never seen before.There are facsimile documents embedded in pockets on the pages which show the history of how Israel came to be.Although not being Jewish, I highly recommend this book for everyone interested in this subject, especially in today's situation.

Thin on history, thick on supplements - a sort of glitzy souvenir
Crammed full of pictures, pull out supplements, careful facsimiles of letters, posters, diaries and the Balfour declaration - there is much here to stir the interest. If you had hoped for some ground breaking research from the author or some new insights into Jewish history though I think as I was you'll be largely disappointed. More suitable for internet savvy (concentration challenged) teenagers and would be tourists to Israel than students of Middle Eastern history - though it has some value for the latter too.
I'd strongly recommend his other works, especially the map atlases, if you want a detailed objective introduction to the 'glory of all lands', as the prophets describe his subject.

amazing one-of-a-kind depiction of Israel
This is an amazing resource for those who are interested in knowing the history of the estabalishment of the State of Israel. A unique pictorial and textual display of original artifacts, documents and descriptions.

STORY OF ISRAEL
THE BOOK WENT FAR BEYOND MY EXPECTATIONS - IT IS A GREAT BOOK THAT IS WONDERFUL AS A GIFT. ... Read more

Product Description
One of Italy's foremost experts on antiquity addresses a new issue surrounding the birth of Israel and its historic reality. Many a tale has been told of ancient Israel, but all tales are alike in their quotation of the biblical story in its narrative scheme, despite its historic unreliability. This book completely rewrites the history of Israel through the evaluation of textual and literary critiques as well as archaeological and epigraphic findings. Conceived along the lines of modern historical methodology, it traces the textual material to the times of its creation, reconstructs the temporal evolution of political and religious ideologies, and firmly inserts the history of Israel into its ancient-oriental context. Mario Liverani teaches the History of the Ancient Near East at the University of Rome 'La Sapienz'. He is Lincei Academic and honorary member of the American Oriental Society. He is the coordinator of the archaeological expedition in the Acacus (Libyan Sahara). He has published Ancient Orient (1991), War and Diplomacy in the Ancient Orient (1994), Uruk: The First City (1998), and Myth and Politics in Ancient Near Eastern Historiography (2004, Equinox/Cornell UP). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Much to be gleaned from a moderate viewpoint
Though historically skeptical and reads the historical texts of the Bible to uncover ideological bias, the combination of Liverani's expertise in ANE background combined with setting Israel in the context of the larger world (esp. the sixth century BC) sets this history apart, and much insight can be gathered here. ... Read more

Product Description
The Case for Israel is an ardent defense of Israel's rights, supported by indisputable evidence.

• Presents a passionate look at what Israel's accusers and detractors are saying about this war-torn country.
• Dershowitz accuses those who attack Israel of international bigotry and backs up his argument with hard facts.
• Widely respected as a civil libertarian, legal educator, and defense attorney extraordinaire, Alan Dershowitz has also been a passionate though not uncritical supporter of Israel.

Customer Reviews (180)

Depressing Falsehoods
This book I actually found quite depressing. Dershowitz is simply profiteering from echoing US media (which is in no way comprehensive and questionable in terms of its actual journalistic content) and selling it to people. He is simply a plagarist.

He says that Ariel Sharon offered Yasser Arafat statehood for the Palestinians, if 15% of the land was ceded to Israel. Palestinians would not be allowed control of their airspace, borders of their most valuable natural resource, water. It would also not give rights to Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland. Many of the settlements would stay, AND the 15% of land they gave up would insure Israel would be in full control of Palestine through and infrastructure of roads and strategic military bases. Now, forgive me for this: What type of Prime Minister/President would accept this as a deal for his people, and give away his country's biggest resource for land that he could call a state, but wouldn't be a functioning one!!? This would not have been a dismemberment of the occupation but a re-organisation, a cutesy spring-time cleaning in the Sharon residence, as he probably seen it.

Then Dershowitz says that Arafat started the intifada! Well, that simply wasn't the case. The Intifada started, as Sharon had orchestrated because he visited one of Islam's most revered shrines, which is also a holy place for Christians and Jewish people. He had with him hundreds of guards, ready to incite anger, prefectly timed for CNN just a few hours later.

And in the past few years, when Dershowitz and the rest tell you that there have many periods of time of "relative calm" in the Middle East, it means that no Israelis have died, which is obviously something we should be thankful for. But, Palestinians die or are murdered every, single, day. 'Relative calm/relative quiet' is ridiculous. It's clinical speak. I mean, even Israeli media, such as the Ha'aretz newspaper, are more critical of the Israeli government than this man, and they live in the thick of it!

This man is simply profiteering, and this book is a shameful waste of trees.

Good but not great....
I read this book years ago and it seemed then, and now, to be a "sitting on the fence" perspective. Much of the book was taken from a much better and more documented work by a Liberal Democrat from the Carter Administration named Joan Peters: "From Time Immemorial".However, it must be noted, in today's ever dumbed down anti-Israel, a-historical, pro-"Palestinian" mythological religio-political realpolitik schema; Peter's book would be considered "Right Wing" extremism.I state this ill thought out and overly promulgated label for Ms. Peters work because it outlines the factually correct, although politically incorrect, history of Israel, Palestine in particular and the role of Pan-Arabism and Islam itself in, not only the Arab-Israel/Jewish conflict but also within the historical make up of the Middle East of non-Muslims living under the vale of Islam.Bat Ye'or is another author that is, and must be, considered an authority on the subject of "dhimmitude" as well as the history and of the Islamic Jihad expansionism into the Levant, fall of Constantinople in 1453 and ending of the Byzantine Christian Empire,Egypt,Mesopotamia,Persia,Hindustan,the Maghrab and Spain.Her works: "The Dhimmi", "The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam: From Jihad to Dhimmitude : Seventh-Twentieth Century" outline in detail the base of Islamic history as it relates to the fall, or "submitting" of "Dar al-Harb" from the 7th century, and with her book "Eurabia", today.I too must suggest the works of both Ibn Warraq, Walid Shoebat and Robert Spencer to outline the highly misunderstood theo-political schema and jurisprudence of Islam as a political and legal construct as it relates to Islamic history itself. Another very important author I must strongly recommend is that of Andrew Bostom whose works: "Legacy of Jihad" and "Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism" which outlines both the history and theo-political jurisprudence of the Islamic pillar: Jihad especially as it relates to Islam's expansion into numerous non-Islamic lands, largely extinguishing peoples, cultures, languages and faiths in its wake.Bostom's work on Islamic Antisemitism outlines the base of Jew hatred - and hatred and distrust of the "infidel" in general - via the use of Islamic texts themselves backed by the interpretation of Islam's greatest Imam.The last author I strongly recommend, has nothing specifically related to the Arab-Israel conflict, but does provide the - highly comparable - base for the Arab-Hindu conflict which one never considers, never heard of and is also highly misunderstood: Kishori Saran Lal - "Legacy of Muslim Rule in India", "Theory and Practice of a Muslim State in India" and "Muslim Slave System in Medieval India" amongst many other fabulously documented works.

I would strongly too recommend the reader find a base in Jewish History as it specifically relates to the Holocaust to understand that by the 1930's a Jewish State in Jewish Mandated Palestine was well underway and not an outcome of the Holocaust although it did produce a major role in post WW2 political history and relations with the Arabs who, as past and future holds, in partnership with the Nazis, Fascists and the Ustashi in Croatia.Some very worthy books include: "While Six Million Died", "Genocide in Satellite Croatia", "The Transfer Agreement", "Years of Wrath Days of Glory", "Perfidy" and even "They Must Go" by the so-called "radical rabbi" Meir Kahane.The base laid within the works of the aforementioned authors which allows for any to truly understand both the religious, historical and political aspect of Jewish history, Islamic history and the modern re-birth - and problems therein - of the Modern State of Israel.In closing, all of the aforementioned are truly more worthy than Dershy's "Case" as he tends to jump comparatively speaking between the political apology via reparations for blacks in America, which no white, asian, jew, arab, hispanic or black themselves had anything whatsoever dealings with catering to this mythological non-entity known, for purely political purposes as "The Palestinian People". Dershy neglects to state, really anything of the history of the Arab Muslims living in the Levant - Palestine - especially never attending to the very poignant fact Palestine was never a country, state or nation throughout the entirety of this Earth's long history. Ergo any "nationality" is purely a-historical. A myth predicated on a lie.Some additional books of high importance are "The Arab Mind", "The Arab Lobby", "Myths and Facts", "Battleground", "The Oslo Syndrome", "Fabricating Israel History", "History Upside Down", "The Legal Foundation and Borders of Israel Under International Law", "The Nazi Connection" and lastly both "A History of the Jews" and "Modern Times" by Paul Johnson.If you get this book for 25 cents at a book fair, fabulous but don't waste your hard earned.Best...

more crap from the least moral lawyer in support of the least moral nation...
As a Jew I am offended by the fallacies of this nonsense. To take it apart bit by bit would waste more time than I did reading this crap. Does this guy have any shame? Boycott this blow-hard and all of his hate toting nonsense. This is lies and ignorance, fear mongering and hatred.

Extremely helpful book in understanding the Middle East conflict.
Wow what an eye opener. This is a great book. The author Professor Alan Dershowitz, is not only a firm supporter of Israel's right for existence but also a stern critic on Israel's foreign policies. He is by no means bias.I really hope this great work should be required reading in countering scores of Pro Palestinian literature in college campuses.

We Sure Weren't Taught This In Public School!
This book by Alan Dershowitz, a Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, is one of a pair of books that take a close and serious look at the longstanding Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as the accusations leveled against Israel in particular. As an attorney, Dershowitz writes this first book, titled "The Case for Israel," with the drama and precision of a moving courtroom case. He opens his remarks with a detailed and penetrating analysis of the issues that fuel the continuing wars in the Middle East, identifying the players, actions, reactions, accusations and the accused--Israel. The following is a summary quote from Dershowitz:

"The Jewish nation of Israel stands accused in the dock of international justice. The charges include being a criminal state, the prime violator of human rights, the mirror-image of Nazism, and the most intransigent barrier to peace in the Middle East. Throughout the world--from the chambers of the United Nations, to the campuses of universities--Israel is singled out for condemnation, divestment, boycott, and demonization. Its leaders are threatened with prosecution as war criminals. Its supporters are charged with dual loyalty and parochialism."

As clearly indicated by the title of this book, Dershowitz poses as the defense attorney advocating for the nation of Israel. Not surprisingly, he chooses a unique format for his presentation. Each chapter opens with THE ACCUSATION, followed by THE ACCUSERS, using specific quotes from the most well-known and vocal anti-Israel antagonist, then what Dershowitz views as THE REALITY, a brief, summary, and finally follows this with an extremely detailed presentation of his evidence (including historical maps, quoted documents, witness testimonies, and historic statements made by Arabs) against the accusations and accusers in a section Dershowitz calls THE PROOF.

I found this format to be an extremely efficient and effective way to present his case. Surprisingly, Dershowitz relies heavily on materiel found in anti-Israel writers like historian Benny Morris and antagonists Edward Said and Noam Chomsky. Unlike many other authors on this subject, Dershowitz presents his case for Israel first in an historical context, going back to the 19th Century, and even covering relevant details from ancient Arab-Jewish history.

Dershowitz presents his case using 32 questions like "Have the Jews Always Rejected the Two-State Solution?", "Did Israel Create the Arab Refugee Problem?", Has Israel Made Serious Efforts at Peace?" and "Why Have More Palestinians Than Israelis Been Killed?" for example. He goes into such detail that, even though most of the chapters are relatively short (10-12 pages), the reader must not breeze through the information. The book is well written and guaranteed to provide the reader with a history lesson, one I'm sure you definitely didn't hear in high school or college. If history isn't your forte, staying with the historical context in this book is important and may make the author's conclusions very enlightening. I studied the Balfour Declaration (resolution) in school, but never like this.

Dershowitz does not hesitate to fault Israel when the evidence calls for criticism. On the other hand, he also provides impressive evidence of the misinformation that has replaced the actual history of the Arab campaign to eliminate Israel, using the Palestinians as a constant point of agitation and terrorism.

Most of the quoted material and cited references are included in an extensive End Notes section for those of you who are fact checkers. At the end of each chapter, Dershowitz also includes a brief summary of the question and issues covered. He includes his closing remarks in a 23-page summation at the end of the book.

There were a number of historical facts that Dersowitz brought out that I found very interesting. One was that the Arab nations, including the Palestinians, allied themselves with defeated Germany in both WWI and WWII. In WWII, the Palestinian leader Haj Amin al-Husseini visited Germany requesting Hitler expand his "Final Solution" to include all Jews in Arab/Muslim nations. Curiously, after Germany was defeated and Palestine was reapportioned by the Balfour Declaration, providing Israel the opportunity to immigrate in greater number after the war, the Arab nations (including Palestinians) stepped up their terrorism, complaining how unfair the reapportionment was. As a veteran myself of several wars, the old adage should have been obvious here that "To the victor go the spoils."

A second fact I, for whatever reason, was not aware of was that since the late 19th Century, Israel has, time after time, agreed to give back valuable land (their security buffer) in exchange for a permanent peace with the Palestinians. In every case, the Palestinians and surrounding Arab nations have rejected a permanent peace with Israel. Surprisingly, in 2002, Israel offered an amazing and unprecedented number of options for peace, but Arafat walked away, shocking then President Clinton, other Arab nations and even the Palestinians, preferring instead to continue the terrorist jihad toward the complete inhalation of the Jews.

I have noted that quite a number of reviewers have simply dismissed this book, calling Dershowitz bias. After reading such comments I suppose that it must have eluded these reviewer's attention that this book was written from the viewpoint of a legal advocate for Israel and against anti-Semitism. Therefore, focusing criticism on their opinion of Dershowitz and not an honest analysis of his evidence is, in my opinion, not a valid argument.

Dershowitz makes it clear very early that he supports a Two-State (Palestinian-Israel) solution. I'm surprised that after writing this book he can conclude that there can even be a peaceful solution. His own evidence proves that the Arab-Muslim world is and has been for centuries interested in only a solution that involves the elimination of Israel as a State and the subjugation or complete eradication of the Jews as a people-group. How can he think a side-by-side, collocation of Israel and the Palestinian Authority would be successful and not result in continued death and terrorism? This is an excellent book, but, unfortunately, Professor Dershowitz is more than just a wishful-thinking optimist, he's a true dreamer.

I clearly appreciated the effort Dershowitz put into this book. Although I don't agree with some of his solutions and found his zeal and passion for Israel clouded his logic in places, I still don't think I've read a better and more interesting book on this subject. I also plan to read a book by historian Benny Morris to balance my viewpoint.

For those who want to read a well-written defense of Israel's history and their right to exist as a national entity, this book is recommended. For those who are not interested or simply can't honestly consider the other side of the coin, this book will only infuriate you and the hard evidence will probably just cause your head to explode. Read it if you care; read it if you dare.
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Product Description

Since its foundation, the state of Israel has endured almost constant violence. Israel's Wars is a fascinating and essential insight into the turbulent history of this troubled country.

From the 1947–8 Jewish-Palestinian struggle for mastery of the land of Palestine to the on-going Al-Aqsa intifada and the second Lebanon war, this book exposes hitherto unknown facts, including details of secret Soviet involvement in inciting the 1967 Six Day War, Israeli bombing of the American warship the USS Liberty, and Israeli assassinations of leading Palestinians during the Al-Aqsa intifada.

Now with additional maps and photographs, this new edition is fully updated throughout. It includes a new section on the second Lebanon war, and a fully revised and updated section on the Al-Aqsa intifida, both of which feature exclusive, previously unpublished material.

Customer Reviews (4)

Well done recapitulation with astonishing insights
This book gives an overview of Israel`swars with the Palestinians and Arabs. It starts with the 1947-1948 struggle between Palestinians and Jews for possession and mastery of the land of Israel. The author calls this land Palestine which is an indication to where his sympathies go. Then it goes till the confrontations between 1987, 1993 and 2000 Intifada clashes. Then there were the wars with the arabian neighbours, such as in the years 1948, 1956, 1967, 1968-1970, 1973 and 1982.
But besides that the book is also about the people of Israel, a nation-in-arms, who are, as it is often said soldiers in eleven months annual leave. By looking at more than five decades of conflict it is visible that the Israelis, in spite of tremendous difficulties, have for many years demonstrated an extraordinairy willingness to carry the burden, pay high taxes, endure long military service, and fight both in wars and betweeen them.
But the author shows also that after the Six days war 1967 the population in Israel became more critical of their leadership, dissent grew, and there was also a pronounced tendency to reject the idea that preparations for war need always be at the expense of social services and justify indifference towards domestic problems. Yet the Israelis remained loyal to their leadership, always rallying behind it in times of war.
The turning point however seemed to have come duroing the 1982 war in Lebanon when, for the first time in Israel`s history, national solidarity showed signs of breakdown. The decline in the motivation of Israelis to fight such wars gathered pace and reached a peak during the Intifada, the Palestinain revolt in the occupied territories between 1987 and 1993.
This book is more than just a chronicle of the events. There are examinations of how the ongoings were operated and for what reasons. It is sometimes more about politics and less about the events on the battlefield. These in fact cover only a lesser part of the book. But this gives the book a wider scope and deeper insight into the proceedings. It is going beyond the task of a narrative or description, it comments and explains. And the bias is clearly not pro Israel. I found it rather balanced with a touch of an uncritical approach to the Palestinain side of the medal.
The book contains the striking revelation of Sadats right-hand-man, who was at the same time an agent of the Mossad. He carried a major responsibility of the Yom Kippur war, not known untill our times. This is embarrassing to know that sometimes one single person can push the button of serious results even for whole nations!The author has met many who had taken part in making history and got information from first hand.
It is interesting to read how the wars and the threat of assult and destruction melted the Jews from different countries together to one nation, to one society, to one Israeli organism. It made them rally round the flag and their leadership. But the author also shows that Israel experienced a shift from collective ideals and priorities to individual ones. While the early generation of Israelis - the builders and founders of the state - possessed an ideological sense of mission and took it for granted that the state came before the welfare of the individual, the younger generation saw things differently.
For them, individual priorities often seemed more important than collective ones, and in contrast to their parents they were motivated by their individual achievments rather trhan by patriotic values. The perception of a decreased external threat, the disappearance of the Holocaust generation and a shift from colective ideals and priorities to individual ones, resulted in the emergence of a more confident Israel nation, less fearful for ist existence and les traumatized and haunted by its past. Do they lose their awareness? Has the threat really decreased? This can be doubted. A look out on Iran and the growing anti-Israel front in the West augures mischief in the near future. This book shows: Israe`s existence is on fragile grounds.
This book is a well-done recapitualtion of the history of Israel`s wars from the view of a journalist. It is recommandable for all those who want to start their apporach to the theme with an unemotional overview.

Isra'el's Wars
Ahron Bregman provided a superbly written account of Isra'el's trials and tribulations, ranging from the Zionist movement to its latest intervention in Lebanon.A must read for historians and history lovers alike.

Top Flight Introduction.
A subtitle for this book could have been, "Just the Action Please," because that's exactly what these 200+ pages contain. For slightly ignorant readers like this reviewer, Israel's Wars fills us in about a nation's history with clear and unbiased prose. As a matter of fact, I think that objectivity is almost as much a point in Bregman's favor as is brevity. The author gives us an outline from which we can fill in specific events at a later time (with the aid of single theme books). I had no idea before opening it just how much the 1982 Invasion of Lebanon was a turning point in Israel's history, and just how conflicted were the decisions of Ariel Sharon. One longs to go back in time and cancel out the occupation of Gaza as it has brought so much misery to everyone involved. At any rate, Israel's War is a magnificent introduction to a fascinating subject.

Quick Introductory Read to Arab-Israeli Wars
Israel's Wars by Ahron Bregman is a quick introductory reading on all the Arab-Israeli conflicts that happened since the creation of the Jewish state in 1948. It's well-written, and straight to the point. It focuses on the most important events of each conflict (in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982 and the recent Intifadas of the 80-90s and 2000s). Obviously it does not cover the recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict since the book was written before.

Although Bergman is a former Israeli army captain, I did not find any pro-Israeli bias in the book. In fact you would not know it is written by an Israeli if you did not know the author. It is written in a journalistic style, and the author does not make moral judgments. In fact, the author is quite fair and extend on the plight of Palestinians in the last 30 years, and he also debunks the myth that Israel resisted against all odds in 1948. Although vastly outnumbered numerically by Arabs, Bergman shows that numbers does not convey the exact reality on the field.

A note of caution: if you are an experienced reader of Middle East conflicts, this book won't show you anything. It's aimed to a public that don't know much about Arab-Israeli conflicts and want to learn more about the different wars without having to read a 1,000 pages book. It is also not going into details regarding Middle East politics and society. For example, the whole period between the Yom Kippour war and the Lebanon invasion is basically skipped by the author. It focuses really on the conflicts themselves. I found the last part about the Intifadas a bit weak, as if the author struggled to define and make sense of such a low-intensity conflict without any direction or purpose other than expressing the rage of the Palestinians on one hand and the inability of the Israelis to solve the issue on the other.

So overall, it's good enough introductory book about the Arab-Israeli conflicts.

... Read more

Product Description
Exactly how did the Israelites cross the desert? How did Moses cross the Red Sea? How did Joshua take Jericho, and how did the sun appear to stand still at the Ayjllon Valley? No one has ever analyzed the Bible as a military history Gabriel provides the first attempt at a continuous historical narrative of the military history of ancient Israel. He begins with a military analysis of Exodus, an unprecedented and hugely significant contribution to Exodus Studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Richly interesting scholarship
This is richly interesting scholarship conveyed by a writer, Richard A. Gabriel, in full command of reader-friendly expository techniques.Those who tacitly see history as a cultural weapon, archaeological and otherwise, to promote politically correct or pacifist ideas will find little succor in Gabriel's smash-through-to-the-truth style.Not that Gabriel doesn't speculate to help us sort through possible interpretive hypotheses.

Gabriel's approach argues for a more comprehensive reading of the Old Testament than is often allowed.As if invoking the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, Gabriel argues that our interpretive filter either allows us to see or not see a particular focus: "To regard the Bible as a religious text makes it difficult to regard it as a military text, for if one accepts the text as describing miraculous events, one will likely be blinded to the text as military history."Is light a wave or a particle?Both, we answer, but not necessarily at the same time.

While Gabriel respects the Bible as primarily a religious text, he lets the reader know that his purpose is to reveal the military background, including "logistics, tactics, manpower, fortifications, command and control, weapons and weapons manufacture, troop leadership, and military strategy." Readers will never feel that Gabriel is doing anything more than illuminating what the writers of the Old Testament have already put there.To respect their intentions, the sacred and divine should best be read in the context of war and military defense.

It "has been customary to regard Israelite military history as beginning with Joshua and the conquest of Canaan," Gabriel argues, but "when the text is read only as military history, it turns out that Exodus contains a wealth of information heretofore not addressed by military historians that sheds considerable light on the military capabilities of the Israelites before the assault on Canaan."

The reader never feels that Gabriel's research is in the service of any strings-attached ideological master.Only the gullible few will accept government-sponsored "scholarship" in any field as being the vanguard, tenure-seeking academics excused for obvious reasons.

Yes, I respect Gabriel's battlefield savvy obtained from persevering biblical research--and his combat experience during the war in Vietnam. The value of this book can also be glimpsed while watching his well-done "Bible Battles" program on the History Channel, available through Amazon.

Ignores the last 35 years of archaeological study
The author unquestionably accepts the Biblical Exodus or Conquest theory about the development of ancient Isreal that has been rejected by almost every scholar since the 1920's.He then adds his own speculation on top of this mythical foundation.The result is a string of rather silly assumptions that add absolutely nothing to the study of this comlex subject.In fairness it would make a great script for a movie if only Steve Reeves were around to appear in it. ... Read more

Product Description
Every school and public library should update its resources on the history of Israel with this engagingly written and succinct narrative history from biblical times through 1997. This readable history, based on the most recent scholarship, provides a chronological narrative that examines the political, religious, and social components of Israel's turbulent history. A thorough examination of the events from the Six Day War of 1967 through the struggle for peace in 1997 is of special interest. The work provides a timeline of events in the history of Israel, biographical sketches of key figures in Israeli history, and an annotated bibliography of books of interest to students and general readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fast , but Detailed
The book begins with a very useful timeline of significant events, one the reader frequently refers to during the course of reading.The timeline is followed by a prologue of encyclopedic trivia such as geography, demographics, resources, and social-political data.Next is a bare-bones survey of the period 1000 B.C.E. to the early twentieth century C.E.The reader is quickly introduced to the Diaspora, the occupations of Palestine (Babylonian, Greek, Roman, Arab Moslem, Turkish Moslem, British) the origins of Sephardic (Spanish) and Azhkenazic (Germanic) Jews, the Old and New Yishuv (Palestine Jewish community), the new political Zionism (which the author claims sprouted from the Dreyfus Trial) and first major Jewish migrations (Aliyoth).During the early twentieth century, World War I and the overthrow of the czar shape events in Palestine, and Britain's involvement in the fate of Palestine becomes extensive.All of this complex history is summarily covered in the first one third of the book, in preparation for moving on to much more detailed explorations in chapters dedicated to the Holocaust, the birth of the Israeli State (which came into being instantly at war with Egypt, Trans-Jordan, Syria, and Iraq), the growth years up to 1966, the Six-Day War, the Yom-Kippur War and post-war period, the Likud (right wing) accession to power and the Egyptian/Israeli (Camp David) peace accord, the "National Unity" party years of uncertainty 1983-1992, and finally, the Oslo peace process and subsequent election of Benyamin Netanyahu in 1996.
This book, while seemingly short at 198 pages, is organized much like an academic text, and demands careful reading and considerable time for thorough review and assimilation.With numerous subtitles in each chapter, some of which head only brief paragraphs, the book seemed fragmented at times.But the reviewer is not insinuating alternatives for better format or organization.There are so many important details to consider, it was perhaps best that discretely significant events were clearly identified.
After a whirlwind survey of ancient Palestine, the author's familiarity and comfort with nineteenth century history is reflected in a relatively lengthier exposition of that period.As events resulting from the new Zionist movement began to spiral ever faster in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the reader senses the author slowing down even further to present necessarily greater detail.It seemed to the layman reviewer that no significant event has been omitted from this history.It is all here, including, in addition to the chapters noted above, the kibbutz movement, the Balfour Declaration, the British Mandate and White Paper, radical Zionist terrorism, Ben-Gurion's 1948 proclamation of Israeli independence, the roots and history of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the first Israeli Sinai occupation, Israeli-Jordanian co-operation, Munich, Entebbe, the Achille Lauro, the Lebanese refugee camp massacre, the Intifada, and the Rabin assassination.The volume concludes with a section of "Notable People in the History of Israel."
While history speaks for itself, the author's interpretations clearly exhibit a bias one might expect from a person of his religious background (Jewish).It is significant that the extensive bibliography, while well done with descriptive annotation, contains not even a single reference to an identifiably Arabic source.Also, the list of notable persons does not include any of those who might be classified as �anti-Israeli.�
Ultimately, the author succeeds in providing the reader with a coherent description of pertinent events leading up to the present day situation in Israel/Palestine.The logarithmic increase in detail level provides enough understanding of ancient Palestine to prepare the reader for the ever-quickening cavalcade of events to occur in the twentieth century.Finally, it is worth noting that the author simply lays out the history without including any personal opinion as to possible solutions to the ongoing (Arab/Israeli) Palestine conflict.
This book is remarkably detailed, given its length.Perhaps a somewhat closer examination of ancient Palestine may have been helpful, but certainly not mandatory.It is a concise history that provides reasonable understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian-Arab dispute, so long as the reader is alert to separate the author's recognizable shadings.The entire history of Palestine is intricately woven within the larger study of world civilization, not the least of which occurred during the early twentieth century and the series of events leading up to the birth of the State of Israel.This work will benefit anyone who would like to gain a basic understanding of both the underlying causes of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the reasons why solutions are so frustratingly illusive.

"Hubris"
I have read only a portion of "The History of Israel," not for lack of interest but for lack of time.I cannot judge the con-tents as to their accuracy.But I will say that I am put off by the title. Every historian knows that there is no such thing as "The History," there is only "A History," reflecting the author's point of view. The "historian" that wrote this book is guilty of hubris. Nothing more needs be said.

short but well-done
THE GOOD: well written, primarily focused on 1800's to the present, short enough to prevent brain-freeze, but in depth enough to satisfy.

THE BAD: there was no mention of the 1972 Munich Olypics terrorist massacre.

THE UGLY: Blumberg gives not only numerous cases of Arab terroristr activity, but Jewish violence against Arabs and the British, as well, which of course opened up the floodgates of Brit retaliation, with great amounts of flogging and hanging. I'm glad to see the human race is so well on the way to getting along with one another... ... Read more

Product Description

'An unusual and compelling insight into Jewish history... sheer detail and breadth of scale' BBC History Magazine

This newly revised and updated edition of Martin Gilbert’s Atlas of Jewish History spans over four thousand years of history in 154 maps, presenting a vivid picture of a fascinating people and the trials and tribulations which have haunted their story.

The themes covered include:

• Prejudice and Violence- from the destruction of Jewish independence between 722 and 586 BC to the flight from German persecution in the 1930s. Also covers the incidence of anti-semitic attacks in the Americas and Europe.
• Migrations and Movements- from the entry into the promised land to Jewish migration in the twenty- first century, including new maps on recent emigration to Israel from Europe and worldwide.
• Society, Trade and Culture- from Jewish trade routes between 800 and 900 to the situation of world Jewry in the opening years of the twenty- first century.
• Politics, Government and War- from the Court Jews of the fifteenth century to the founding and growth of the modern State of Israel.

This new edition is also updated to include maps showing Jewish museums in the United States and Canada, and Europe, as well as American conservation efforts abroad. Other topics covered in this revised edition include Jewish educational outreach projects in various parts of the world, and Jews living under Muslim rule. Forty years on from its first publication, this book is still an indispensible guide to Jewish history.

Customer Reviews (9)

Informative!
This Atlas is easy to read yet very informative of the entire history concerning the Jewish people and the world history that comes into contact with God's chosen people.

An outline of the history of the Jews from Ur to the modern State of Israel
This fascinating Atlas traces the history of the Jewish people, from the early Jewish migration from Ur to Canaan, in about 2000 BC, up to developments in the modern State of Israel.
He traces the migration of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt back to the Promised Land, and the conquest of the Promised Land by the Israelites, the whereabouts of the Twelve Tribes of Ancient Israel, the kingdoms of David and Solomon 1000 to 925 BC, as well as the destruction of Jewish independence by the Assyrians and Babylonians and the subsequent deportations and dispersions of the Israelites.
The book shows us maps revealing the Hasmonean Kingdom and the Jewish revolts against Roman Rule.
Gilbert outlines the development of ancient Jewish communities in Iraq, Persia, India and China, as well as Europe, the persecutions, pogroms, expulsions and different places of settlements of the Jews throughout the world.
The book deals with some lesser known facts such as the whereabouts of the Karaite Jews, 10 000 of whom were murdered by the Nazis in Crimea, in 1943, the fact that in 1805 Napoleon formed a Jewish battalion that fought at Waterloo, while in 1799 the Jews of Jerusalem joined the Turks in preparing to defend the city, and in 1812, the Jews of Russia, supported their Russian overlords against Napoleon, as they feared that Napoleon's liberalization would be a threat to their orthodoxy.
A fascinating map shows the possible whereabouts of the ten lost Tribes of Israel, and the intriguing possibility that their descendants could include the Ibos of Nigeria, the Masai Tribe of East Africa, the Berbers of North Africa, the Khazars, the Bnei Menashe of Eastern
India, the Karens of Burma, and the Shinadai Tribe of Japan.
Other maps show the development of Jewish life in the Americas, Jewish military activity from from 1794 to 1967, the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel, the numbers of Jews in Europe at the outbreak of World War II, and those that perished in the Holocaust, the numbers of Jews who fled Europe for Palestine, during the Holocaust, Jewish resistance against Nazis persecution in Europe, and against Arab pogroms in Palestine, and Israel's War of Independence in 1948, the Suez War of 1956 and the Six Day war of 1967, describing the balance on the eve of that war of Arab and Israeli forces:
The total Arab strength was 547 000 troops, 2 504 tanks and 957 combat aircrafts, while Israel's strength consisted of 264 000 troops, 800 tanks and 300 Combat aircrafts.
While the author is correct about persecution in Europe, of the Jews, by Christians, he underestimates and does not fully describe the many massacres and pogroms against Jews in Moslem-ruled lands, as well as the severe dhimmni status under which they lived.
Nevertheless Gilbert succeeds, in illustrating the vast panorama of the Jewish people, through the ages.
He makes obscure periods in Jewish history better known, if only in outline, leaving the reader the task of embarking on deeper research.
Finally the book leaves the reader amazed at the endurability of a people who survived thousands of years of hostility and attempts to destroy it, and were gathered together once again in their ancient homeland, having to defend their homeland against 100 million Arabs, and a very large chunk of hostile world opinion.

Superb, Need This for All Religions and for the IDEAS
This is one of three atlases I am reviewing today, but instead of reviewing the twelve or so in my library, a couple of which I did long ago, I am creating a list of atlases as substantive visualization of inquality and relative status.

The other two I am reviewing:
The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World: Completely Revised and Updated
The Water Atlas: A Unique Visual Analysis of the World's Most Critical Resource

General comment: I remove one star from all atlases I am reviewing for the same generic reasons:

1)Each volume lacks an overview, in the case of women, "the difference women make."You will not find in this volume the fact that the single best investment for any charitable or foreign assistance dollar is in the education of a woman--from that follows all else that is good in society.

2)Each volume lacks a website where one can rapidly "see" changes for any given chart, or compare and contrast different charts.These atlases, regardless of publisher, are "state of the art" visualization for the INDUSTRIAL era, not the information era.

3)The publishers are not keeping the publications up to date.This one, for example, by Penguin, is copyrighted 2003.All of these need ANNUAL updates as well as a live interactive website where women can interact, add data, and generally create new value from an end-user perspective.

Wish list: that the publishers come together and agree to work together to create a series of atlases on the ten threats and twelve core policy areas, that I list below for convenience.

Ten threats from A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility--Report of the Secretary-General's High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change [LtGen Dr. Brent Scowcroft, USAF (Ret) as USA representative):

- Poverty
- Infectious Disease
- Environmental Degradation
- Inter-State Conflict
- Civil War
- Genocide
- Other Atrocities
- Profileration
- Terrorism
- Transnational Crime

Twelve policies (of my own making, after studying the Mandates for Leadership from the last 4-5 presidential campaigns in USA):

+ Agriculture
+ Diplomacy
+ Economy
+ Education
+ Energy
+ Family
+ Health
+ Immigation/Emigration
+ Justice
+ Security
+ Society
+ Water

Concluding comment: Peter Drucker said, writing in Forbes ASAP on 28 August 1998, that we have spent 50 years on the T in IT, and now need to spend 50 years on the I in IT.Visualization such as this book provided, but interactive and connected to both "true costs" and to real-world budgets at all levels of governance across all organizations (government, corporate, non-profit).

Other notable atlases of great import:
The Penguin Atlas of War and Peace: Completely Revised and UpdatedOxford Atlas of the World, 14th Edition
Zones of Conflict: An Atlas of Future Wars
The State of the Middle East: An Atlas of Conflict and Resolution
An Atlas of Poverty in America: One Nation, Pulling Apart, 1960-2003
Color Atlas of Diseases and Disorders of Cattle
The Atlas of Endangered Peoples (Environmental Atlas)

The depiction of the Jewish psyche
A bright panoramic history of Israel, a supercinerama of the culture, and events that molded the Jewish psyche and the character of Israel. It depicts the various phases of foreign occupations and their influence and/or lack of influence on the Jewish people. An atlas of the multiple cultural and historical faces of Israel, its people and historical development. Reliable and enchanting. I do recommend this work.

A Comprehensive visual History of the Jewish People
This atlas is on par with the best written histories.Used in conjunction with a written account it elucidates the complex history of the Jewish people from Biblical through modern times.It presents the the trade routes, settlements and life under the rule of various forces, illustrating the Jewish interface with other cultures.

A must for every Jewish school and library. ... Read more

Product Description
The compelling autobiography of Israel's preeminent photojournalist, illustrated with his most memorable images. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A simple photojournalist....
I am an advanced amateur photographer who has been photographing for almost fifty years. On reading "Israel Through My Lens" there is an immediate connection between Mr. Rubingers experiences and those of any serious photographer/photojournalist. Through his remembrances the reader not only relives the history of Israel and the Middle East in the 20th century but also the very simple joy of being a photographer, getting the good shot. This is a simple story of his life and his relationships that have led to a brilliant career as a photojournalist. I enjoyed the book because I am able to feel his excitement in getting the picture. Rubinger is not a 'god' of photography, he is simply a talented photographer who clearly describes for the rest of us the fun and excitement of photography and photojournalism. All this while telling a wonderful personal story and national history.

Insight and inspiration
David Rubinger has laid it out as he saw it and lived it.This is a VERY personal book with little if anything held back.From his youth to the present, Rubinger gives a verbal as well as photographic picture of himself and the Sate of Israel growing up, maturing and "getting on".From his time in the British army to the horrific death of a woman he cared for deeply, this book tells it all.It is easy reading yet compelling.I was carried into a very personal environment and felt as if I were at each event, meeting each person, taking part in each "adventure".David Rubinger's life appears to be a string of wonderful and not-so-wonderful experiences. And you are right there.The country comes alive through the eyes and life of this exceptional man.I have read it twice and have given it as gifts to friends.Oh, yes, I highly recommend this book!!

Terrific book.
As a photographer, I loved this book. As good as the photographs are, the writing is even better. Great stories about working as a Time photographer in the Mid East, growing up in Europe during WWII, and wonderful vignettes about Israeli leaders. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Blending an analysis of general political, diplomatic, and military trends with a description of how Zionist pioneers coped with ongoing social developments and challenges, Stein recounts the events that would ultimately lead to the formation of the State of Israel in May 1948. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

origins of Israel
Leslie Stein, a Senior Research Fellow at Macquarie University in Sydney Australia, has given us a highly readable work of impeccable scholarship.Noting that most studies of Israel focus on post-1948 developments, Stein has filled the need for a study of the creation of Israel from its modern origins up to the achieving of Statehood in 1948.

Reading this book is somewhat like reading a mystery where you already know the ending but have never read the plot.The first and middle chapters are a fascinating background, and then the inevitable conclusion unfolds in the last two chapters with an onrush of climactic action.At many points the reader wonders how, given all the obstacles it faced, could Israel have emerged as a modern State?This is the drama that Leslie Stein relates.

One could argue that had it not been for Russian anti-Semitism there would have been no Zionist movement and no subsequent State of Israel.It was the Russian pogroms, oppression and massacres of mid-19th Century that drove Jews out as refugees, looking for a place to live in peace.And then there was the venality and corruption of the Turkish Ottoman officials who took bribes to allow Jews to become lawful residents in Palestine with permission to purchase land.Then later, more persecution in Poland and more refugees. And so on.

Throughout the 1800's, all across Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia there were a number ofthinkers and writers who promoted establishing a Jewish homeland.But the Zionist movement was given its greatest inspiration by the Herculean efforts of one charismatic person, Theodor Herzl.He was an intellectual, a diplomat and tireless lobbyist for a Jewish homeland.He traveled non-stop to all the heads of State of every country that would receive him to press his agenda, and literally worked himself to death at age forty-four in 1904.Herzel's prophetic vision of the Jewish State was one founded on capitalism and democracy - not theocracy.

It is difficult to review this outstanding book without going into an over abundance of detail, so I will describe just three aspects of Israel's history that remain vivid in my mind:

First are the physical hardships that faced the early settlers in the 1800's.The land was unforgiving.For a "promised land" this was one of the most Godforsaken places on the planet.The photographs from the Zionist archives show the bleakness of the landscape. There are many vivid sketches and photos that accompany the text. For instance page 160 shows women wearing long dresses, outdoors on a hillside, pounding rocks for road construction.(The question comes to mind, why are there no Arab photos of women pounding rocks for road construction?Or more generally, why are there no Arab photos of anything?)

Second are the amazing accomplishments of this small band of devoted people under the most adverse and trying conditions.Through unrelenting physical and intellectual effort by the 1940's Israel had plants producing industrial machinery, automobile parts, textiles, agricultural equipment, medical and electrical instruments, chemical and pharmaceutical products, shipbuilding, a diamond polishing industry and an oil refinery. In many individual industries progress was phenomenal.(At this stage the Arabs had not yet learned how to crush rocks, but were throwing them.)

Third was the terrible treatment the Jews received at the hands of Great Britain in the run-up to and during WWII.The ideology of German fascism had permeated the Arab countries due to its appeal of anti-Semitism. There was active collaboration of the Arabs with the Nazis.Britain was afraid the Arab countries would enter the war on the side of the fascists and cut off access to Middle Eastern oil so they took an anti-Israel stance.

Britain did everything it could to prevent Jews from immigrating to Israel.At times there was open warfare by Britain against the Jews in Israel who were trying to smuggle in as many refugees as possible to save them from the death camps in Germany.Then, in February 1945 just as the war was drawing to a close, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Saudi-Arabia declared war on Germany so they could become eligible for UN membership.This was a dark period in the history of England.

Finally on May 14, 1948 Israel announced its Statehood and Declaration of Independence. President Truman of the U.S. immediately recognized Israel as an independent State.This action by Truman no doubt helped fortify the resolve of Israel, when on the following day it faced the invading armies ofEgypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Transjordan.Israel did not succumb to this invasion.It went on to gather millions of Jewish exiles over the years, and to become a modern, democratic, industrial state.But, as Stein concludes, "it has yet to enjoy the benefits of a peaceful existence that so many other countries take for granted."

A fine introduction to the topic of modern Zionism
This book is about the history of modern Zionism, from the late nineteenth century until the declaration of statehood in 1948.The first half of the book takes us through the First Aliyah (including some interesting material about the "Ugandan option"), the Second Aliyah, and World War One.I think that the significance of the misadventures of the Jewish community during World War One is sometimes overlooked by those who discuss the history of Israel, so this is an important section.

The rest of the book takes us through the 1930s, World War Two, and the postwar struggle for independence.This is a topic that has been discussed in a huge number of other books, many of them extremely political in nature.Stein simply is not able in this summary to deal with all the detailed issues here, but I think he does a good job of covering the major events. Some people have praised the balance the author has shown in this book, but Stein gets plenty of opportunities to let us know his opinions.

I like this book and I think it is an excellent introduction to the subject.For a summary, this book is surprisingly thorough, and I think Stein ought to be commended for writing it.
... Read more

Product Description
From the origins and exodus to the restoration and new hope, Kingdom of Priests offers a comprehensive introduction to the history of Old Testament Israel. Merrill explores the history of ancient Israel not only from Old Testament texts but also from the literary and archeological sources of the ancient Near East. After selling more than 30,000 copies, the book has now been updated and revised. The second edition addresses and interacts with current debates in the history of ancient Israel, offering an up-to-date articulation of a conservative evangelical position on historical matters. The text is accented with nearly twenty maps and charts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Agreed-one of the best
Many many Pastors, Seminary students, and lay people who approach the scriptures for study have been using this rasource amnd others for many years.

Did 3-4 tribes leave Israel? I do not know but you kinow what in a history book if that is the only flaw-that makes this text one of the best.

On the other hand, years ago I remember reading all these Louis Lamour books as the type of character I always enjoyed was the self educated law man. For many years I thought of buying a resource Lamoure always referances that is a history of Rome and Greece-once going to school and taking Greek and Roman history-found the edition Lamour always referanced is almpost like the readers digest when much was sensationalized byPLutarch. Not that he was not accurate-but a touch of drama in his books. Understaqnding this helps me a lot. No matter how hard you try to ferret thois out-we all read our own beliefs into history sometimes.

I just do not thinkdisagreeing on a very small point makes this book a one star-unless when looking at this and maybe stating some of the tribes left-if you are a Seventh Day Adventist I would see where this confronts your beliefs. Of course a page number and an actual quote would be nice to see.

As far as outside the bible-unless you are the author(and even authors in time come to disagree what they wrote in the past) usually only the author is the one who agrees with everything in his own book. I have used this resource in the past and occasionally refer to it from time to time

Thorough but accessable
I'm about 30 pages from the end (should finish in a few days).We had this book on the shelf for a couple of years but until a few months ago, I'd never cracked the cover.It has been thought provoking and encouraging to work through the historical exploration.I especially enjoyed Merrill's treatment of the Exodus.All too often, books like this shy away from a vigorous defense of the biblical record in order to accommodate naturalistic scholarship.Anyway, this isn't light reading, but if you've read through the Old Testament a few times and are trying to string all the pearls together, Merrill is an excellent place to begin your study.He is thoroughly footnoted, so you can expand your study as needed.

The book to read if you have to chose just one.
This is the definitive work of conservative scholarship on the history of biblical Israel. It provides a seminary level survey that is easy to read for lay people and provides the footnotes to help serious scholars dig deeper. The author is faithful to Scripture, but recognizes and explains differing view points before rebutting them. A must read for all serious students of the Old Testement.

An Excellent Reference on Ancient History for Evangelicals!
I've read this book twice now, and I keep it on hand as a reference particularly when I am doing studies on the prophetic books of the Old Testament.It is a good concise reference for the historical background in which the Old Testament was written, but there are a few things that some of the other reviews did not seem to realize:

This book is not an exhaustive study of Israelite history.It appears to be written for a well-read lay audience.The footnotes are particularly helpful for nonprofessional Bible 'scholars,' as they point the reader to more in-depth sources of information that they might otherwise be unaware of.It is also written for Evangelicals (this is explicitly stated in the introduction).Those looking for a 'critical' history will be disappointed at his tenaciousness in reconciling ancient history with the Biblical narrative, but he is perfectly honest about what he is trying to do.

On a related thought, the two reviewers who claimed that Merrill was ignorant or intentionally ignored the Biblical account in place were sorely wrong.They either have not read the entire book, or grossly misunderstood what he was saying.For instance, it is true that he talks about the theory that several of the tribes of Israel were already in Canaan prior to the Exodus, but he then rejects that idea, and provides reasons why it does not make sense historically.

Merrill also presents a compelling system of chronology for the Exodus and for the period of the Kings.Personally, I disagree with his chronology, but he is consistent and does an excellent job of presenting his own views, and it is still a good system for obtaining an overall grasp of the approximate times that various events in the Bible took place.

With that said, the reason that I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because I felt that Merrill would at times arbitrarily dismiss opposing views in favor of his own.I do believe from looking at his other works that he has a deep understanding of these other views and could refute them at length, and so my only disappointment is that he did not choose to devote more time to explaining why some of the opposing views are invalid, rather than quickly glossing over them and moving on to his own theories.

The second time that I read this book, I was also reading Wolfram Von Soden's "The Ancient Orient" and the two books complemented each other very nicely.Merrill is concerned primarily with chronology and political history.Von Soden's work is more of a social and cultural history (although it is on Mesopotamia and not Israel).They went very well together because one explained 'what happened' and the other explained 'what ordinary life was like' in the ancient Near East.I would thoroughly recommend reading these two books together as an introduction to the study of Old Testament history.

Atop the Stronghold (Proverbs 21:22)
Merrill's work is certainly well-done.Although the work is obviously scholarly, the reader is not lost in a morass of technical jargon.Footnotes are generoulsy sprinkled at the bottom of every page and Merrill is always careful to include a reference to the work of other scholars, even those who do not agree with him, for the sake of those readers who might wish to do a little more research and receive both sides of the argument.At the same time, he gives cogent arguments for his own conservative stance on controversial issues and I must say that, barring one or two, I found his arguments very persuasive and, overall, whether I always agreed with him or not, he certainly provides a strong defense of his own position.Throughout the work I was consistently reminded of the experience, learning and concentrated insight that any reader can gain from a true scholar.Merrill did a fine job.

At times, because he is fair in his representation of differing opinions among certain historio-literary schools of thought (even going so far as to make explicit the fact that some of his views are in the minority among scholars), he might fool some of his readers into thinking that he holds certain views which he, in fact, does not.This is why I must disagree with the first reviewer who mentions Merrill's supposed belief that three or four tribes of Israel left Egypt at once and met the others later...In truth, Merrill was relating the views of another and not his own.

The crucial fact to consider in this work is that Merrill explicitly states that his position stems from the assumption that the Bible is the revealed Word of GOD (itself a minority view among "Biblical scholars").Because of this, Merrill looks to the accounts rendered in the Old Testament first and compares what is found there with the claims of his peers.I found this approach extremely refreshing and of the utmost integrity.

All in all, it is quite obvious that Merrill is right in the thick of things and brings an up-to-date approach to the study of the Old Testament and he provides references for on every page.If you desire to know more about the economical, political, religious and geographical influences which helped shape the thoughts and actions of GOD's first covenant people from a well-written, conservative Christian perspective, "Kingdom of Priests" is an invaluable guide. ... Read more

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'The best single volume for the general reader.'' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

a total fabrication of history
I wouldn't waste my time with this propaganda written by an ardent zionist who masqurades colonial conquest as a liberation movement! Unless of course, you believe Algeria belongs to the French, Vietnam to the Americans and the Congo to the belgians!

A more balance account of the subject is "The Hidden History of Zionism" by Ralph Schoenman or "The Myths of Zionism" by John Rose or " Original Sins" by Beit Hallahmi.

Somewhat old in its orientation and sources, but...
A History of Zionism is still a well written, thoroughly researched book.Laqueur explores the roots of Zionism in the French Revolution right through to the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.One of the great strengths of the work is that Laqueur explains in detail the political factions and in-fighting in the Zionist congresses, exposing the reader to men who have been all but forgotten to history.On the negative side, the work places too far an emphasis on Zionist activity in the Diaspora, and not enough in Palestine.Laqueur's work also suffers from the use of old sources (the youngest from the 1960s).His work is not informed by the more recent writings of the so-called post-Zionist school of historiography.When Laqueur quotes Ben Gurion, for instance, it is from official sources, and does not plumb the depths of Ben Gurion's complex and sometimes doubled sided motivations.The work also treats Zionism like a faltering child, which right up until the establishment of the State of Israel was about to keel over.This may or may not be true, but this overall stance informs the book deeply, and for a reader that does not agree with this, it can be a fatal flaw.

Best book
This is one of the best books anyone can read on the history of Zionism.It is also very well written -making it a pleasure to read.One can really understand the very serious problems which faced the Jews in Europe and Russia in the 19th century -and some of the questions they were dealing with enable one to understand some of the tensions which still exist in Israel.

Dishonest leftist assimilationist view
This is a very poor excuse from history from someone who falsely claims to be writing an objective account.
The Zionist idea does not start with the French Revolution but has it's roots in 2000 years of exile from the Roman destruction of the temple and forced exile of the Jews from their homeland.
There where movements from then on for a return of the Jews to the Land of Israel as well as various migrations throughout the Third exile (70 BCE (AD) to 1948).
The author never really takes off his sneering demeanour about the Zionist movement or his leftist assimilationist world view, from what is clearly a left wing assimilationist standpoint.
Furthermore he downplays the fact that 99 % of Arabs who claim to be "Palestinian" are descendants from migrants who immigrated into the Holy Land after 1800 (most of them during the 1917-1948 British Mandate).
An objective study actually reveals that the Arabs have no legitimate claim on the Land of Israel whatsoever, and any study that tells us otherwise is simply dishonest, whether it claims balance or not.

and his account of the War of Independence is simply nonsensical.
you cannot compare the Arab aggressors actions in any way to those of the Jews defending their return to their ancient homeland.This is a very poor excuse from history from someone who falsely claims to be writing an objective account.
The Zionist idea does not start with the French Revolution but has it's roots in 2000 years of exile from the Roman destruction of the temple and forced exile of the Jews from their homeland.
There where movements from then on for a return of the Jews to the Land of Israel as well as various migrations throughout the Third exile (70 BCE (AD) to 1948).
The author never really takes off his sneering demeanour about the Zionist movement or his leftist assimilationist world view, from what is clearly a left wing assimilationist standpoint.
Furthermore he downplays the fact that 99 % of Arabs who claim to be "Palestinian" are descendants from migrants who immigrated into the Holy Land after 1800 (most of them during the 1917-1948 British Mandate).
An objective study actually reveals that the Arabs have no legitimate claim on the Land of Israel whatsoever, and any study that tells us otherwise is simply dishonest, whether it claims balance or not.

and his account of the War of Independence is simply nonsensical.
you cannot compare the Arab aggressors actions in any way to those of the Jews defending their return to their ancient homeland.

Exactly what I was looking for
When I came upon this book I was searching for a definitive history of Zionism.I had read current histories on Israel and the Middle East, but I didn't have a deep understanding of where Zionism came from nor its philosophical impetus.I was looking for a book that would give me an unbiased account of where and why Zionism came to be, and in this one book I found it.

Mr. Laqueur gives a detailed and clinical look into this phenomenon from its inauspicious beginnings to its improbable statehood and the many twists and turns in between.How he was able to go through and gather so much information on a movement that was so spread out and splintered between many different ideologies and theories is beyond me.He has assembled a wealth of information and presented it fairly and evenly.

Zionism is a movement unprecedented in history and the affects of this movement are still being felt today.It seems that everyone has an opinion about Zionism, but it is important to have a deep understanding of where this movement came from before one can have an accurate picture of where it is now and why it has become what is.The more people understand about that past the more clearly they will see the present.This is an important book that needs to be read.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Fine Book
I found this book to be a very informative and enjoyable read. I had no idea of the number of times Jerusalem was attacked.
The historic information and the manner in which it is presented makes it an exciting experience. I found my knowledge of many of the incidents in scripture were made more complete as I read this book.

Excellent read, but definately skewed view at points
Overall I greatly enjoyed the book. It was a good read, and I liked the format and how he tied it in to current affairs and political events in each chapter. It was informative and ballanced, and in most points he did a good job of being objective and neutral about issues.

However in the last couple of chapters I feel that he did fall down a bit. The most glaring example for me was in his discussion of the Six Day War. If you read his account with no other knowledge of events you would think that Israel pulled off a almost completely unprovoked pre-emptive strike. There was a very fleeting minor mention of Egypt's military build up, though unless memory fails he did not mention how focused that build up on the border was. However he UTTERLY fails to mention that Egypt had blockaded and shut down Israel's ports, which ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL LAW is an act of war. That is a huge oversight in understanding the events and causes of the Six Day War.

But, a few skewed points aside, again I enjoyed the book a great deal. As a conservative christian theologian I will warn other Christians if you are not comfortable reading other views and interacting with secular historical thought this may not be the book for you. It is not written from a Judeo-Christian presupposition. That is not a knock on the book, as I enjoy historical books, and enjoy reading altering viewpoints and opinions.

Again this book receives the highest marks and for people who want a greater understanding of what is going on in the Middle East today, and the many factors throughout history that colour current events, this is one of the better "introductory" books I have read. You could obviously write whole books or series on each one of these individual events or periods described, but this book does an excellent job as a survey of historical events that have given us the Jerusalem of today.

If you liked the PBS special on "Jerusalem: Center of the World"...
If you liked the PBS special on "Jerusalem: Center of the World," which aired on the evening of April 1st and in which I was featured during the first half, you will like this book, which covers 4,000 years of Jerusalem's conflicted history.

Discuss more than just Jerusalem!
Those readers looking for both a thorough history of Jerusalem will also get an informative review of the political and religious aspects of the Near East.Many endnotes and a very useful bibliography.

Jerusalem Besiged:
My God indeed!
What a time line story!!! It is without equal, and tells us just where this present day middle east crises is going.
Pulling out the stops here, i want to say this book should be required reading for all people from all cultures.
I have just finished my third reading and keep it next to my reading chair like a Bible.
Only problem; none. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive history of all three of Israel's intelligence services, from their origins in the 1930s to the present, chronicles the mistakes and the triumphs of their three spy services, including the raid on Entebbe. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Readable but not too interesting
The facts, figures and dates are all there, but there are far more interesting books on this subject. (check out the others sold thru amazon.) This one reminds me of slogging thru a bland history book back in school.

Authoratative and exhaustive.
This is a massive and comprehensive history that spans HaMossad, Aman, and Shin Bet as well as their various predecessors during the formation of the modern state of Israel. It borders on being encyclopedic in its coverage and detailed and precise in its historic descriptions--to the point that one cannot imagine reading it in a single sitting. A reference work more than a "read," for anyone with a serious interest in Israeli intelligence, it is a good companion to the more lively and readable but less authoratative Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad. Both have been resources for thriller writers, such as Lior Samson (Bashert).

the rat in the hole
the rat comes out in the shadows of the night. while the cat waits patiently for the right sight. the rat moves slowly like a dirty snake, towards the kittens for a taste. the cat suddenly smites twicethe rat with its razor sharp claws. the helpless rat then hollers: "help me, help me, help me. this cat is anti-rat."

the rain-forest knows that the rat deserved the blows.

read also exodus 17:1-7/deuteronomy 9:7-24 and matthew 23:23-24

is there a connection with theology/genetics and politics?
i hope that my question did not bother thee.

this is certainty a good read.
get it! and you will see.

Excellent Read
As someone who's enthralled with the world of intelligence, this book really made me happy. I found it to be very impartial politically, although it dealt exclusively with Israeli matters in historical order(it did not, for example, go into detail about Syrian leadership, Egyptian intelligence, or US-Israel relations). There was far more information in the book than I thought I'd encounter (the authors preface the book with their own surprise at the amount of information they were allowed to obtain and then publish), and the book depicts well the selection, work hazards, and retirement of typical spies. The book chronicles the importance of intelligence through Israel's great successes (and failures) in the military and civil spheres, and does so with style and historical accuracy. The only drawback is the book's date (published in the early 90s).

Israel's Secret Wars: A History of Israel's Intelligence Services
An excellent history of Israel's Intelligence Services; this book really holds your interest.I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this subject. ... Read more

Product Description
"Jonathan Israel's 1,231-page blockbuster... offers a comprehensive, integrated account of the northern part of the Netherlands over almost 350 years...[it] represents the fruit of 12 years of research, contemplation and writing, and brims over with interesting detail."--The New York Times Book Review

"Israel performs the great service of charting a path through this literature and presents a coherent and comprehensive picture of the Dutch Republic.... Comprehensive in scope and yet so clearly and carefully written that it could serve as a textbook for graduate history courses.Because it is so thoroughly researched and up-to-date, it is also the kind of indispensable handbook that deserves a place on every early modernist's bookshelf."--American Historical Review ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

great work of history
the book is well written and gives a very good insight in the history, events and customs at the time

Great text for Dutch History class
As a student this was my main text for a class titled "A History of the Dutch Golden Age." It was extremely useful, clear, and well written. I had little trouble getting through even the longest chapters and felt I knew exactly what Israel was trying to say. Do not be intimidated by the size of this 1000+ text, you will learn a lot!

marred by errors
THIS BOOK IS THE PRODUCT OF EXHAUSTIVE RESEARCH AND IS VERY DETAILED, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO POLITICAL HISTORY.HOWEVER, IT CONTAINS LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF GRAMMATICAL ERRORS.MOST OF THEM ARE UNGRAMMATICAL COMMAS BUT THEREARE ALSO MISSING COMMAS, MISUED DASHES, SENTENCE FRAGMENTS AND OTHER ERRORS.MR. ISRAEL AND OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. READERS WHO WANT A GRAMMATICAL, WELL WRITTEN AND LIVELY ALTERNATIVE WOULD DO WELL TO READ JOHN LOTHROP MOTLEY'S BOOKS.

Truly Splendid
This book truly is the difinitive work on Dutch history. The sheer volume and description of detail makes the book very informative. The vivid writing style and the subdivision of the chapters gives the reader the ability to speed through the book in addition to breaking down and digesting each main idea clearly. The maps, charts, and graphs are clear and give the reader an illustration to the detail of the text. Also, the explanation of the Dutch Republican government, which is anything but simple, was clear and precise. I plan on using this book in my classes for reference. A truly great book.

For all of you Dutch I have only one word "READ !!!!!"
The best historybook I have ever read with no doubt. I think in a small 1300 pages I never learned so much about my own history than I learned in the 2 weeks I spend to read this book. By now I have read it 3 times and if only have time I would pick ip up and read it again and again till I can dream whats in there. The 17th & 18th century is with no doubt one of the most interesting parts in the history of the world. Strangely it was my own country that played the most important role in this very interesting time.

And so many Dutch that earn the right to be named here, so many founders of our nations. Perhaps to them this is the most honarable a man could ever do to them, since they are all named in the book and how !!! I think about John Van Oldenbarnevelt, Hugo De Groot, John & Cornelius De Witt, Micheal De Ruyter, Rembrandt Van Rijn and last but not least Spinoza !!

An amazing achievement that will set out to be THE standard work about the Republic for years to come.

I have read the Dutch version, and that one is a really special one, seperated in 2 books, hardcover !! And everty page printed on photopaper, beautifully released !!! So when you are Dutch you can beter go to a local bookstore to get the Dutch version, since its simply more beautifull, although the price (about $ 130,- is another thing that can keep you away from it.) is worth it every penny !! You will not be regreted.

For non Dutch people, when you want to come over and tour our little nice country, be sure to read this book from beginning till end and back. It will tell you everything you ever need to know to understand our culture & history. ... Read more

Product Description

In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible -- the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua's conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon's vast empire -- reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts.

Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today.Amazon.com Review
The Bible Unearthed is a balanced, thoughtful, bold reconsideration of the historical period that produced the Hebrew Bible. The headline news in this book is easy to pick out: there is no evidence for the existence of Abraham, or any of the Patriarchs; ditto for Moses and the Exodus; and the same goes for the whole period of Judges and the united monarchy of David and Solomon. In fact, the authors argue that it is impossible to say much of anything about ancient Israel until the seventh century B.C., around the time of the reign of King Josiah. In that period, "the narrative of the Bible was uniquely suited to further the religious reform and territorial ambitions of Judah." Yet the authors deny that their arguments should be construed as compromising the Bible's power. Only in the 18th century--"when the Hebrew Bible began to be dissected and studied in isolation from its powerful function in community life"--did readers begin to view the Bible as a source of empirically verifiable history. For most of its life, the Bible has been what Finkelstein and Silberman reveal it once more to be: an eloquent expression of "the deeply rooted sense of shared origins, experiences, and destiny that every human community needs in order to survive," written in such a way as to encompass "the men, women, and children, the rich, the poor, and the destitute of an entire community." --Michael Joseph Gross ... Read more

Customer Reviews (130)

Review of 'The Bible Unearthed'
I found this to a great critical consideration of archaeological evidence from Biblical Israel. It addresses all the present controversies in Israeli antiquities, and the authors are willing to speak as few others dare. They continuous call into question (a) the validity of Biblical tradition and (b) the validity of the Biblical account itself.The pair makes extensive use of archaeological evidence. However, I will note that this is something of an 'anti-text' to the Archaeological Study Bible, by Zondervan, which I reviewed earlier. As such, it also shares the evils of this text. The authors do not address competing archaeological claims. They attack traditional religious theories based generally on the biblical text, instead of the evidence faithful archaeologists have offered to defend their beliefs.

Latest research
Included in a range of topics, the book presents the view that the kingdoms of David and Solomon are portrayed in the Bible in an exaggerated format.The most recent scientific data and archaeological research seems to be leading away from the authors' viewpoint, though the issue is not yet definitively settled.Areas of recent research supporting the biblical portrayal are:

1. Thomas Levy of UC San Diego has apparently verified the existence of industrial level copper production in Edom during the era in question thereby indicating the probability of a large & well organized Solomonic state (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,Oct, 2008).

2. The discovery of large walls and early Hebrew writing at Khirbet Qeiyafa from the 10th century BCE indicating a substantial, literate Jewish state (BAR March/April 2010).

3.The unearthing by Eilat Mazar of large fortifications in Jerusalem purportedly from the early years of the Davidic dynasty.If her dating proves correct, Mazar will have provided noteworthy support for extensive Davidic/Solomonic empires (Jerusalem Post, Feb. 23, 2010).

Though the data is leading away from the Finkelstein/Silberman viewpoint, the issue is not yet finally settled (e.g. Mazar's dating). Further reviews will be added as things develop either way.

interesting material, not optimally presented
The material is fascintaing but neither optimally organised nor presented.The syntax is often convoluted and laborious.I would have had an easier time had I been more familiar with the Old Testament, but that is my fault, not the author's. Since there are many references to local geography, more maps, or at least a map index would have been helpful.I recomment it be read with a Bible nearby,a historical map on the wall, and an open mind.

King David and his 5,000 subjects
If you go into a bookshop looking for books about Ancient Israel, the sad thing is that 90% of the books will be written by Christians who believe in the literal truth of the Old Testament. It is extremely difficult to get something that is both accessible and written from an unreligious standpoint.

I am an atheist with Christian parents who studied Ancient History for a number of years. Occasionally I am embarrassed by a question from my Dad about whether the archaeological evidence backs up the story of the Exodus, the Entry into Canaan, the Empire of Solomon, etc etc. I always had to dodge the questions, because I knew the answers were those he might not like.

Israel Finkelstein's "Bible Unearthed" is an easily accessible and widely available guide to the latest consensus amongst historians as to the historicity of the Old Testament. Archaeological surveys indicate that:
§ during the "Empire" of David and Solomon, the land of Judah contained maybe 5,000 pastoralists and small-time villagers, with Jerusalem being an exceedingly tiny settlement that could not possibly be the capital of a broad spanning empire;
§ the cities mentioned as part of the conquest of Joshua mostly did not exist or were laughably weak until about the 600s BC; and
§ at the time of the "Exodus", the entire "promised land" was under the direct control of New Kingdom Egypt. Hebrews attempting to leave bondage under the Egyptians would have had to walk to modern Jordan.

This book tells a different narrative from the OT: one in which a great king of Judah, Josiah, was given the books of the Old Testament by a priest of Jerusalem, and was fired up with zeal for the idea of One God; Josiah then attacked and destroyed altars to indigenous Canaanite gods and tried to conquer areas north of Judah before being killed in battle against the Egyptians.

This version of events has the bulk of the OT being written at least as late as the 600s BC, with only small portions being written earlier; it has David and Solomon as iron age chieftains ruling over only 5,000 people; it has the Israelites originating as the equivalent of Old West settlers moving from shepherding to living in tiny hamlets in the unoccupied hills of Canaan.

Judaism and Christianity arose from these humble beginnings. Some may be offended by the conclusions in this book. But you have to consider the evidence.

EXCELLENT book.
Super informative, well-written, and logically put together. Blows the Old Testament myths right out of the water by way of archaeological evidence--or lack thereof. If you had the sneaking suspicion that much of the Bible was imaginative story-telling, this book will confirm your suspicions; not with rhetoric, but actual proof. And it not only gives you the how, but the why. There's a reason these stories were written down, and the authors present quite a convincing argument. ... Read more