The Hebrew Bible. David M. Carr

criticismhistorical criticism

      2 Be able to identify the following areas on a map and describe their general characteristics:coastal plaincentral hill countryJordan ValleyJudahTransjordan

      3 Know the dates and basic significance of the following overall periods of history:pre‐state tribal periodproto‐monarchyneighboring monarchiesJudah alonedestruction of JerusalemBabylonian exilePersian periodpost‐exilic periodHellenistic periodHasmonean (Maccabean) monarchybeginning of the Roman perioddestruction of the Second Temple

      4 Know the order in which the following empires dominated Israel and Judah:AssyrianBabylonianPersianHellenistic (or Greek)Roman

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY

       Overviews of the history of Israel

      1 Miller, J. Maxwell. The History of Israel: An Essential Guide. Nashville: Abingdon, 1997.

      2 Schipper, Bernd. A Concise History of Ancient Israel: From the Beginnings Through the Hellenistic Era, trans. Michael J. Lesley. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns, 2019.

      3 Shanks, Hershel. Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple (2nd edition). Washington, DC: Biblical Archaeology Society, 1999.

       Geography of lands and places featured in the Bible

      1 Atlas of the Bible Lands (revised edition). Maplewood, NJ: Hammond, 1990.

      2 Rainey, Anson F., and Notley, R. Steven. The Sacred Bridge: Carta’s Atlas of the Biblical World. Jerusalem: Carta, 2006. Detailed. Much focus on reconstructing history.

      3 Rogerson, John. The New Atlas of the Bible. London: McDonald, 1985. Organized not by historical periods, but by regions. Excellent photographs and art.

       Especially good internet resources

      1 The Bible Odyssey (by the Society of Biblical Literature): www.bibleodyssey.org.

      2 http://www.TheTorah.com A non‐profit website run by Jewish scholars with accessible articles on Tanakh/Bible

       Discussions of methods in biblical interpretation

      1 McKenzie, Steven L., and Haynes, Stephen R. To Each Its Own Meaning: An Introduction to Biblical Criticisms and Their Application (2nd edition). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1999.

      2 McKenzie, Steven L., and Kaltner, John, eds. New Meanings for Ancient Texts: Recent Approaches to Biblical Criticisms and Their Applications. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013.

APPENDIX: ISRAEL’S HISTORY AND EMPIRES

       (Prehistory of Israel: domination of Canaan by Egypt, 1450–1200 BCE)

       Emergence of “Israel” in imperial power vacuum

       Appearance of Israelite villages in unsettled hill country (approximately 1250–1000 BCE)

       David and Solomon’s proto‐monarchy in Jerusalem (approximately 1000–930 BCE)

       Neighboring monarchies: (Southern) Judah and (Northern) Israel (approximately 930–722 BCE)

       Oppression by successive empires: Assyria, Egypt, and Babylonia (745–586 bce)

       Fall of northern kingdom (722 BCE)

       Destruction of Jerusalem and exile of its leadership (586 BCE; also other waves of exile)

       Imperial sponsorship of (formerly exiled) Judeans: post‐exilic period (starting 538 bce)

       Persian‐sponsored rebuilding and rule of Judah (538–332 BCE)

       Hellenistic continuation of Persian policies until Hellenistic crisis (332–167 BCE)

       Hellenistic crisis and emergence of Hasmonean/Maccabean monarchy (167–63 BCE)

       Roman rule (starting 63 bce with different dates of end)

       Destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE)

       Total destruction of Jerusalem (135 CE)