The Bible unearthed

archaeology's new vision of ancient Israel and the origin of its sacred texts

By Finkelstein, Israel & Silberman, Neil Asher

Publishers Summary:
"In The Bible Unearthed two leading scholars, an archaeologist and a historian, combine a tour of the field of biblical archaeology with a explanation of how and why the Bible's historical saga differs so dramatically from the archaeological finds. They explain what the Bible says about ancient Israel and show how it diverges sharply from archaeological reality. They then offer a new version of the history of ancient Israel, bringing archaeological evidence to bear on the question of when, where, and why the Bible was first written." "As to why the answers are so new, Finkelstein and Silberman draw on evidence from decades of archaeological work and dozens of digs in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria, to explain that the key early books of the Bible were first codified in the seventh century B.C.E., hundreds of years after the core events of the lives of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, and the conquest of Canaan were said to have taken place." "Yet the ultimate message of The Bible Unearthed is not just a correction of the record. Instead, it is a unique and fascinating explanation of the origins of the Bible. The Bible's newly identified authors, threatened with political crisis and the intimidation of nearby empires, crafted a brilliant document, a set of stories and teachings that would eventually appeal to the faithful beyond the boundaries of any particular kingdom."--BOOK JACKET.

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ISBN
978-0-68486-912-4
Publisher
New York ; Free Press, c2001.


REVIEWS

Library Journal

Reviewed on December 1, 2000

Assessing archaeological research, Finkelstein (archaeology, Tel Aviv Univ.) and Silberman (Ename Ctr. for Public Archaeology and Heritage Presentation) attempt to sort out what archaeology tells us about who wrote the Bible. They argue that religious revivals under King Josiah (639-609) and the resulting culture fundamentally shaped the Hebrew Bible. The authors argue that Josiah's reign is critically important to understanding both the textual and archaeological evidence regarding the patriarchs, exodus, conquest of...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

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