Table of Contents

Contents

Introduction    Jonathan S. Greer, John W. Hilber, and John H. Walton
Part One: Elements of the Drama
I. The Stage: Historical Geography
1. Introduction to Historical Geography    Paul H. Wright
2. Regions and Routes in the Levant    Carl G. Rasmussen
3. Climate and Environment of the Levant    Elizabeth Arnold
4. Plants and Animals of the Land of Israel    Daniel Fuks and Nimrod Marom
II. The Sets and Props: Archaeology
5. Introduction to Biblical Archaeology    Seymour Gitin
6. Archaeology of the Late Bronze Age    Joe Uziel
7. Archaeology of the Iron Age I    Aren M. Maeir
8. Archaeology of the Iron Age II    Amihai Mazar
9. Archaeology of the Neo-Babylonian and Persian Periods    Constance E. C. Gane
10. Archaeology of the Hellenistic Period    Jordan Ryan
III. The Scripts: Ancient Near Eastern Literature
11. Introduction to Ancient Near Eastern Literature    Adam E. Miglio
12. Hebrew Inscriptions    Judith M. Hadley
13. Mesopotamian Literature    Dave C. Deuel
14. Egyptian Literature    Nili Shupak
15. Hittite Literature    Alice Mouton
16. Northwest Semitic Inscriptions    Margaret E. Cohen
17. Ugaritic Literature    William D. Barker
18. Early Jewish Literature    Ryan Stokes
IV. The Frames: Ancient Near Eastern Iconography
19. Introduction to Ancient Near Eastern Iconography    Izak Cornelius
20. Egyptian Iconography    Laura Wright
21. Mesopotamian and Anatolian Iconography    Daniel Bodi
22. Canaanite/Israelite Iconography    Brent A. Strawn
Part Two: Acts and Scenes of the Drama
V. Acts: Integrated Approaches to Broad Historical Contexts
23. The Ancestral Period    Richard S. Hess
24. The Egyptian Sojourn and the Exodus    David A. Falk
25. The Settlement Period    Pekka Pitkänen
26. The United Monarchy    Steven M. Ortiz
27. The Divided Monarchy: Israel    Jens Bruun Kofoed
28. The Divided Monarchy: Judah    Eric L. Welch
29. The Exile and the Exilic Communities    Deirdre N. Fulton
30. Persian Period Yehud    Kenneth A. Ristau
31. The Maccabean Revolt and the Hasmonean Kingdom    Joel Willitts
VI. Scenes: Integrated Approaches to Event-Based Historical Contexts
32. Akhenaten and the Amarna Period    Mark D. Janzen
33. The Late Bronze Age Collapse and the Sea Peoples' Migrations    Gregory D. Mumford
34. Sheshonq's Levantine Conquest and Biblical History    Yigal Levin
35. The Battle of Qarqar and Assyrian Aspirations    Mark W. Chavalas
36. The Mesha Inscription and Relations with Moab and Edom    Juan Manuel Tebes
37. The Tell Dan Inscription, Jehu's Revolt, and Aramaean Campaigns in Israel and Judah    K. Lawson Younger Jr.
38. Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah and Neo-Assyrian Expansion    Kyle H. Keimer
39. Eighth-Century Levantine Earthquakes and Natural Disasters    Ryan N. Roberts
40. The Battle of Carchemish and Seventh-Century Regional Politics    Sara L. Hoffman
41. Alexander the Great and Levantine Hellenism    D. Brent Sandy
Part Three: Themes of the Drama
VII. God: Integrated Approaches to Themes in Israelite Religion
42. Monotheism in Ancient Israel    Matthew J. Lynch
43. Biblical Texts Studied in Comparison with Other Ancient Near Eastern Documents    John H. Walton
44. The Temple in Context    John H. Walton
45. Priests in the Ancient Near East    Gerald Klingbeil
46. Worship, Sacrifice, and Festivals in the Ancient Near East    Roy E. Gane
47. Family Religion in Ancient Israel    Andrew R. Davis
48. Prophecy, Divination, and Magic in the Ancient Near East    John W. Hilber
49. Death and Burial in the Iron Age Levant    Christopher B. Hays
VIII. Family: Integrated Approaches to Themes in Family Networks
50. Tribes and Nomads in the Iron Age Levant    Thomas D. Petter
51. Women in Ancient Israel    Carol Meyers
52. Family, Children, and Inheritance in the Biblical World    Victor H. Matthews
IX. Sustenance: Integrated Approaches to Themes in Economic Contexts
53. Seasons, Crops, and Water in the Land of the Bible    Oded Borowski
54. Trade in the Late Bronze and Iron Age Levant    Joshua T. Walton
55. Slavery in the World of the Bible    Richard E. Averbeck
56. The Local Economies of Ancient Israel    Peter Altmann
57. Metallurgy in the World of the Bible    Brady Liss and Thomas E. Levy
58. Ancient Technologies of Everyday Life    Gloria London
59. Food Preparation in the Iron Age Levant    Cynthia Shafer-Elliott
60. Feasting in the Biblical World    Janling Fu
61. Music and Dance in the World of the Bible    Annie F. Caubet
X. Governance: Integrated Approaches to Themes in Social Organization
62. Kingship and the State in Ancient Israel    Nili S. Fox
63. Social Stratification in the Iron Age Levant    Avraham Faust
64. Law and Legal Systems in Ancient Israel    David W. Baker
65. Wisdom Traditions in Ancient Israel    Paul Overland
66. Warfare in the World of the Bible    Mark Schwartz
Indexes

About the Author

Jonathan S. Greer (PhD, Pennsylvania State University) is associate professor of Old Testament and director of the Hesse Memorial Archaeological Laboratory at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

John W. Hilber (PhD, University of Cambridge) is professor of Old Testament at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario, and is the author of several books.

John H. Walton (PhD, Hebrew Union College) is professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He speaks extensively on reading the Old Testament in its ancient context and has authored or edited numerous books.