Recent archaeological discoveries and biblical research (Samuel and Althea Stroum lectures in Jewish studies)

Archaeology and Bible--two simple terms, often used together, understood by everybody. But are they understood properly? If so, why are both subject to such controversy? And what can archaeology contribute to our understanding of the Bible? These are the problems addressed by Professor Dever in this book. Dever first looks at the nature and recent development of both archaeology and Biblical studies, and then lays the groundwork for a new a productive relationship between these two disciplines. His “case studies” are three eras in Israelite history: the period of settlement in Canaan, the period of the United Monarchy, and the period of religious development, chiefly during the Divided Monarchy. In each case Dever explores by means of recent discoveries what archaeology, couples with textual study, can contribute to the illumination of the life and times of ancient Israel. Given the flood of new information that has come from recent archaeological discoveries, Dever has chosen to draw evidence largely from excavations and surveys done in Israel in the last ten years--many still unpublished--concerning archaeology and the Old Testament. Dever’s work not only brings the reader up to date on recent archaeological discoveries as they pertain to the Hebrew Bible, but indeed goes further in offering an original interpretation of the relationship between the study of the Bible and the uncovering of the material culture of the ancient Near East. Extensive notes, plus the use of much new and/or unpublished data, will make the volume useful to graduate students and professors in the fields of Biblical studies and Syro-Palestinian archaeology, and the seminarians, pastors, rabbis, and others. This book provides stimulating, provocative, and often controversial reading as well as a compendium of valuable insights and marginalia that symbolizes the state of the art of Biblical archaeology today.

Recent Archaeological Discoveries and Biblical Research (Samuel and Althea Stroum Lectures in Jewish Studies)

History

Dever, William G.

Ancient Civilizations

University of Washington

Preliminary Excavation Reports: Sardis, Bir Umm Fawakhir, Tell el-'Umeiri, the Combined Caesarea Expeditions, and Tell Dothan (Annual of Asor)

ASOR

For centuries the Hebrew Bible has been the fountainhead of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Today, however, the entire biblical tradition, including its historical veracity, is being challenged. Leading this assault is a group of scholars described as the "minimalist" or "revisionist" school of biblical studies, which charges that the Hebrew Bible is largely pious fiction, that its writers and editors invented "ancient Israel" as a piece of late Jewish propaganda in the Hellenistic era. In this fascinating book noted Syro-Palestinian archaeologist William G. Dever attacks the minimalist position head-on, showing how modern archaeology brilliantly illuminates both life in ancient Palestine and the sacred scriptures as we have them today. Assembling a wealth of archaeological evidence, Dever builds the clearest, most complete picture yet of the real Israel that existed during the Iron Age of ancient Palestine (1200–600 B.C.). Dever's exceptional reconstruction of this key period points up the minimalists' abuse of archaeology and reveals the weakness of their revisionist histories. Dever shows that ancient Israel, far from being an "invention," is a reality to be discovered. Equally important, his recovery of a reliable core history of ancient Israel provides a firm foundation from which to appreciate the aesthetic value and lofty moral aspirations of the Hebrew Bible.

What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?: What Archaeology Can Tell Us about the Reality of Ancient Israel

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

In this masterful commentary, respected biblical scholar Bruce Waltke carefully interprets the message of the prophet Micah, building a bridge between Micah's ancient world and our life today.
Waltke's Commentary on Micah quickly distinguishes itself from other commentaries on this book by displaying an unprecedented exegetical thoroughness, an expert understanding of historical context, and a keen interest in illuminating the contribution of Micah to Christian theology. Tackling hard questions about date and authorship, Waltke contends that Micah himself wrote and edited the nineteen sermons comprising the book. Waltke's clear analytical outline leads readers through the three cycles of Micah, each beginning with an oracle of doom and ending with an oracle of hope, decisively showing that hope wins over doom.
Learned yet amazingly accessible, combining scholarly erudition with passion for Micah's contemporary relevance, this book will well serve teachers, pastors, and students alike.

Did God Have A Wife? Archaeology And Folk Religion In Ancient Israel

Eerdmans Pub.Co.

This book addresses one of the most timely and urgent topics in archaeology and biblical studies -- the origins of early Israel. For centuries the Western tradition has traced its beginnings back to ancient Israel, but recently some historians and archaeologists have questioned the reality of Israel as it is described in biblical literature. In Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From? William Dever explores the continuing controversies regarding the true nature of ancient Israel and presents the archaeological evidence for assessing the accuracy of the well-known Bible stories. Confronting the range of current scholarly interpretations seriously and dispassionately, Dever rejects both the revisionists who characterize biblical literature as "pious propaganda" and the conservatives who are afraid to even question its factuality. Attempting to break through this impasse, Dever draws on thirty years of archaeological fieldwork in the Near East, amassing a wide range of hard evidence for his own compelling view of the development of Israelite history. In his search for the actual circumstances of Israel's emergence in Canaan, Dever reevaluates the Exodus-Conquest traditions in the books of Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, and 1 &amp; 2 Samuel in the light of well-documented archaeological evidence from the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. Among this important evidence are some 300 small agricultural villages recently discovered in the heartland of what would later become the biblical nation of Israel. According to Dever, the authentic ancestors of the "Israelite peoples" were most likely Canaanites -- together with some pastoral nomads and small groups of Semitic slaves escaping from Egypt -- who, through the long cultural and socioeconomic struggles recounted in the book of Judges, managed to forge a new agrarian, communitarian, and monotheistic society. Written in an engaging, accessible style and featuring fifty photographs that help bring the archaeological record to life, this book provides an authoritative statement on the origins of ancient Israel and promises to reinvigorate discussion about the historicity of the biblical tradition.

Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?

In this book noted Syro-Palestinian archaeologist William G. Dever attacks the minimalist position head-on, showing how modern archaeology brilliantly illuminates both life in ancient Palestine and the sacred scriptures as we have them today. Assembling a wealth of archaeological evidence, Dever builds the clearest, most, complete case yet for the existence of a real Israel during the Iron Age of ancient Palestine (1200-600 B.C.).

The Lives of Ordinary People tells the untold story of how the vast majority of Israelites ― the people who are usually overlooked in "typical" histories of ancient Israel ― lived during the eighth century b.c.e. William G. Dever applies the latest archaeological evidence and his own considerable expertise to answer the question What was it really like to live in Israel's divided kingdom? Writing as an archaeologist who is also a secular humanist, Dever relies primarily on archaeological data rather than the Hebrew Bible for his source material. He uncovers and analyzes rich archaeological troves that provide vital clues about how most people lived. Illustrated by photos, maps, charts, site plans, and specially commissioned drawings, Dever's work brings vividly to life a world too long buried beneath dusty texts and stony landscapes.

Lives of Ordinary People in Ancient Israel: Where Archaeology and the Bible Intersect

Bringing the Bible and ancient Israel into a new and brighter light&nbsp; In the last several decades, archaeological evidence has dramatically illuminated ancient Israel. However, instead of proving the truth of the Bible--as an earlier generation had confidently predicted--the new discoveries have forced us to revise much of what was thought to be biblical truth, provoking an urgent question: If the biblical stories are not always true historically, what, if anything, is still salvageable of the Bible's ethical and moral values?&nbsp; Has Archaeology Buried the Bible?&nbsp;simplifies these complex issues and summarizes the new, archaeologically attested ancient Israel, period by period (ca. 1200-600 BCE). But it also explores in detail how a modern, critical reader of the Bible can still find relevant truths by which to live.

Has Archaeology Buried the Bible?

Eerdmans

Gezer Three: A Ceramic Typology of the Late Iron Two, Persian & Hellenistic Periods at Tell Gezer

Darrel, Lance H.

Hebrew Union College Pr

This autobiography of William G. Dever is unabashedly his story that offers not only candid reflections on his life, but also on the remarkable generation of giants in archaeology in Israel and the evolving history of the fields of biblical and Israeli archaeology. Chapters cover the ups and downs in both his life and career with brutally honesty. His memoir concludes with a postscript on the likely future of biblical archaeology, and an annotated bibliography provides a guide for serious readers who wish to explore some of the scholarly literature to flesh out Dever's narrative.

My Nine Lives: Sixty Years in Israeli and Biblical Archaeology

SBL Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Dever, William G.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Dever, William G.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Dever, William G.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Recent Archaeological Discoveries and Biblical Research (Samuel and Althea Stroum Lectures in Jewish Studies)

Preliminary Excavation Reports: Sardis, Bir Umm Fawakhir, Tell el-'Umeiri, the Combined Caesarea Expeditions, and Tell Dothan (Annual of Asor)

What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?: What Archaeology Can Tell Us about the Reality of Ancient Israel

Did God Have A Wife? Archaeology And Folk Religion In Ancient Israel

Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?

What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?: What Archaeology Can Tell Us about the Reality of Ancient Israel

Lives of Ordinary People in Ancient Israel: Where Archaeology and the Bible Intersect

Has Archaeology Buried the Bible?

Gezer Three: A Ceramic Typology of the Late Iron Two, Persian & Hellenistic Periods at Tell Gezer

My Nine Lives: Sixty Years in Israeli and Biblical Archaeology