The Religions of Ancient Israel - by Ziony Zevit (Paperback)

About the Book

This is the most far-reaching interdisciplinary investigation into the religion of ancient Israel ever attempted. The author draws on textual readings, archaeological and historical data and epigraphy to determine what is known about the Israelite religions during the Iron Age (1200-586 BCE). The evidence is synthesized within the structure of an Israelite worldview and ethos involving kin, tribes, land, traditional ways and places of worship, and a national deity. Professor Zevit has originated this interpretive matrix through insights, ideas, and models developed in the academic study of religion and history within the context of the humanities. He is strikingly original, for instance, in his contention that much of the Psalter was composed in praise of deities other than Yahweh. Through his book, the author has set a precedent which should encourage dialogue and cooperative study between all ancient historians and archaeologists, but particularly between Iron Age archaeologists and biblical scholars. The work challenges many conclusions of previous scholarship about the nature of the Israelites' religion.

Book Synopsis

This is the most far-reaching interdisciplinary investigation into the religion of ancient Israel ever attempted. The author draws on textual readings, archaeological and historical data and epigraphy to determine what is known about the Israelite religions during the Iron Age (1200-586 BCE). The evidence is synthesized within the structure of an Israelite worldview and ethos involving kin, tribes, land, traditional ways and places of worship, and a national deity. Professor Zevit has originated this interpretive matrix through insights, ideas, and models developed in the academic study of religion and history within the context of the humanities. He is strikingly original, for instance, in his contention that much of the Psalter was composed in praise of deities other than Yahweh. Through his book, the author has set a precedent which should encourage dialogue and cooperative study between all ancient historians and archaeologists, but particularly between Iron Age archaeologists and biblical scholars. The work challenges many conclusions of previous scholarship about the nature of the Israelites' religion.

Review Quotes

"Aimed at both scholar and layperson, [the book] is clearly written, and rich with illustration and example." - Professor Bill Propp, UC San Diego
Theologische Rundschau

"The most ambitious, the most sophisticated, the most important study of ancient Israelite religions ever undertaken. . . . The standard by which all works for a generation to come will be judged, and even then it may not be surpassed."--William G. Dever, University of Arizona
Themelios

"This is by far the most comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the subject of religion in Iron Age Israel ever undertaken. It is deep, synthetic, even-handed, often provocative, and at ever turn of the page, appropriately self-conscious with respect to the author's perspectives, biases, and methodologies. Throughout Zevit combines a close study of biblical texts, epigraphic remains, and archaeological data, and configures all of the evidence within a conceptual matrix that draws heavily upon methodological advances and models more commonly known to scholars at home in the comparative study of religions, and in the humanities generally. Its exhaustiveness and methodological sophistication make it an important reference work and its timeliness marks it as representing a turning point in biblical scholarship. One of the most appealing aspects of this book is its accessibility. Zevit has intended it for a diverse, but informed, audience. This book is written for the undergraduate and graduate students studying Bible, archaeology, and history, for seminary graduates, and for scholars. All students. In sum, this book is a formidable tour de force, a magnum opus. It rewards the interested reader with a wealth of information, new insights, and a number of directions for future research. It clarifies in many definitive ways the complexities involved with studying the religions of ancient Israel and provides a greater appreciation for the sheer diversity of forms of Israelite devotion and rituals. Its numerous charts, diagrams, maps, drawings, photos, tables, and copious footnotes, as well as its exhaustive indices and bibliography only add to its value. Doubtless, it will be a valuable scholarly resource for years to come, one that also will be the focus of much discussion and debate in a number of disciplines."--Scott B. Noegel, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures

About the Author

Ziony Zevit is Distinguished Professor of Bible Northwest Semitic Languages at the American Jewish University, USA. He has published numerous works including Solving Riddles and the Anterior Construction in Classical Hebrew. The editor of Hebrew Studies, he is also on the editorial board of The Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research.