Early History of the Israelite People - (Brill's Scholars' List) by Thompson (Paperback)

About the Book

This is a groundbreaking book on the origins of Israel, taking into account the contexts of geography, anthropology, and sociology, and drawing on a careful analysis of archaeological and written evidence.

Book Synopsis

This is a groundbreaking book on the origins of Israel, taking into account the contexts of geography, anthropology, and sociology, and drawing on a careful analysis of archaeological and written evidence. Thompson argues that none of the traditional models for the origin of biblical Israel in terms of conquest, peaceful settlement, or revolution are viable. The ninth and eighth century BC State of Israel is a product of the Mediterranean economy. The development of the ethnic concept of biblical Israel finds its context in history first at the time of the Persian renaissance. The volume presents a clear historical context and an interpretative matrix for the Bible.

Review Quotes

From reviews of the hardcover edition:
'His book is a work of tremendous scholarship. He has been meticulous in his research, and brave in expressing what many of us have thought intuitively for a long time but have been reticent in saying.'
Jonathan Tubb, The Independent on Sunday, 1993.
'...a volume to recommend to others.'
J. Andrew Dearman, New History of American Jews.
'A stimulating book, bound to provoke much discussion...'
Zeitschriftenschau für Bibelwissenschaft und Grenzgebiete, 1992/93.
'Thompson gives an extensive and extremely useful survey of the various theories about the origin of Israel... an important book.'
SOTS Bl, 1993.

About the Author

Thomas L. Thompson, is Associate Professor of Old Testament, Marquette University in Milwaukee, and author of The Historicity of the Patriarchal Narratives (1974). More recent publications are The Origin Tradition of Ancient Israel (1987), and Toponymie Palestinienne (1988).