Ancient Israel: What Do We Know and How Do We Know It? (T&t Clark)

327 Pages·2008·4.45 MB·English

by  Lester L. Grabbe

‘This important new book points the way for
future historians of ancient Israel.’ .
HANS M BARSTAD
LESTER L. GRABBE
ANCIENT
ISRAEL
WHAT DO WE KNOW AND HOW DO WE KNOW IT?
ANCIENT ISRAEL

ANCIENT ISRAEL
What Do We Know and How Do We Know It?
by
Lester L. Grabbe
t&t dark
Published by T&T Clark
A Continuum imprint
The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038
www.continuumbooks.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Copyright © Lester L. Grabbe, 2007
Lester Grabbe has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be
identified as the Author of this work.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Typeset by Free Range Book Design & Production Limited
EISBN 9780567032546
Dedicated to
Professor Loren R. Fisher
The European Seminar in Historical Methodology
My History of Israel students over a quarter of a century

Contents
Abbreviations xiii
Preface xix
Part I: Introduction 1
Principles and Methods of Investigating the History of
Ancient Israel 3
1.1 Aims 3
1.2 Concepts and Complications: The Question of Sources
and Methods 4
1.2.1 The Place of the Social Sciences 4
1.2.2 The Longue Duree 5
1.2.3 Using Archaeology as a Source 6
1.2.3.1 General Comments 6
1.2.3.2 Terminology of Archaeological Periods 10
1.2.3.3 Use of Survey Data 11
1.2.3.4 The Debate over the 'Low Chronology' 12
1.2.3.5 The Stratigraphy of Samaria 16
1.2.3.6 Reinterpretation of the Jochan Seal 16
1.2.3.7 Problems with Forgeries 16
1.2.4 Ethnicity 18
1.2.5 Ideology and Neo-Fundamentalism 21
1.2.6 'Maximalists', 'Minimalists' and the ad
bominem Argument 23
1.3 The Contemporary Practice of Writing Israel's History 25
1.3.1 Developments in General Historiography 25
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Contents
1.3.2 Forty Years of Debate Among Biblical Scholars 30
1.3.3 Principles of Historical Method Used in this
Book 35
Part II: Historical Investigations 37
2. Second Millennium: Middle and Late Bronze Ages
(2000-1300 BCE) 39
2.1 Sources 39
2.1.1 Archaeology 39
2.1.2 Egyptian Texts 42
2.1.2.1 Execration Texts 42
2.1.2.2 Amarna Letters 42
2.1.2.3 The Story of Sinuhe 43
2.1.3 Ugaritic Texts 43
2.1.4 Mesopotamian Texts 44
2.1.5 Biblical Text 44
2.2 Analysis 45
2.2.1 Peoples/Ethnic and Social Groups 45
2.2.1.1 Hyksos 45
2.2.1.2 Amorites (Amurru) 46
2.2.1.3 'Apiru/Haberu 48
2.2.1.4 Shasu (Shosu, S3sw, Sutu) 49
2.2.1.5 Canaanites 50
2.2.2 Question of the Patriarchs 52
2.3 Synthesis 55
2.3.1 First Part of the Second Millennium
(ca. 2000-1600/1500 BCE) 56
2.3.1.1 Egypt 56
2.3.1.2 Old Assyrian Period (ca. 2000-1750) 57
2.3.1.3 Old Babylonian Period (ca. 2000-1600) 51
2.3.1.4 Hittites 58
2.3.1.5 Northern Syria 58
2.3.2 Second Part of the Second Millennium
(ca. 1600/1500-1200 BCE) 59
2.3.2.1 Egypt 59
2.3.2.2 Mesopotamia 60
2.3.2.3 Hittite Empire (ca. 1400-1200) 61
2.3.2.4 Mitanni Kingdom (ca. 1600-1350) 61
2.3.2.5 Ugarit 64
2.3.3 Palestine 64
Vlll
Contents
3. Late Bronze II to Iron IIA (ca. 1300-900 BCE): From Settlement
to Statehood 65
3.1 Sources 65
3.1.1 Archaeology 65
3.1.1.1 Analysis 74
3.1.2 Merneptah Stela 77
3.1.3 Medinet Habu and Related Inscriptions 80
3.1.4 Report of Wenamun 80
3.1.5 Shoshenq Fs Palestinian Inscription 81
3.1.6 Biblical Text 83
3.1.6.1 Pentateuch 83
3.1.6.2 Deuteronomistic History (DtrH) 83
3.2 Analysis 84
3.2.1 The Question of the Exodus 84
3.2.2 The Sea Peoples and the Philistines 88
3.2.3 Transjordan 93
3.2.4 From Settlement to Statehood 98
3.2.4.1 Joshua and Judges 98
3.2.4.2 The Settlement: Recent Models in
Biblical Studies 100
3.2.4.3 Tribes' and 'Nomads' 105
3.2 A A Anthropological Models of
Statehood 107
3.2.4.5 The Saul, David and Solomon
Traditions 111
3.2.5 Writing, Literacy and Bureaucracy 115
3.3 Synthesis 118
4. Iron IIB (900-720 BCE): Rise and Fall of the Northern
Kingdom 123
4.1 Sources 123
4.1.1 Archaeology 123
4.1.2 Hebrew Inscriptions 128
4.1.3 Aramaic Inscriptions 129
4.1.3.1 Tel Dan 129
4.1.3.2 Melqart Inscription 130
4.1.3.3 Zakkur Inscription 130
4.1.4 Mesha Stela 131
4.1.5 Assyrian Sources 131
4.1.6 Phoenician History of Menander of Ephesus 136
4.1.7 Biblical Text 136
IX