In Israelite Religions: An Archaeological and Biblical Survey, Richard S. Hess provides an accessible account of the discovery of archaeological and textual materials and the debates that have arisen over their importance for biblical studies. After a general introduction to the study of religion, he surveys the field with regard to ancient Israelite and pre-Israelite western Semitic religious traditions. Hess then turns to consider the biblical literature and how other documentary evidence might enlarge our understanding of ancient Israelite religious practices and beliefs. One of the central scholarly debates concerns the question of when the Israelites developed their monotheistic impulse. After examining the evidence, Hess argues for the early establishment of the monotheistic tradition in ancient Israel.
Hess brings a wealth of knowledge to this study, and scholars, students, and clergy interested in the contemporary study of the ancient Near East and the Old Testament will welcome the expert guidance provided in this illustrated volume.
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- Balanced look at scripture and archaeological evidence
- Excellent overview of the history of Israel
- Includes extensive indexes and illustrations
- Approaches to the Study of Religion
- Previous Study of Israelite Religion
- Pre-Israelite West Semitic Religion: Syria and Egypt
- Pre-Israelite West Semitic Religion: Palestine and Jordan
- Narrative and Legal Strands of the Pentateuch
- Priestly and Cultic Strands of the Pentateuch
- Early Israel and the United Monarchy
- Written Sources for the Divided Monarchy
- Archaeological Sources for the Divided Monarchy
- Exilic and Postexilic Religion
Praise for the Print Edition
An even-handed work. . . . This is a good, up-to-date survey which is easy to use, well illustrated, clearly written, and thoroughly indexed. It will be of use for any courses on Old Testament religion.
—Richard S. Briggs, Theological Book Review
Writing from a tradition with high regard for what the Bible knows about ancient Israel, Richard Hess puts Scripture in dialogue with the full range of evidence for Israel's religious life. In a lucid, accessible text for students, Hess also pushes forward a crucial conversation among scholars about the Bible and the ancient world.
—Daniel E. Fleming, professor of Hebraic and Judaic Studies, New York University
- Title: Israelite Religions: An Archaeological and Biblical Survey
- Author: Richard S. Hess
- Publisher: Baker Academic
- Publication Date: 2007
- Pages: 432
About Richard S. Hess
Richard S. Hess is professor of Old Testament at Denver Seminary.