The Land Before The Kingdom Of Israel: A History Of The Southern Levant And The People Who Populated It (history, Archaeology, And Culture Of The Levant)
by Brendon C. Benz /
2016 / English / PDF
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Ancient Israel is widely regarded as having been set apart from
the nations, representing a unique sociopolitical entity in the
ancient world. United by a common tribal identity and a
commitment to worshiping the God who delivered them from Egypt
exclusively, the Israelites established an egalitarian community
that stood in contrast to the hierarchical polities of their
polytheistic.
Ancient Israel is widely regarded as having been set apart from
the nations, representing a unique sociopolitical entity in the
ancient world. United by a common tribal identity and a
commitment to worshiping the God who delivered them from Egypt
exclusively, the Israelites established an egalitarian community
that stood in contrast to the hierarchical polities of their
polytheistic.
In spite of these traditions, modern scholarship for the most
part has recognized the points of continuity between Canaanite
religion and Israelite religion and concluded that the two
religious systems largely developed from the same cultural
milieu. However, scholars continue to contend that the
Canaanites’ and Israelites’ social and political structures were
distinct. Most scholars agree that the Israelites were
geographical, economic, and/or political outsiders.
In spite of these traditions, modern scholarship for the most
part has recognized the points of continuity between Canaanite
religion and Israelite religion and concluded that the two
religious systems largely developed from the same cultural
milieu. However, scholars continue to contend that the
Canaanites’ and Israelites’ social and political structures were
distinct. Most scholars agree that the Israelites were
geographical, economic, and/or political outsiders.The Land before the Kingdom of Israel
The Land before the Kingdom of Israel responds to this
modern perspective by contributing an original reconstruction of
the sociopolitical landscape of the Late Bronze Age Levant that
exposes points of continuity between the polities and populations
that inhabited the land and those that were later identified with
Israel. By examining multiple sources, Brendon Benz isolates and
accounts for complex social and political realities that have
gone unnoticed. In so doing, he sets the stage for viewing
premonarchic Israel and the Bible’s depiction of it in a new way.
In addition to shedding light on historical memories embedded in
the books of Judges and Samuel that do not conform to
conventional wisdom regarding Israel’s early history, Benz
demonstrates that a contingent of the early Israelites was heir
to the social and political structures of their Late Bronze Age
Levantine predecessors.
responds to this
modern perspective by contributing an original reconstruction of
the sociopolitical landscape of the Late Bronze Age Levant that
exposes points of continuity between the polities and populations
that inhabited the land and those that were later identified with
Israel. By examining multiple sources, Brendon Benz isolates and
accounts for complex social and political realities that have
gone unnoticed. In so doing, he sets the stage for viewing
premonarchic Israel and the Bible’s depiction of it in a new way.
In addition to shedding light on historical memories embedded in
the books of Judges and Samuel that do not conform to
conventional wisdom regarding Israel’s early history, Benz
demonstrates that a contingent of the early Israelites was heir
to the social and political structures of their Late Bronze Age
Levantine predecessors.
