Life in Biblical Israel (Library of Ancient Israel)

I read someone's negative review and almost didn't buy the book. I think that they had an axe to grind. This is a very well-done piece of work. Since I write novels that take place in ancient Israel, it's important to me that the facts are as accurate as possible. There are numerous pictures, diagrams, etc. It will take me a good long time to get through the entire book. No matter. When I need specific information, it is so well documented that I can get right to my subject of interest. A great deal of work went into this book. I don't know the authors, but I think that they did a grand job and it was worth the price! Anthony Barbera_Author

These so-called "scholars" need to stop speculating, when they do not even have a grasp on the culture of the Hebrews.There are a plethora of issues with this book, but I will only mention one specific.Pros:This book is beautifully done, and is a real pleasure to thumb through. It looks good on a shelf, and also feels good in the hands. It can be easy to follow, at times, but that is where the pros end.Cons:The authors literally make things up, and speculate far too much. Someone who might be looking for a better understanding, but not educated on the topic, will certainly be led in the wrong direction, and will be taught falsehoods as fact. They commonly use terms such as "probably" and "may" and "no doubt", etc, etc, etc. These are speculative terms used to push theory/speculation as fact.Those who already have a full grasp of the Hebrew mindset, and the way things were actually done and why, will quickly be able to point out a vast number of problems in the text. One specific thing to point out, is the speculation that the Purple paint used by the Priests was from "shellfish" and mollusks. The priests would have NEVER extracted ink from unclean things to use in the Holy Place, never.When does the pure theory and speculation stop? It completely corrupts the facts, and distorts people's understanding.

If you're interested in just getting a slice of life in ancient times that has no theological agenda, this is a good one to have. I was a bit surprised at that fairly low view of scripture's inspiration given that a co-author is a catholic priest, but I did appreciate that there was no blatant attempt to prove that scripture is true through archaeology. The title is a good representation of the contents, a great slice of life in the ancient world - good for painting a picture for your mind as you read the Old Testament.

Nobody seriously teaching the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible should be without this book. It's the kind of book I hesitate to tell students about because then they'll know the secret source of all the cool information I share… but they all deserve to have the book. Stager and King, both proven authorities in the field of archaeology, offer a vivid, detailed examination of the everyday realities of life in the Old Testament period. Lushly illustrated with photographs, the text is readable and clear without sacrificing the scholars' necessary level of maturity. This book is a model of how a vast range of technical information can be made accessible to serious students.

I really enjoyed this book. There is some redundancy from chapter to chapter, but not too bad. The authors use a LOT of Scripture which I really appreciated. My only problem with it, I'd say, is that they make some interpretive assumptions that are based on really worn out theories of textual criticism. On the whole, however, it helped me to really grasp the cultural undergirding of what the Old Testament has to say.

An excellent work. The writing gets a tad dense at times, but is highly informational. This work will appeal to historians and theologians alike. The illustrations add a great deal to the value of the text, a picture is worth a thousand words as they say. I still have this book on my shelves and use it to get into the mindset of ancient Israel before reading the Old Testament from time to time.

Life in Biblical Israel contains an incredible amount of valuable information.

This is a delightfully entertaining and instructive book. Well written for 'everyday' education levels. This is one I'll go back to time and again, and have already followed up on some of the references for further reading. Excellent Book!

This book was on the reading list for a course on biblical archaeology that I did, but it is suitable for any general reader with an interest in the Old Testament or Levantine archaeology. The material is well ordered and even better illustrated. I am hanging onto my copy even though the course is finished just for the pleasure of dipping into it.

This is an excellent survey of Biblical life, based on scriptural references and archeology. It is not an examination of history but instead looks at the daily lives of ancient peoples. This includes food, architecture, social life, etc. It is profoundly helpful for those who wish to read ancient documents or scripture and have a more vivid appreciation for the imagery used. For example, the discussion of pottery production as an industrial, factory-like process in some towns lends depth to Jeremiah's purchase of a pot in Jer 19. The many colour pictures render this quite academic work far easier to consume - the text and photos complement each other well.

love it!

Il existe bien des livres sur la vie quotidienne dans l'ancien Israël, mais celui-ci se distingue par sa qualité. Il est écrit par deux spécialistes, est illustré, et très riche.