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This volume seeks to reconstruct the process by which the Kennedy administration decided to sell to Israel Hawk surface-to-air missiles. It argues that both domestic considerations and political calculations were part of a highly complex decision made by members of Washington's high policy elite. ... Read more

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The legendary story of the ten lost tribes of Israel has resonated among both Jews and Christians down through the centuries: the compelling idea that some core group of humanity was "lost" and exiled to a secret place, perhaps someday to return triumphant. In this fascinating book, Zvi Ben-Dor Benite shows for the first time the extent to which the search for the lost tribes of Israel became, over two millennia, an engine for global exploration and a key mechanism for understanding the world.

As the book reveals, the quest for the missing tribes and the fervent belief that their restitution marked a necessary step toward global redemption have been threaded through countless historical moments--from the formation of the first "world" empires to the age of discovery, and from the spread of European imperialism to the rise of modern-day evangelical apocalypticism. Drawing on a wealth of sources and presenting a vast array of historical players--explorers, politicians, scientists, geographers, and theologians--the author traces the myth from its biblical formation up through the present day. We see how the lost tribes, long thought to lurk at the world's "edges," became a means for expanding those edges: as new oceans, islands, or continents were discovered, the ten tribes were used as an interpretive device that made the unknown seem known and the new, old. Thus, virtually every spot on earth, whether Argentina or Zululand, the American Southwest or Southeast Asia, has at some point been claimed as the true home of the missing peoples.

More than a historical survey of an enduring myth, The Ten Lost Tribes offers a unique prism through which to view the many facets of encounters between cultures, the processes of colonization, and the growth of geographical knowledge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Lost and Found or Forever Lost
For everyone who is intrigued by the ten lost tribes, this book is must read. I thought everytime someone went looking for the lost tribes, they came away with a more acute understanding of the world, be it geography, customs of new lands, connecting bridges, new religious theories and eventually political realities.

I think while we were looking for the lost tribes, they found us. It's an ever enduring story of hope and redemption.

Lost Forever
So far, I've read only the long introduction (about thirty pages), and I probably won't finish this book. The author seems to use the Bible as his main source of information, and since I believe the Bible is pretty much a fairy tale, I can't accept any of his Biblical quotes as evidence of anything. He also seems to believe these ten lost tribes might still be found, which seems like the start of another fairy tale.

lost tribes
This book is not bad, but I have read better. Maybe, due to the luck of his own adventures. Author ignores alltogehter Jewish diaspora East of Mosul. But yet, he mentioned Khazars, and for some reason, did not finish his thoughts on this subject. I would've appreciated him dedicates a few pages to this matter due to rumors and speculations by anti-semites and unti-Zionists. My grands and grand-grands from Bukhara, and they never spoke any Yiddish. Israelites(Jews after the second distraction of Temple?) were setteling in Bukhara, Samarkand in Asia along the "Silk Road" since 200-300 E.C. I would not recommened this book for Jews from Europe or Asia. Also, I had an experience with Amazon, they sensor reviews, and that would be unfortunate.

A Fascinating Work of Accessible Erudition
Brewer's indispensable "Dictionary of Phrase and Fable" begins its article on the Lost Tribes in the following way: "The term used for that portion of the Hebrew race that disappeared from North Palestine about 140 years before the dispersion of the Jews.This disappearance has caused much speculation, especially among those who look forward to a restoration of the Hebrews as foretold in the Old Testament."There is hardly a nation or people on the earth which has not at some time or another been identified, by themselves or by others, as the descendants of the Lost Tribes. Englishmen, Abyssinian nomads, North American Indians, and Utah Mormons are but a few of the candidates.

Though sober-sided theologians have often investigated the topic, it is not inherently without an amusing potential:

How odd of God to choose the Jews!
How odder still to lose them!

Ben-Dor is particularly brilliant in drawing out a double valence in the story of the Missing Tribes.On the one hand there is the sense of loss and desolation, often poignantly related to the terrible record of the persecution of the European Jews throughout history.On the other there is the sense of hope, promise, or expectation attendant upon the prophetic theories of eventual restoration and renewal.

It is the nearly universal implication of the myth of a large, lost population that has truly made the topic itself part of the recurrent repertory of World History.What is perhaps most remarkable about Zvi Ben-Dor's treatment is its combination of erudition and accessibility.Only a learned scholar could have written this book.Command of the primary sources for the subject demands expertise in the ancient Semitic tongues and the principal scholarly languages of modern Europe.The relevant scholarly bibliography is vast and often eccentric, to use a mild world, requiring both courage and judgment on the part of anyone bold enough to approach it.Zvi Ben-Dor Benite, a Professor of World History at New York University, is one of what must surely be a relatively small band capable of undertaking the task.That would be impressive in itself.But what is even more remarkable is that such a man would have also the ability to make his results accessible to the intelligent general reader, and to point to their implications for such a wide variety of disciplines.The scholar will find here all the bibliography and footnotes needed to pursue the topic at the highest level.The general reader, on the other hand, will find a graceful and elegant introduction to a fascinating topic and to some of the very strange people who have pursued it in the past.I recommend the book with enthusiasm.

... Read more

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All of the influential people, the historic sites, and the notable events are here. Daniel Schroeter's fascinating history includes the foundation of the ancient Kingdom of Israel, the development of the modern Zionist movement, the legacy of World War II and the Holocaust, the creation of statehood, the conquest of new Arab territory, and the growth of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. With stunning artwork and photographs, Israel: An Illustrated History provides a thorough introduction to the history of Israel in a beautiful keep-sake edition.

Profusely illustrated with photographs, historical artifacts, works of art, and facsimile documents, chapters profile notable personalities such as Theodor Herzl, David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Menachim Begin, Yasir Arafat, and Yitzhak Rabin. Readers will find sidebars on political figures such as Natan Sharansky, government organizations such as the Mossad, and cultural institutions such as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Primary sources such as Biblical passages, excerpts from Herzl's Der Judenstadt, a diary from the first Aliyah, and the U.N. partition resolution of 1947 bring Israels history to life; landmark structures such as the Western (or Wailing) Wall, the Second Temple, and excavations of the City of David and the Dead Sea caves add to the visual narrative. A glossary, chronology, and a list of Israel's prime ministers and presidents make this beautiful book an invaluable reference. ... Read more

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A History of Israel examines Israel's turbulent history from the first Zionist Congress in 1897 to the present day. The driving themes of this masterly account are Jewish immigration, war, and attempts to forge peace between Israelis, Arabs, and Palestinians.
... Read more

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This is the story of the tragic confrontation between two national movements contesting the same small piece of land, a clash that has become one of the most intractable issues in modern times. From the 1936 Palestinian Revolt to the Intifada that started in 2000, the Arabs and Israelis have clashed in twelve major incidents, often embroiling much of the Middle East. Here, historians deftly examine each conflict, offering a readable and informative look at seventy years of Israeli military history. Includes a chapter by Michael Oren, author of the bestseller, Six Days of War. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Welfare for professors
This book is a collection of essays written by various professors from around Israel.The chapters are written in a rambling, academic style and seem to be focused more on dispelling myths than on explaining what happened, why, and how.Every chapter seems to want to tell the entire story of Israel's recent history, and the professors have trouble staying on topic.For example, the chapter about the War of Independence goes on for decades.

The point where I became sick of this book was when I was reading a page and realized the author repeated himself two paragraphs after he made the same point.I felt like I was back in school.Every one of these guys starts writing with some quip about historiography or archives or how he's going to enlighten the rest of us about something we misunderstood.

This book might be useful for someone who already knows a good deal of Israeli history but I'm not one of them.I'm not a very motivated person, and so it might take a while before I shell out more money for a book that might explain to me what exactly happened in all these wars.I love Israel but I didn't grow up there, and I'd hoped that this book might help me speak a little more intelligently.

oNE OF THE BEST BOOKS ON ISRAELI MILITARY HISTORY
I read this book in two days. It was great!If you want to know how Israel has survived until today,this is your book!

Very useful of the endless military conflict Israel has faced even before its founding in 1948
I first became aware of the conflicts between Israel and its neighbors during and after the Six-day War in 1967 (I was just short of fourteen years old).However, I had not heard of the PLO until 1972 in the slaughter of Israeli athletes in Germany.It was the first time I had heard of "Palestinians". When the Yom Kippur War came in 1973, I was living in Australia and followed the news in the papers and in Time and Newsweek (which I no longer find useful reading).Since then the press has continually turned against Israel and taken on the rhetoric, propaganda, and causes of its enemies, especially outside America.

Hundreds of books are written each year on the history of this conflict and many of them are tendentious.Some are honestly so because they are simply describing what their side believes and are open about their bias.Others are mendacious because the present falsehood as history and partisan causes as universal values.

This book is very useful because it tells of the entire history of the military engagements Israel has faced since the Arab Revolt of 1936-39, before the Arabs were suppressed during WWII.The authors admit that this is all told from the Israeli point of view, but insist that they are trying to be as factual as possible.It consists of 12 chapters with each being about twenty pages in length.Each chapter is by different authors (sometimes the article is by multiple authors) and each is fully illustrated with maps and there are endnotes for each chapter to aid further study.

There are a number of pages of black and white photographs in the middle of the book that provide useful orientation to what is being discussed in various chapters of the book.

I found the information quite useful and the discussions are useful antidote to the current assumption that Israel is the cruel aggressor in this conflict.Therefore, I recommend this to you as part of an education of the history of the current conflict and for the background it provides that will almost certainly change your perceptions of the current discussion in the popular culture and media.

But this is a MILITARY history, not so much a political one (although some is unavoidable). ... Read more

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The Israel-Palestine Conflict: Contested Histories provides non-specialist readers with an introduction and historical overview of the issues that have characterized and defined 130 years of the still unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

• Provides a fresh attempt to break away from polemical approaches that have undermined academic discussion and political debates
• Focuses on a series of core arguments that the author considers essentially unwinnable
• Introduces readers to the major historiographical debates sparked by the dispute
• Encourages readers to consider more useful ways of explaining and understanding the conflict, and to go beyond trying to prove who is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’

"This volume suggests a fresh and original interpretation to the history of the Arab Israeli conflict. Caplan juggles skillfully and even-handedly between the two narratives, reflecting the parties’ own views without embracing the cause of any party."
–Joseph Nevo, University of Haifa

"An impressive and very valuable work. One could not ask for a better short history of the conflict. Caplan offers readers a study that is extremely well-informed, resolutely fair-minded, and filled with thoughtful insights."
–Mark Tessler, University of Michigan ... Read more

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One of the leading voices on national security issues in the U.S. Congress demonstrates how words have been sharp and powerful weapons of victory in this compilation of great military speeches that helped turn the tide of history.Among the dozens of inspirational speeches featured are:Moses instructing his followers to cross the Jordan River without him. . . Queen Elizabeth pledging to die with her soldiers as they faced the Spanish Armada. . . Patrick Henry choosing between liberty and death. . . Napoleon exhorting his troops as they marched on Egypt. . . Winston Churchill rallying his nation to victory. . . General Sir Montgomery refusing to retreat from Rommel. . . President Roosevelt preparing the American people for World War II. . . General Eisenhower fortifying his troops for the invasion of Normandy. . . President Reagan demanding that Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall. . . President George W. Bush encouraging America after 9/11. . . and more.

Congressman Israel has included speeches that have motivated and mobilized, challenged and comforted.Some were blurted in the heat of combat, others were carefully written in places far removed from the brutality of the battlefield, but all will inspire readers with the courage that moved people forward against all odds.Each speech is introduced with an insightful historic context.This dramatic sweep of military history in the words of history's military leaders serves to reinforce the concept that the pen is mightier than the sword. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A truly soul-stirring anthology

U.S. Congressman Steve Israel has gathered together a collection of the most inspiring and influential military speeches in Charge! History's Greatest Military Speeches. From Moses' instructions to his people to march without him in Biblical times, to Queen Elizabeth I's support for her troops against the Spanish Armada, to Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech to Josef's Stalin call to "Defend Every Inch" in World War II to George W. Bush's rally of Americans after 9/11, each speech touches upon pivotal moments in history. Though a preponderance of the speeches are by Americans, an assortment of historic words from leaders of a variety of other origins including Napoleon Bonaparte, Pericles of Athens, and Giuseppe Garibaldi of Italy. A truly soul-stirring anthology, illustrated with black-and-white photographs of the notable speakers. ... Read more

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When the United Nations debated the future of the 'Mandate of Palestine' in 1947, world opinion was powerfully affected by news of the Holocaust and the plight of Jewish refugees. This momentary humanitarian advantage aided Christian Zionists in mobilising public opinion on behalf of Israel. Almost as soon as it became clear that the Jews had won their war for independence, however, anti-Zionist elements within Christianity reasserted themselves. At the World Council of Churches - established only a few weeks after the State of Israel was formed - a pro-Arab bloc of Western missionaries echoed the anti-Zionism that has always characterised Eastern churches and the Roman Catholic Church, which had never been friendly to Zionism, championed the cause of 'internationalisation' of the city of Jerusalem in order to diminish Jewish presence in the heart of the Holy Land.Paul Merkley draws on the published literature of the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches, the Roman Catholic Church, and other Christian organisations that have an interest in the question of Israel's past, present, and future, and on interviews with numerous key figures within the government of Israel, spokesmen for the Palestine Authority, and leaders of all the major pro and anti-Zionist Christian organisations to demonstrate that Christian attitudes towards Israel remain remarkably polarised. To most evangelical and fundamentalist Christians, loyalty to Israel is a kind of second patriotism, nurtured by the conviction that Israel's restoration is a part of God's plan for history. However mainstream Protestantism champions 'Palestinian nationalism' and, drawing on the rhetoric of the Middle East Council of Churches, does not hesitate to portray Israel as an 'oppressor'. Merkley concludes that Christian attitudes towards Israel reflect fundamental theological attitudes that must be studied against the long historical background of Christian attitudes towards Judaism and Islam. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Stripping off the veneer
Paul Merkley is an academic historian, with a keen theological interest. He politely and disppassionately cuts through much of the smoke of official church statements and pronouncements. His strongest criticisms are often his generous use of [sic]!

Merkley gives us penetrating insights into the main church groupings' attitudes towards Zionism and Israel. He documents the visceral hatred of Israel in the Middle East Council of Churches and how they managed, for example, to pursuade the WCC to sacrifice Coptic protests about persecution on the altar of Palestinian nationalism. He shows how when unity has been jeopardised in the WCC, anti-Semitic anti-Zionism has often stepped in to hold the carriage together.

He describes the gradual decline of almost all liberal Protestantism, from headier days of remorse and amazement at Nazi atrocities, into a swamp of post-imperialist, anti-colonialist handwringing for the down trodden, which in the case of the Palestinians ignores their greatest needs, perpetuates their tragedy, bolsters their worst oppressors and remorselessly turns its fire on Israel.

He sympathetically portrays the Vatican's modest ascent from actively inciting and participating in anti-Semitism, through its tortuous and frosty antagonism to Israel after the Holocaust, its amazingly late recognition of the state in 1994, to the bland and general apologies of John Paul 2 for past crimes.

He reserves much of his warmth, though clearly not his theological agreement, for evangelical Christian Zionists, a movement he helpfully defines. He also documents the beginning of the Lausanne conference's neo-evangelical anti-Zionism and its heirs. My main criticism here is the lack of comment on pre-19th century Christian tradition. Historic evangelical expectation of Israel's return dates well back to the C16th and earlier, it is the anti-Zionists who have innovated.

A fascinating and illuminating read for any student of Jewish, Christian and Christian-Israeli relations.

A work of hateful propaganda
While informative, this book seethes with prejudicial bias against Traditional Christianity in general and the Eastern Churches and Middle Eastern Christians in particular. It is a magisterial example of the kind "modernist" bias in Christianity that underpins whatis called "Christian Zionism", which thinks in its heart of hearts that the basic Christian message that Jesus is the Messiah is Anti-Semitic. As a result of this belief, they have become the most radical of supporters of the Jewish State, to the detriment of the native Christian populations of the Holy Land. The living descendants of the first Christians are, in the eyes of the author and those like him, an embarrassing and inconvenient reality, whose existence must be ignored, or whose plight must be more conveniently pinned on their Muslim countrymen, despite these Christians' own near-unanimous insistence that Israel has been responsible for their destruction. When they point out this obvious, verifiable truth and remain steadfast patriots, they are then accused of being "Anti-Semites"! Much like Jewish critics of Israel must be "self-hating" Jews, the Christian Arab patriots who defend themselves and the land of Christ from foreign invaders must be Anti-Semites, and their Western sympathizers must be "liberals". But aren't the real "liberals" (if by liberal we mean someone who "won't take his own side in an argument") these Western "modernists", these "self-hating" Christian Zionists who are so wracked by guilt over their own hidden Anti-Semitic impulses that they support the Jewish state's war on the region's Christians - the only few Christians left to bear witness as "living stones" int he land where Christ walked?

A Must Read
This book documents how liberal Protestants in the U.S. who have reworked their theology regarding the Jewish people have allowed the prophetic voices of their churches to be hi-jacked by groups like Sabeel and the Middle East Council of Churches and other church institutions that have embraced what can be politely described as a Judeophobic agenda. These institutions have portrayed Israel's efforts to defend itself against enemies intent on destroying it as a Jewish assault on Christian sensibilities and the mainline churches cooperate in broadcasting this narrative. Merkley offers enormously valuable background and history to the conflict. It also provides insight into how putatively progressive Christians have remained silent about the the mistreatment of religious and ethnic minorities in the Middle East. A hugely important book that has not gotten enough attention. A must read for this interested in understanding Christian anti-Zionism.

Children of Ruth and children of Haman
This absorbing work follows on from Merkley's 1998 masterpiece The Politics of Christian Zionism 1891-1948. He believes Christian attitudes to Israel derive from deeply held theological persuasions that ought to be considered in the historical context of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The first part reviews the historical elements that have always been present in Christian attitudes towards Judaism whilst the main body reveals the wide variety of Christian voices worldwide and particularly in the Middle East. Finally, he examines different Christian institutions and their theological and political relations to the Middle East. His arguments derive from verifiable facts and evidence based on the official literature of churches and organizations as well as interviews with spokespeople of the aforementioned and of the State of Israel and the Palestinian authority. Merkley engages boldly and wittily with this arsenal of fact and opinion, unafraid to take a stand, speak his mind and make a case for Israel.

He chronicles the development of the attitudes of different strands of Christianity, including the Catholic and mainstream Protestant churches on the one hand versus Evangelicals on the other, whilst acknowledging that significant numbers of individuals in the first two groups hold personal convictions that correspond more closely with the second. Approved by the United Nations, the establishment of Israel in 1948 occurred in an environment of worldwide approval but even then there were opposing voices. These came from Protestant missionary groups in the Middle East as well as anti-Zionist Jewish organizations in the USA. Soon after the rebirth, the Catholic and mainstream Protestant churches started to shift to a critical stance. Formed a few weeks after this historic event, the World Council of Churches has a long history of enmity to the Jewish state. As the war clouds were gathering in 1967, the WCC remained quiet about the Arab World's bellicose rhetoric and threats of genocide. But immediately after Israel's resounding victory, it pounced with a sanctimonious condemnation of violence.

Since then, the WCC has become notorious for parroting Arab and UN propaganda, culminating in its participation in the hate-fest at the 2001 UN Conference on Racism in Durban. Merkley lucidly exposes the reptile tongue of the WCC and the mass media, demonstrating the similarities with the anti-Semitic propaganda of the Nazis. He argues that the leaders of the WCC are a militant ecumenical elite far removed from the essence of theology and fully committed to political causes. He contends that Christian anti-Zionism is not just a form of generic anti-Zionism but that it draws from the same theological roots as the medieval European blood libels. In this regard, see also The Resurgence of Anti-Semitism by Bernard Harrison. The Christian Left seeks to appease radical Muslim opinion about the existence of Israel, as liberal churches have allied themselves with a movement with which they have nothing in common. Merkley does not pretend to believe in either the meme of the religion of peace or the willingness of Israel's neighbors to live in peace with it. See Peace: The Arabian Caricature of Anti-Semitic Imagery to understand why.

As anti-Zionism gained momentum in the 1970s, more individuals with different convictions started leaving those churches as is evident from the declining membership of the mainstream denominations. And Christians Zionists became actively involved in the support of Israel and her people in the Diaspora. Those of a theologically more conservative disposition have shown themselves to be steadfast and loyal friends of the Jewish State. Organizations like the Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, Bridges for Peace, Christian Friends of Israel, the International Christian Zionist Center and CUFI are devoted to the welfare of the country by means of practical and political assistance. Chapter seven provides interesting information on the institutional variety of and theologies of Christian Zionism. Please note that most of them avoid proselytizing. Standing With Israel by David Brog is an informative read on the history and current composition of the movement whilstIn Defense of Israel by John Hagee and Future Israel: Why Christian Anti-Judaism Must Be Challenged by Barry Horner explain the theological motivation.

Merkley is uncertain whether the mainstream churches will move further in the direction of what he calls neo-Marcionism (See Lost Christianities by Bart Ehrman for an explanation) in order to appeal to secular liberals, Islam and the Eastern churches or whether it will attempt Jewish-Christian reconciliation. On the Protestant side the signs are not promising with their divestment attempts, while things look more ambiguous in the Roman church in view of the militant rhetoric of Michel Sabbah, Archbishop of Jerusalem. Besides obvious reasons for standing with Israel like its adherence to the rule of law, commendable record of respecting the holy places of all religions, astonishing cultural and technological accomplishments and uninterrupted record of democracy, there is another reason why Christian Zionists are loyal to the Jewish state. It is, like the attitude of the other churches, rooted in theology, but quite overtly based on scripture. To its Christian friends, the rebirth of Israel represents the major miracle of the 20th century. It is a requirement of faith to seek the blessing of Israel above all other considerations; the existence of Israel is considered crucial to the survival of our Judeo-Christian civilization.

Among the valuable contributions of this illuminating work is the refutation of myths, false perceptions and stereotypes fabricated by the mass media. As already mentioned, many Christian Zionist organizations have a strict policy of not seeking converts. They are not all fundamentalists or biblical literalists nor do they profess to know the sequence of events that will lead to the return of Messiah, and least of all do they want the Jewish people to suffer any more than they already have. Merkley provides abundant evidence that anti-Zionism flourishes on the Christian Left today, but further proof is available in The New Anti-Semitism by Chesler and The Deadliest Lies by Foxman. I highly recommend Christian Attitudes toward the State of Israel to all who wish to understand what is happening in this world of lengthening shadows. The book includes notes, a bibliography, references and an index.

well written, honest, thorough
I can't say enough good things about this book.In fact, I am going to buy several copies to give to friends, both Christian and Jewish.I'd like to give it to liberal Protestant friends, but sadly, having read the book I am older and wiser about the deep roots of liberal Protestant hostility to Israel (and Jews).

I found the background on the World Council of Churches, the Vatican, and the Evangelicals really fascinating.Merkley is wonderfully frank and honest about difficult topics.I found him a trustworthy reporter.At times his exasperation shows, but on the whole he shows an admirable restraint.

This book helped me understand some unpleasant interchanges I've had with people in my own community, for example the Presbyterian minister and the socially elite lady who works withProtestant missions in "Palestine."I have been deeply disturbed by their moral indifference to Jewish life (the minister) and outright anti-semitic slurs (the rich mission lady.)It is always helpful to be able to put personal experiences like this in a larger political/historical context and understand them at a deeper level.

On a happier note, Merkley gave me information I did not know about the theology and policies of the main Evangelical groups.I was especially interested to learn that the often repeated comment they are only helping Israel so that all the Jews will be killed in Armageddon is actually a lie promulgated by anti-Israeli Christians eager to alienate Jews from their one group of dependable support (Merkley says this in a much more measured way, but that's the nub).I have to say this also fits my personal experience - the several evangelicals I have talked to in my community have only quoted Bible about 'those that bless you shall be blessed, those that curse you shall be cursed' in explaining why they think supporting Israel is a good idea (in both senses of the word 'good.')

I feel very grateful to Merkley for this book and I only wish it were more widely read. ... Read more

Product Description
This timely anthology, completely revised and updated from the original edition in 1984, provides convenient access to the most significant documents of the Zionist movement since 1882 and of Israel's domestic and foreign policy issues between 1948 and 2006.

Comprised largely of primary sources from Israeli, Arab, and American records, documents encompass not only political and diplomatic history but economic, cultural, legal and social aspects of the region as well. The second edition also addresses areas not covered by the 1984 volume: a new chapter on the pre-state period, additional documents that reflect the Palestinian perspective, and the voices of women. Divided into seven chronological sections, documents are introduced by an overview of the entire era. They are annotated and preceded by explanatory headnotes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Israel in the Middle East
Textbook cost more at the school bookstroe, but shipping pushes it over the logic for savings.

Very Pleased
I ordered the book at the beginning of my winter quarter for an Israel class. It got to me within a week and a half and I used the regular shipping option. Until then I was able to borrow material from classmates. I was pleased with the book's condition and prompt shipping. Content wise it is great as a tool for reading the important documants of Israeli history. ... Read more

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JOEL: THE DAY OF THE LORD-Nations are on a collision course that will culminate at Armageddon.In descriptive terms, Joel presented the destiny of the nations as they relate to Israel in the Day of the Lord.Not only is this commentary clear and concise, but illustrated chapter outlines and graphic representations of the prophetic events give added insight into the timely and dynamic Book of Joel, one of the most neglected and misinterpreted books of the Bible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book!!, a must for all serious students
Levy's books are most helpful.They give a good Jewish perspective on the matter.Sometimes it is very stimulating to see the thoughts of a Jewish scholar and how he perceives the matter, particular on the minor prophets - many people cannot fully grasp the meaning and purpose of the prophets.Levy does a great job in capturing the purposes.He has another excellent book that I would recommend called "The Tabernacle: Shadows of the Messiah." ... Read more

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The 1948 war led to the creation of the state of Israel, the fragmentation of Palestine, and to a conflict which has raged across the intervening sixty years. The historical debate likewise continues and these debates are encapsulated in the second edition of The War for Palestine, updated to include chapters on Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. In a preface to the new edition, the editors survey the state of scholarship in this contested field. The impact of these debates goes well beyond academia. There is an important link between the state of Arab-Israeli relations and popular attitudes towards the past. A more complex and fair-minded understanding of that past is essential for preserving at least the prospect of reconciliation between Arabs and Israel in the future. The rewriting of the history of 1948 thus remains a practical as well as an academic imperative. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Terrible
These essayists (Benny Morris, Avi Shlaim, Rashid Khalidi and Edward Said and others), consider all previous historical accounts "Zionist propaganda," as Yehoshua Porath observes in his important summer, 2002 review in Azure. Actually, this book is propaganda, not the reverse. These essays weakly attempt to recast Israel's 1947 and 1948 fight for survival --- and fail.

There is nothing new to the idea that Israel instigated the flight of Arabs from Israel in 1947 and 1948, but the falsity of these accusations has been proved time and again by extensive historical research since 1948. Israel did not deliberately expel Arabs.

Taken on together, or case by case, such claims are easily disproved. Inhabitants of Saffuriya, for example, accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing. But in the 1930s, the village hosted anti-Jewish radicals and in 1948 it was headquarters for Arab Liberation Army leader Fawzi al-Qawuqji, who ignored the June 11, 1948 U.N. truce. Thus inhabitants fled en masse, expecting "revenge for their numerous onslaughts upon Jews," --- before the IDF captured the village, according to historical documents, military orders, oral testimonies and diaries cited in Yoav Gelber's Palestine 1948 (p. 165).

These authors also accuse Israel by selectively citing certain items but neglecting critical contextual factors that disprove their allegations.

Contrary to this book's contention, "civil war in Palestine" did not "break out" on Nov. 30, 1947. The "outbreak" wasn't spontaneous, but a well organized series of Arab riots and attacks targeting Jewish communities and people after Arab commanders, leaders and neighboring nations rejected the U. N. Partition Plan--which Israel had just accepted.

These authors, like many other anti-Israel dogmatists, harp on 100 Arabs killed at Deir Yassin. They neglect to mention that the village was a militant stronghold, and was central to Arab attacks on the roads to Jerusalem, intended to cut off the city's access to Jews. Iraqi combatants had settled in Deir Yassin, and joined local aggressors. Arab men dressed in women's clothes and opened fire. They weren't innocent civilians. Likewise, Arabs at a Haifa refinery murdered 50 Jewish civilian co-workers on Dec. 30, 1947 and Arabs slaughtered 80 civilian Jewish medical workers and professors on Apr. 13, 1948. The sole motivation were the victims' Jewish faith.

For his part, Rashid Khalidi focuses on 1948 Palestinian Arab failures --- criticizing Jerusalem Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini. Yet he ignores Haj Amin's alliance with Hitler, his wartime refuge in Berlin, his anti-Jewish Berlin radio broadcasts, and his personal request that Hitler refuse to spare 400,000 Hungarian Jews in exchange for military supplies. Haj Amin also elicited a Nazi promise to exterminate Israel's Jews. Nor does Khalidi mention Palestinian Arab murders of 129 of the 131 prisoners who surrendered at Etzion Bloc.

Avi Shlaim claims that Jewish soldiers vastly outnumbered 25,000 Arab soldiers. But as Porath notes, Israel's Jewish people totaled no more than 750,000, could find no more fighters, and exhausted their resources mounting their self-defense, while seven Arab nations opposing them could easily have drafted far more soldiers from their combined populations of more than 50 million.

Finally, comes the late Edward Said, writing on his family's "flight" from Jerusalem's Talbieh neighborhood. The details confirm --- like many 1948, 1949 and 1950 Arab newspaper articles, radio broadcasts, U.N. and Arab League statements and personal Arab accounts --- that Arab leaders' urgent calls for Palestinian flight, resulted in massive, voluntary urban Palestinian departures. Said claims to have been forced to leave. His own details contradict him.

Despite these essayists claims, 1947 and 1948 Arab attacks on Jews were very significant, and existential threats, just like frequent publicly announced plans to destroy Israel at its birth.

--Alyssa A. Lappen ... Read more

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A controversial and provocative work, The Invention of Ancient Israel chronicles how the true history of ancient Palestine has been obscured. Keith W. Whitelam reveals how ancient Israel has been invented by scholars in the image of a European nation state; one that resembles the state of Israel created in 1948.

This book explores the prospects for developing the study of Palestinian history as a subject in its own right, divorced from the history of the Bible, and argues that Biblical scholars, through their traditional view of this area, have contributed to dispossession both of a Palestinian land and a Palestinian past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

A disappointing attempt
I bought this book hoping for a brillant sketch of the history of the people the world refer today as Palestinians. What I got was gruntings about how pro Israeli academicians and acheologists have pushed the case of Israel at the expense of the Palestinians. I think if any people have a history, they should tell it and not blame the other side for not doing it for them. I was disappointed with this book as I was not an inch better informed about the Palestinians at the end of the book. My money was wasted. If there is still anybody that wants the book, I am willing to sell mine at a huge discount.
Kizito

Futile attempt
Disguised as scientific critique of modern biblical
research, Professor Whitelam's book, "The invention of ancient
Israel", is instead an unoriginal attempt to construct an argument for
denial of the Jewish claims on the Land of Israel.
Professor Whitelam claims the following:

- The Hebrew Bible is a literary construct of Persian or/and
Hellenistic era with minimal historicity in the most of it parts. The
archeological data for the "biblical" period is scarce and the data
interpretation ambiguous.
- The Israelite/Jewish presence in Palestine is just one of many
"threads" in the fabric of Palestinian history. Liberating
mainstream historical and archeological research from the influence of
the Hebrew Bible will bring this into focus.
- The successful implementation of the Zionist project - the
return to the Land of Israel and creation of the State of Israel -
inspired and predisposed the western Biblical researchers toward the
Jewish cause.
- Decoupling the historical research from the Zionist influence,
as well as from the "Orientalistic" attitudes of the Western and
Israeli researchers will lead to the dominance of the Palestinian
narrative.
- Further development of the Palestinian version of history will
help to prove the illegality of Jewish claims on the land of Israel.

The problem with Whitelam's approach is not in the
shortage of archeological data proving or disproving the existence of
ancient kingdom of Israel. The problem with Professor Whitelam is in the
fact that he treats the Holy Torah as some tendentious history textbook.
It is not. The Hebrew Bible is the Narrative of Jewish Civilization and
foundation of Judaism. The centrality of the Land of Israel and
Jerusalem to that Narrative is beyond any argument.
In calling for Palestinization of Israeli history Whitelam
commits an act of disrespect toward the Holy Torah and toward the Jews.
That disrespect is as old as the Bible itself. It is called
anti-Semitism.Scottish Professor Whitelam does not belong to Jewish
Civilization. Jews are the Other for him. He should give them the same
respect and acceptance his guru Edward Said taught him to give to
Muslims or Hindus.
Professor Whitelam is not the first to attempt eliminating
the memory of ancient Israel. There were many before him. For instance,
the chapter on "kingdoms of Israel and Judea" was taken out of the
Soviet school textbooks in 1949 on orders of Stalin as one of the
measures taken to extinguish the Jewish national life in USSR. Nothing
came out of that. Stalin died, Communism fell apart and the chapter on
ancient Israel returned to the Russian textbook.The further attempts
to eliminate the memory of ancient Israel will meet the same fate.

Excellent
I've taught parts of this book in a course Gender, Race and Knowledge that examines the connections between politics and epistemology in the construction of the Middle East.Students were excited about the chapters they read and the way Whitelam described why, how and for whom Western academic constructions of ancient Israel mattered.An excellent book to teach for those interested in the politics of official knowledge.

The Invention of Ancient Israel
Excellent!In light of today's events everyone should read; it shows the arguement why Israel should NOT EXIST.

Silence No More
An important book and an eye opener that exposes the orientalist mentality in studying and researching the history and archeology of this disputed land in the middleeast; Palestine. How propaganda, closed nationalistic agenda can spoil, misread and manipulate facts and transform them to nonfactual and imaginery 'scientific' and 'objective' myths. If you liked Orientalism by Edward Said you will like this book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (10)

very informative!!
The book gives us an overview of a wonderful country, doing innovative things at all levels that are helping people in all other countries.
Innovations in health, science, education and infrastructure are being developed that are benefiting people all over the world.
People need to hear about these exciting things!!

Positive View
This beautifully illustrated book shows some of the important contributions Israel is doing in several areas, from technology to medicine right now. It presents a very positive view of a country full of creative people, that in 60 years already gave several Nobel prices and so many technological discoveries. In a scenario of a growing anti-Israeli propaganda, it is a very necessary book.

Enlightening
Filled with information we never realized. The press tell only the negatives and this book astounds us with mighty positives.

I love this book.Buy it for your friends
This book talks not only about the impresive technical advances of Israel but also the humanitarian ones.I buy many copies for friends that want to know more about the "real" Israel along with the book: The Israelis : Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land -- by Donna Rosenthal.

Several of the vignettes also have executives speaking about the Israeli character.The CEO of Teva, of RAD, and of NDS all have very interesting things to say about the Israeli character.For instance, the CEO of Teva speaks of giving a scientist a question which he answers then he comes back begging for more.

A blessing to the nations

This attractively illustrated book provides a showcase of Israel's achievements in fields as diverse as agriculture, education, medicine, science and technology. It looks at the technologies, processes and the products from this tiny little land that are improving the lives of so many people. The authors highlight some of the people responsible for this ingenuity that is benefiting the whole world.

For example, at the Weizmann Institute, Dr Michal Schwartz has developed a way of harnessing immune system cells to repair and revive damaged nerve fibres. Other medical breakthroughs include the miniscule camera-in-a-tablet used for internal diagnosis, ultrasound for destroying tumours and Israel's highly effective disaster relief operations.

A great help to third world people has been the discovery by scientist Yoel Margalith of the Bti bacterium that kills certain kinds of flies and harmful mosquitoes.This has already saved millions of livers and is an environment-friendly intervention. Most remarkable is that Margalith is a holocaust survivor, of both the Bergen-Belsen and Teresienstadt camps.

In many fields Israel is so far ahead of the pack that other countries have no chance of catching up. One of the most interesting innovations developed in Israel is a project to avoid collisions between aircraft and migratory birds. It involved the study of the flight paths of birds. This work of researcher Yossi Leshem is now also used by the Jordanian and Turkish air-force.

Israel has more engineers per capita than any other country on earth and a remarkable number of hi-tech companies. Innovation in the fields of computers and information technology is particularly impressive. This encompasses software, operating systems, storage & retrieval systems, verification and firewall technologies, plus a host of mobile phone applications.

Israel's creativity is not restricted to science and technology, as there is also much happening in arts and culture. Despite its small size and its many enemies, this country is bursting with creative energy and making a huge contribution to the global marketplace and to quality of life worldwide.

The founders of this brave country were aware that Israel had almost no natural resources and that its people therefore had to develop and apply their brainpower. Well, they are succeeding spectacularly. What a pity that Israel has to devote so much of its money and resources to protect itself from its neighbours! If its full genius were given free reign, it would become even more of a blessing to the world.
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Analyzes problems of scope and timing incurred by mass immigration during the nation's formative years, and examines the physical, financial, organizational, and economic realities.

May 1948: a dramatically reborn Israel put out the call for Jews to return to their new homeland. Between 1948 and 1951, over one million Jews from disparate nations across the world converge upon Israel, doubling its population and creating a unique, exhilarating socio-cultural quilt. But ramifications upon Israeli society and nationhood would be profound and long lasting.

The new immigrants who were granted citizenship and the right to vote upon their arrival in Israel had an immense impact on Israeli politics. The relationship that developed then between immigrants and veteran Israelis left their mark on society and culture, creating fault lines that have deepened over the years: the ethnic rift between Jews of European extraction and those from Islamic countries, the rupture between religious and secular Jews, and the socio-economic polarization that ensued from these rifts.

Most stunningly, Dvora Hacohen uncovers revelations about the inconsistency between grand ambitions to activate an "ingathering of exiles" and the nation's ability to handle such an event. She argues that the tidal wave of immigration in 1948 was not spontaneous as supposed, and Jewish agency executives and government officials favored gradual selective immigration over the open door policy that prevailed. She also explores the fate of Palestinian Jews and the roles played by various internal and global factions and adverse Arab neighbors. ... Read more

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Four top-notch scholars of the Hebrew Bible and early Judaism provide a clear portrait of the family in ancient Israel. The book then draws important theological and ethical implications for the family today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Favorable - Familes in Ancient Israel
This book's first strength is that it is divided into sections which describe the family based upon each scholar's area of expertise. So, Meyers takes the archaeological discussion, and Perdue takes the theological discussion.
Meyers does a good job of describing the way in which rural settings differ from urban settings in terms of the family. She uses inductive logic to demonstrate her position about the family in Ancient Israel. Meyers describes hard evidence in the material culture, such as the shape and design of houses, and then makes statements about the amount of occupants based on population densities in other rural
villages in the world. So, her numbers aren't hard facts, but they are probably excellent ideas.

read the full review at [...]

Families in Ancient Israel
I am very satisfied with the book I ordered and the expedience of the shipment.

Behind the Biblical Family
This is the book for anyone who has ever wondered about the political homage paid to the "biblical family" in recent years.Profiting from recent breakthroughs in the study of Hebrew scriptures, this book, oneof a series produced by the Religion, Culture, and Family Project of theUniversity of Chicago Divinity School, argues that the family in ancientIsrael should be understood as a complicated, multi-generational"household" system organized around a core "covenant"between father and mother, parents and children, households and land, andfamilies and God.The ancient Hebrew family was hardly the "nuclearfamily" of today.Codes of hospitality insured that even outsidersand marginal members of the community were included when necessary. Indeed, the ancient Hebrew family resembled more the "village"concept, not only for raising children, but for building up community. Religious ideas in ancient Israel gave order and significance to thepractical realities of family life, and were closely connected to therealities of household labor, land, wealth, procreation, inheritance,economic profit and loss, sickness, and dependency.This book is the onlyrecent comprehensive review in the English language of the family inancient Israel.It is well worth reading for anyone who wants tounderstand the biblical families of the Old Testament.

Enriching
This collection of papers on the Family in ancient Israel covers the various periods of Israelite history.From pre-monarchy to second temple Judaism the chapters discuss many aspects of the family.The variousauthors discuss the members of the family, divorce, inheritance, and otherissues that families of old as well as modern families experience.Theancient Israelite family was similar to those in the ancient Near East intheir work ethic, structure, and culture.

This book helps the Americanfamily redefine their concept of family, extended family, and household asa source of strength for their cultural development. ... Read more

Product Description
"This book appeared in slightly different form in England under the title The imperfect spies, copyright 1989"--T.p. verso. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Good History on the Mossad
The Israeli Intelligence Services are wreathed in a certain veil of secrecy. While all intelligence services can benefit from some legendary creating mystery, the David sensibility of Israel's services against numerous Goliaths is especially fascinating. This book delivers a great history of the Mossad in all its glory and decline. The 1973 Yom Kippur War was a massive failure for the agency, setting the two primary agencies of Domestic Intelligence, Shin Bet, against the Foreign Intelligence service, Aman. It is an enthralling and detailed history of its successes and failures, dovetailed with strong descriptions of operations and personalities. We also learn about their nuclear program, spying on America and their nuclear deterrent of diesel-electric subs equipped with nuclear tipped cruise missiles. I have had exchanges with Yossi Melman who is a forthright and conscientious journalist. This is a critical revelation that lifts the veil of mystery on Israel's intelligence service which also exposes critical weaknesses in terms of graft and corruption. A sad departure from its early days of pioneer spirit.

Michael Mandaville, Author - "Stealing Thunder"

Only in The Eastern Countries.
From its earliest days, the State of Israel had earned a reputation for success in the field of espionage and covert action.They declared their independence in May, 1948 commanded by Ben-Gurion.There was a major motion picture made about this creation and Pat Boone, a singer from Tennessee, composed and sang the title song.

This book names the key figures and dates from 1948-1998.After 1989, the names of the directors of the Mossad and directors of Shin Bet are forbidden by Israeli law to be disclosed.

The structure of Israeli Intelligence starts with The Cabinet (major authority) to the Prime MInister, Inspector-General on down to the commandos (sayeret)."The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Send men that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel."We also learn in the Bible that "the wages of sin are death."

Hussein ordered an invasion of Kuwait by Iraq on Augiust 2, 1990.This caused chaos everywhere.It was an instant reminder of a simple fact: "surprises cause crisis."They had to turn to the Israeli Intelligence for a way to challenge this transaction.It is good that the United States has a working relationship with Israel as many of our natives live and work there.One such was the daughter of Stanley and Fannye Cohen. ... Read more

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Although in this third edition the broad outlines remain the same, changes have been made throughout and the bibliographies have been brought completely up to date. Its strengths lie in a concern for all aspects of the history of Israel and Judah.' ... Read more

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A number of 'histories of Israel' have been written over the past few decades yet the basic methodological questions are not always addressed: how do we write such a history and how can we know anything about the history of Israel?

In Ancient Israel Lester L. Grabbe sets out to summarize what we know through a survey of sources and how we know it by a discussion of methodology and by evaluating the evidence. Grabbe's aim is not to offer a history as such but rather to collect together and analyze the materials necessary for writing such a history. His approach therefore allows the reader the freedom, and equips them with the essential methodological tools, to use the valuable and wide-ranging evidence presented in this volume to draw their own conclusions.

The most basic question about the history of ancient Israel, how do we know what we know, leads to the fundamental questions of the study: What are the sources for the history of Israel and how do we evaluate them? How do we make them 'speak' to us through the fog of centuries?

Grabbe focuses on original sources, including inscriptions, papyri, and archaeology. He examines the problems involved in historical methodology and deals with the major issues surrounding the use of the biblical text when writing a history of this period. Ancient Israel makes an original contribution to the field but also provides an enlightening overview and critique of current scholarly debate. It can therefore serve as a 'handbook' or reference-point for those wanting a catalog of original sources, scholarship, and secondary studies.

Its user-friendly structure and Grabbe's clarity of style make this book eminently accessible not only to students of biblical studies and ancient history but also to the interested lay reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Book is Very New and Shipped Very Quickly
I needed this book for a class and the school bookstore was all out and I found it on Amazon for a much better price and it got to me in only 3 days and I got a confirmation hours after I ordered it.The book itself looks brand new and has no markings or scratches or anything in or on it.I haven't read the whole thing yet, but so far, it's very informative about the ways of historically analyzing archaeology in ancient Israel.It's a little hard to understand at first and has a lot of dates and events that are very specific, but it's a really great book to work from with my class on ancient Israel.

A Comprehensive Explication of All We Know about Ancient Isreal as of 2007
Lester Grabbe is not a household name in the Western hemisphere.However, in Europe, he is a highly respected scholar of Ancient Israel and Second Temple Judaism.He is a brilliant and disciplined historian and a noted textual critic. In the mid-nineteen nineties, he founded the European Seminar on Methodology in an attempt to foster academic consensus in this contentious area of scholarship.Under Grabbe's leadership, this Seminar has been very productive, and its work well received.And, by his own admission, it has failed to bring about the consensus that he sought.Members of the Seminar represent a variety of scholarly opinions from conservative to minimalist.Biblical literalists have chosen not to join this group, however, over time they have become less and less a factor in the academy. Commendably, Grabbe in this work considers all positions from those of William Albright in archaeology and John Bright in history to those of Niels P. Lemche and Thomas L. Thompson.

The book is arranged in three sections, an introduction to methodology, historical investigations, and a conclusion. Also, included is a massive bibliography heavily weighted to archaeological studies as well as three indexes which cover ancient sources, modern authors, and subjects.It should be noted that the author's working title for this project was "Prolegomena to a History of ancient Israel..." Therefore, this is but a prelude to the writing of a history of ancient Israel. This is a reference and analytical work covering all the currently known sources of information on the topic. Primary sources contemporary with the actual events are considered paramount followed in importance by secondary sources, such as the Bible, from antiquity, and then lastly modern scholarly works. However, any future scholar who might wish to disregard this work would do so at his own peril.The author's exposition of what we know at present coupled with his analysis of this material acts as a massive delimiter on any future history of ancient Israel barring new discoveries of primary and/or secondary sources.

Chapter one is a prolonged discussion of "Principles and Methods."This is primer on how history is done.It also discusses some of the particular problems facing the historian of ancient Israel including high versus low chronologies, forged artifacts, and ideology. On one hand, Grabbe finds very little common ground with the American schools of Biblical archaeology and Biblical history epitomized by Albright and Bright and their successors.But on the other hand, he is critical of the minimalists.And, he loathes the general lack of methodological rigor displayed in far too much of what passes for scholarly production coming out of religious studies programs and schools of theology.Furthermore, Grabbe especially decries the shallow imposition of social science methodologies and models on ancient history which is so prevalent in much of modern liberal scholarship.

The historical investigation section is divided by chronology into chapters and displays an evenhanded approach towards both the sources and previous scholarship. In short, Grabbe finds no verification of the patriarchal narratives, and that there may be some basis for the exodus story which is currently unknowable.The traditions of Saul, David, and Solomon have historical value but not in the form presented in the Old Testament, and there is no support in the sources for the unified monarchy or the Solomonic empire.It is only with the advent of the Omri dynasty in Israel around 850 BCE that our knowledge of some events becomes verifiable.Our knowledge of Judah based on the primary sources is even later and dates to the mid-eighth century BCE at the earliest.However, as one approaches 586 BCE the terminus of the history of ancient Israel, we know more and more about Judah.And, much of this can be cross referenced into the Biblical accounts with confidence.The synthesis section at the end of each chapter compliments the facts and the analysis preceding them.The conclusion is but a short synopsis of the synthesis materials. If you are anything but a most advanced scholar of the history of ancient Israel, I commend this book to your attention.There is much to learn here regardless of your theological predilections.

A fair review of some basic evidence about the history of ancient Israel
I found this to be an interesting book.Given that histories of ancient Israel have often been highly political works, it is good to see someone attempt to simply discuss what sort of evidence we have as a starting point.The result is a cautious book in which the author hesitates to speculate on the answers to some fundamental questions about the history of the region, but that's okay.After all, this book is not supposed to be a history of ancient Israel but a guide to the relevant evidence that one ought to consider were one to try to write such a history.

Only when we get to the reigns of Omri and Ahab are we on relatively solid ground about the names of the rulers and the rough timing of their rules.And Grabbe discusses at some length some of the major historical events described in the Old Testament and the extent to which they have been confirmed or refuted by other sources.

What about the existence of earlier kings, such as Saul, David, or Solomon?Did they exist at all? Did Israel exist back then? Even according to the cautious Grabbe, the best guess is that they did.We have the Merneptah Stele which appears to date from a little before 1200 BCE which refers to Israel.And while the Biblical accounts of the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon may be very untrustworthy, it is reasonable to surmise that these rulers existed.I think it is certainly a more rational approach to make such a guess than reject it solely because one does or does not like monotheists, Jews, or the Israel of the twentieth century!

What happens when we go further back?After all, there is a question: where do the Ten Commandments and the tradition of celebrating Passover come from? Were they simply made up out of whole cloth on the spur of the moment by a single individual on the first day that we can prove they were written about?Here, Grabbe simply gives up and only explains that some of the wilder aspects of the Exodus story are not true!A really huge slave revolt did not happen when and where the story says.Nor did the miracles happen!But that is not the question, and Grabbe seems to miss this point.One question ought to be whether the Ten Commandments actually came from someone who had been in the Pharaoh's court in Egypt, and was said to never in fact have been in the land of Israel.Another might be whether the story of people having been slaves in Egypt had anything to do with the actual Hebrews of the Levant. No matter how skeptical one may be, one can not safely assume that Moses never existed, nor that the story of the Exodus had no connection whatsoever with reality.Grabbe does try to discuss evidence that the origin of the word Yahweh may date to the time of Moses, but this isn't the main question.

As a matter of fact, the stories about the Patriarchs suggest that there may have been an Abrahamic tradition among the Hebrew people followed by some sort of Mosaic tradition.Once again, being a total skeptic does not completely work: you can't be sure of getting the answer right just by saying that nothing about this has a connection to truth.Needless to say, the Patriarchs are far enough back so that Grabbe can't make much out of the stories about them.The best he can do is say that there's no serious evidence to show what time period these stories refer to.I can't blame him for that, but once again, he not only fails to answer the main question but also fails to seriously discuss it.

I'm a very skeptical person.But this book made me imagine having a discussion with someone whose study of Christian texts was limited to everything written since the very first Gutenberg Bible.What if that person said that Christianity was invented by Gutenberg, who wrote the whole Bible, invented the entire history of Israel as well as Jesus, and invented the existence of Jews and Christians as well?Grabbe does warn us that we can't just toss out evidence and that we need to consider all sources on their merits.But I would want to be very careful about coming up with hypotheses which are so cautious that they might look as preposterous as the one about Gutenberg inventing the entire story of Jews and Christians.

I think this book is pretty good, and I like the fact that the author is cautious rather than prone to wild speculation.As such, it puts some of the history of ancient Israel in a valuable perspective.
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