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Page 1: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones Are Best?; Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, & Content; Story and Faith: A Guide

Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones Are Best?Review by: Victor H. Matthews and James C. MoyerThe Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 54, No. 4 (Dec., 1991), pp. 218-234Published by: The American Schools of Oriental ResearchStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3210283 .

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Page 2: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones Are Best?; Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, & Content; Story and Faith: A Guide

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Old Testament/Hebrew Bible (OT/HB) for undergraduates have become a fairly substan-

tial market for publishers. More than 20 were published during the 1980s alone, and there seems to be no end in sight. This review will concentrate on how well these text- books incorporated new archae- ological discoveries into their sur- veys and whether they described and explained archaeology successfully.

These textbooks can also be called surveys of the OT/HB and should be distinguished from the more technical introductions such as O. Eisfeldt, Old Testament In- troduction (Harper & Row 1965) or R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament (Eerdmans 1969). An evaluation of this latter category is outside the scope of this article.

In four previous articles in Bibli- cal Archaeologist, we have reviewed the archaeological information in Bible Handbooks (September 1985: 149-59), one-volume Bible Dictio- naries (December 1985: 222-37), one- volume Bible Commentaries (June 1990: 104-15) and Bible Atlases (December 1990: 220-31).

In the last century, new archae- ological discoveries have substantial-

ly impacted our understanding of the world of the Bible. Undergradu- ates studying the OT/HB need to be introduced to this information. They also need to be made aware of archae- ological methods and techniques as well as the values and limitations of archaeology for the study of the Bible. Our evaluation will concentrate on how well the textbooks succeed in addressing these issues. Obviously, undergraduate textbooks could be evaluated from many additional per- spectives, but space does not permit us to do so.

We have chosen to examine only those textbooks published since 1980 (with one exception) and to separate them into two categories: texts that are easier to follow and simpler to read and designed to appeal to the beginning student, and those that are more detailed and appeal to the more advanced upper level undergraduate, beginning semi- nary or graduate student. In each category, we proceed by publication date, from oldest to the most recent. We will make suggestions on what we believe all introductory textbooks should include regarding archaeology, and, finally, we will rate the text- books and make recommendations.

Old Testament/ Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones are Best? by Victor H. Matthews andJames C. Moyer

OT/HB Textbooks for Beginning Students

Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction, by Lawrence Boadt (Paulist, 1984) Only published in paperback, this is the least expensive ($9.95) volume available. It is written simply and contains a number of excellent teach- ing and study aids. There are ques- tions at the end of each chapter, charts (see page 117, Comparison of Genesis 1 and Enuma Elish, and page 127, Comparison of Babylonian and Hebrew Flood Stories), a reading list for each chapter and indices. All il- lustrations and maps (90 in all) are line drawings, which helps keep the price down but detracts from the visual aspect. The maps are poorly done and very hard to follow.

Following a series of introductory chapters (which deal with the canon, the "Peoples and Lands of the OT," archaeology, the methods of biblical criticism, and the documentary hypo- thesis and the Pentateuch), the vol- ume follows the order of the English canon. There are also topical chapters interspersed with these sections on the text ("Canaanite Religion and Culture," "Daily Life in Ancient Israel" and "Israelite Worship and

218 Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991

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Page 3: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones Are Best?; Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, & Content; Story and Faith: A Guide

Prayer"). The theological viewpoint (Roman Catholic) is evident in sev- eral places. This can be a problem for non-Catholic students and/or those unfamiliar with the issues involved. The poor quality of paper shortens the life of the book, which again makes it compare unfavorably to the more glossy, heavily illustrated vol- umes available for classes in History, Sociology and Psychology.

Boadt has the best coverage of archaeology in any of the books re- viewed in this section. He has a separate chapter, "Archaeology and the Old Testament" (pages 52-68), as well as a chapter on the peoples of the ancient Near East and Mediter- ranean (pages 28-51), which includes an effective (see chart on page 34) discussion of the geography of these

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regions. The chapter on archaeology

covers the history of the subject, methods, and short summaries of the major excavations in Palestine and the ancient Near East. Literary finds outside of Israel (Enuma Elish, Gilgamesh epic, etc.; see inset, page 63) and inside (such as the Moabite Stone; see inset, page 65), are also discussed, and careful comparisons are made with the biblical text. Fi- nally, the book has a section on "The

Rated Best OT/HB Thxtbooks Beginning Level Textbooks: Mainstream (tie) L. Boadt, Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction

Rated best value at $9.95, provides balanced and detailed coverage of history, geography and archaeology as well as good use of comparative literary mate- rials and good student aids.

H. J. Flanders, R. W. Crapps and D. A. Smith, People of the Covenant: An Intro- duction to the Old Testament, third edition

Rated best (excluding price), attractive format, illustrated well with nu- merous student aids. Detailed coverage of comparative texts and effective presentation of archaeology.

Conservative: A. Hill and J. Walton, Introduction to the Old Testament

Most up-to-date, deals best with critical scholarship among textbooks for be- ginning students in a conservative context.

Advanced Level ITxtbooks: Mainstrean: B. W. Anderson, Understanding the Old Testament, fourth edition

Although still in need of revision, this remains the best advanced textbook for use in a mainstream teaching context.

Conservative: W. S. LaSor, D. A. Hubbard and F. W. Bush, Old Testament Survey: The Message, Form and Background of the Old Testament

Based on format, visual qualities and attention to critical issues and archae- ology, this is the most useful textbook for advanced conservative students. It is now out-of-date and deserves to be revised.

Value and Limit of Archaeology," in which Boadt notes that "Archaeology does not prove the Bible to be 'true' or 'false'" (page 67). This is an accu-

Reading the Old Testament has the best coverage of archaeology in any of the books reviewed in this section.

rate and realistic statement that does not raise students' expectations, but also lets them know the real value of archaeological research in the recon- struction of the ancient world.

After a careful examination of the Babylonian and Genesis accounts of creation (pages 109-19), Boadt concludes: "While the Priestly au- thors obviously knew the Babylonian story, or one similar, and used its outline, they did not accept its theo- logy." In treating the similarities be-

tween the ancient Near Eastern flood accounts, he notes:

The differences in detail . .. may suggest that the biblical writer knew a slightly different version [than Gilgamesh], perhaps one from an area closer to them, such as Syria ... but Israel re- jects any sense of a moody, petu- lant god and describes a God whose will can be known and his way lived and his blessing fulfilled (pages 127-28).

There is a balanced discussion of the date of the exodus, giving both sides, although noting that the thir- teenth century date "is more favored today" and "a date for the exodus in the reign of Ramses II, sometime be- tween 1300 and 1280, seems the most likely" (pages 162-64).

He notes that "the archaeological evidence for the Early Iron Age (the period from 1250 down to 1000) is quite mixed" (page 200). The prob- lems concerning Ai and Jericho are

Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991 219

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Page 4: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones Are Best?; Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, & Content; Story and Faith: A Guide

mentioned briefly, and he does dis- cuss Yigael Yadin and William E Al- bright, both of whom favor the evi- dence of destruction at Hazor as a sign of the accuracy of the biblical tradition. He states, however, that "this does not mean . .. that the whole land was conquered at once and held onto." Additional theories "of a peaceful settlement or internal revolt" are reported (pages 203-5), and Boadt concludes that "the actual situation perhaps involves elements of all these theories: invasion, gradual infiltration of outside tribes, uprising and confederation of peasants break- ing free from the urban powers."

Aside from discussions of daily life, archaeology is also mentioned in passing, such as: "archaeological probes have shown that the popula- tion of Jerusalem and its immediate neighborhood did double in area dur- ing this (post-exilic) period" (pages 449-50). Boadt also continues to mention, and to provide insets of, extra-biblical texts throughout the volume, including the Elephantine papyri (pages 460-62). The chapter on "Wisdom Literature" makes liberal use of Near Eastern parallels.

The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, & Content, by Peter C. Craigie (Abingdon, 1986) Published posthumously, this vol- ume displays Craigie's keen under- standing of undergraduate students as well as the importance of archae- ology for the study of the Bible. It also suffers from not having him present to oversee the final revisions and layout.

Craigie includes a chapter on the historical and cultural background of the ancient Near East and a chap- ter on "The Old Testament and Ar- chaeology." The latter contains one of the best sections we have found describing the history of the science of archaeology, the major discoveries of the last century (including a de- tailed look at the Ebla discoveries, pages 88-92), and even a discussion of the term "biblical archaeology"

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that highlights the problems in using this expression (pages 81-82). He also includes a segment on "the use and abuse of archaeology" (pages 100-2). In this regard, he notes:

Many people would like to use archaeology to "prove the truth of the Bible," and there are prob- ably as many who would use it in an attempt to disprove the Bible ... There are fundamental logical flaws in either of these approaches to the Old Testa- ment (page 101).

Craigie has one of the best sections we have found describing the history of the science of archaeology.

Subsequent chapters feature short summaries of each of the bibli- cal books. Because of the brevity of these segments, archaeological data is only mentioned briefly. (See the comparison between the Atra-hasis epic and the Genesis flood story, page 107.) Critical questions on the date of the exodus and the manner of the conquest are treated briefly in a separate chapter on "The History of Israel" (pages 255-90).

Visually, this volume is not par- ticularly attractive. Its black-and- white photos are too widely scattered, especially in the latter half of the book, and the maps do not look pro- fessional. There is, however, a useful annotated bibliography of aids for the study of the OT/HB, as well as a subject and scripture index.

This book can be recommended for its chapter on archaeology, but the failure to integrate this emphasis into the remainder of the text makes it unbalanced. The summaries of the biblical books are just too short to provide adequate detail and attention to the problems raised by the biblical text and archaeological discoveries.

Story and Faith: A Guide to the Old Testament, by James L. Crenshaw (MacMillan, 1986, out of print; Hen- drickson reprint forthcoming in 1992) Although intended for beginners, this textbook is written from a more sophisticated perspective. Its appeal may therefore be more to the ad- vanced student, but some begin- ning students will be able to use it profitably.

It begins with an introductory chapter of 31 pages in which Cren- shaw briefly discusses the geography and topography of the land. He also gives a good survey of the history of Israel, which includes the dating of the exodus and the three major con- quest theories. He also mentions Ugarit and Qumran briefly.

The rest of the book follows the English order of the canon, book by book, with emphasis on literary is- sues. In the preface, Crenshaw blunt- ly states that archaeology, ancient history, sociology, etc., are secondary concerns in his opinion. Where an- cient Near Eastern texts prove help- ful in illuminating the text they are mentioned, but always very briefly. This includes the Mesopotamian flood story, Ugaritic texts and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Much more atten- tion is devoted to authorship, literary artistry, etc. Although archaeologi- cal material is used very sparingly,

220 Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991

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Page 5: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones Are Best?; Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, & Content; Story and Faith: A Guide

Crenshaw states that archaeology is a secondary concern in studying the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible.

the information is accurate and up-to-date.

There are 59 black-and-white photos, with 10 concentrated in the introduction, and there are two maps, which reveal little about topography. The bibliography is selective but more extensive than most beginning textbooks. As expected, literary in-

terests dominate. Archaeological books are included on a very limited basis. Some of the books are anno- tated and, overall, the selection em- phasizes technical books.

Story and Faith is a good text- book for beginning and more ad- vanced students who are looking for a literary emphasis. Those wanting archaeological information will be disappointed.

Introducing the Old Testament, by John Drane (Harper & Row, 1987) This book is a revision and combina- tion of The Old Testament Story

(1983) and Old Testament Faith (1986). Drane has a very brief four- page introduction to "Archaeology and the Old Testament," which has only about 1,500 words, with pic- tures and drawings. It has limited scope and is helpful to the beginner, but could be expanded significantly. Only a few of the values and limita- tions of archaeology for biblical study are noted.

Genesis is placed in its context in 3.5 pages. Here the adaptation of ideas from Ugarit is mentioned. The Babylonian Genesis is compared with the biblical creation account, and the Gilgamesh story of the flood is compared with the biblical ac- count of the flood. Again the discus- sion is helpful for the beginner, but is too brief.

The treatment of the exodus and conquest is a little more extensive. There is a summary of dating issues

Drane notes only a few of the values and limitations of archaeology for biblical study.

and an explanation of the complexity of the issues involved. Three theories of conquest are discussed and evalu- ated (pages 62-69).

Ugarit is frequently mentioned but never extensively. The most de- tailed section, Israel and the religion of Canaan, is 2.5 pages long. The coverage is again helpful but could easily be expanded.

An obvious strength of this book is the frequent use of black-and- white photos (165- more than in any other volume reviewed). The quality is not always the best, but they are generally an aid to illustrat- ing the text. Many pictures of arti- facts, including several inscriptions, accompany the text. Some geographi- cal scenes are included along with a number of drawings, chronological charts and 15 maps. One interesting

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type of picture is the modern example of something ancient. These types of pictures add human interest, al- though one could question how ap- propriate some are. They also become dated quickly.

No specific section is devoted to geography, topography or climate. His use of insets is a helpful feature (see "Were the Patriarchs real people?" on pages 42-45); however, the print is extremely small. The volume con- cludes with a very brief bibliography.

Overall, this book is a readable and well-illustrated survey of the OT/HB with brief use of archaeology. What is included is helpful to the beginner, but is so brief that it needs to be expanded to give the student a better understanding of the impor- tance of archaeology for the study of ancient Israel.

The Old Testament Story, by John H. Tullock, second edition (Prentice Hall, 1987) This book is a revision of a 1981 edition. It is simply written and tends to be a running commentary that follows the English order of the biblical books. There are a number of pedagogical devices such as sum- maries at the end of chapters, study questions and annotated bibliog- raphies. It touches only lightly on the difficulties of textual interpreta- tion and, in general, is an uncritical

Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991 221

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JOHN HTULXOCK

treatment of the material. All maps and photographs are in black-and- white, including many of archae- ological sites. There are a few foot- notes, a chronological chart (pages 378-82) providing a cross-reference of events in different areas of the ancient Near East and mainstream dating of the exodus and conquest, plus a subject index.

There is a chapter on the "Geo- graphical and Historical Setting for the OT Prior to 1200 B.C."' but not one on archaeology. A short section (pages 13-19) defines archaeology and discusses its values and limita- tions. Tullock makes a good point by saying that "while archaeologists have substantiated and clarified many things in the Bible, the main purpose of archaeology is neither to furnish museum pieces nor to sub- stantiate a particular biblical event" (page 13). His discussion includes short statements on site selection, dating, digging and values. Then, in a glossary-like format, he notes ma- jor discoveries (pages 16-17) such as the Rosetta Stone, Ugaritic materials and the Ebla tablets. While this is all useful material, it is too brief.

In his discussion of creation epics, Tullock describes the similari- ties with the Babylonian Enuma Elish version, but tends to use a colloquial style: "Marduk took his sword and sliced her into halves like a grapefruit" (page 36). He cites both the Gilgamesh epic and Atra-hasis in discussing the flood material, but

in little more than outline form. He also notes attempts "to confirm the flood story by archaeology" and points out that "none of these attempts have been conclusive" and that "the importance of the flood story does not depend upon the archaeologist" (page 41).

Only the thirteenth century date for the exodus is mentioned, using the Merneptah stele and cities of Pithom and Pi-Ramses in the time of Seti I as evidence (page 59). No alternative dates other than the twelfth century are given for the conquest. In discussing the fall of Jericho, Tullock points out that "there are no archaeological data to confirm or deny the fall of the city to

Thullock spends too much effort providing short summaries of the biblical narrative instead of addressing the problems presented by the text.

Joshua's army" (page 95). He passes over the archaeological problem at Ai by saying "the battle for Ai-or perhaps for Bethel as the archaeolog- ical evidence seems to suggest...." (pages 96-97). Alternative views on the conquest are tacked on to the end of the chapter (page 113) and de- scribed in less than a page - obvious- ly an attempt by the publisher to make as few major changes in the text between editions as possible.

Each chapter has a bibliography, and archaeological books and atlases are well represented. The annota- tions are an asset, but too many of the books are not the latest or most recent research in their respective fields. A few of the less technical books are included.

This book, which has been wide- ly used in college classrooms, is often too simplistic and spends too much effort providing short summaries of

the biblical narrative instead of ad- dressing the critical problems pre- sented by the text. Those professors who adopt Tullock will need to pro- vide significant supplementation to the text.

People of the Covenant: An Introduc- tion to the Old Testament, by Henry J. Flanders, Robert W. Crapps and David A. Smith, third edition (Oxford, 1988) Earlier editions of this work by a team of Baptist scholars were published in 1963 and 1973. Unlike Schultz' vol- ume (see below), which has received minimal revisions, this book has gone through substantial revisions and is current. Furthermore, it pro- vides broad coverage of the whole field of OT/HB scholarship and is not written solely for conservatives.

After a 45-page section on "Struc- ture and Interpretation of the Old Testament," a 25-page section titled "Setting the Stage" explains well the geography of Palestine and the rest of the ancient Near East. Nine pages on "Archaeology of the Biblical World" follow, which is successful in intro- ducing the student to the methods and techniques of archaeology as well as some of the values and limi- tations of archaeology. However,

222 Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991

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there is one unfortunate error, when it is stated that archaeologists dig in squares of 15 meters (instead of 5 meters). This is not an isolated error; the volume deserved better proof- reading than it received.

The treatment of the creation story is quite extensive (pages 82-99).

People of the Covenant pays good attention to historical and archaeological issues as well as literary and religious issues.

Comparison with Enuma Elish is detailed and effective, but the addi- tion of Indian, Polynesian and Fulani creation stories is really unnecessary for beginning students. Less exten- sive is the treatment of the flood, yet some of Gilgamesh is quoted and a fine comparison is drawn between Tablet XI and Genesis. The Moabite Stone is discussed briefly and illus- trated (pages 238-39). The date and route of the exodus are discussed (pages 154-58), and about six pages are devoted to the conquest, appro- priately introducing the student to the complexity of this process.

This is a student-oriented text- book that includes a glossary (pages 465-74), a chronological chart (pages 461-64), a subject index and a select bibliography. Each chapter concludes with questions for further study and a brief annotated selection of books for further study. Maps, charts and regularly spaced black-and-white pictures enhance the volume.

Although some beginning stu- dents at an open admission university will find this volume too detailed, it is one of the best for beginning stu- dents. There is good attention to his- torical and archaeological issues as well as literary and religious issues. Overall, we consider it to be an ex- cellent survey textbook.

The Old 'Istament World, by John Rogerson and Philip Davies (Pren- tice Hall, 1989) This is an attempt by two British authors to apply social-scientific methods to an introductory textbook. The organization of the volume therefore consists of setting the social stage with chapters on "Geography and Ecology," "Social Organization" and "Israel's Neighbors." One typical comment on their use of the text in conjunction with a sense of social perspective is found in a caption dealing with Abraham's pursuit of Lot's kidnappers in Genesis 14:14:

Although both the interpretation of Genesis 14 and the dating of Abraham around 1800 B.C.E. are problematical, as well as the fact, according to Judges 18:29, the city was not called Dan until the twelfth century B.C.E., this discovery enables the story of Abraham to be read with greater sensitivity to the sort of condi- tions implied in narratives about him (page 259).

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The second section traces the history of the nation from Solomon through the time of Herod. The authors' un- derstanding of "Israelite historiog- raphy" is that "the biblical writers had to do the best they could with the traditions available to them, without having Assyrian records and archaeological investigations to help them" (page 143).

The third section covers literary aspects of the text, from Creation stories through apocalyptic, and the final section deals with the forma- tion of the text from oral tradition and the development of the canon. This unusual organization will be confusing to beginning students un- less the instructor is careful to ex- plain its logic and is very familiar with the volume before beginning the course.

There is a great deal of infor- mation and archaeological data (especially comparative literature) scattered throughout the book. For instance:

"We also know from archae- ological investigations that Omri (or his son) built new walls to replace those built by Solomon at Megiddo and Hazor, as well as impressive water tun- nels at those cities" (page 143).

However, the index does not contain an archaeology listing, nor is there a specific chapter on archaeology. In the section on "Population and Agricul- ture in 1200 B.C.E.," ethno-archaeology is referenced, with discussion of the Early Iron Age settlements and the use of the "four-roomed house" (page 28) and the debate over the construc- tion of agricultural terraces in the hill country settlements (page 34).

The authors briefly address some of the controversies that can be highlighted by archaeology: "re- cent research . .. suggests that the Philistines did not have a monopoly of iron" (page 36); "the vitality of Canaanite private religion is attest- ed by the large number of figurines found" (page 75); "the conquest of Canaan may have been less a fight to enable the newcomers to settle, as presented in Joshua, than a number of battles between the Israelite tribes

There is a great deal of archaeological data scattered throughout The Old Testament World.

Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991 223

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and Canaanite city-states that wished to subject them" (page 133).

Particularly good coverage is given to extra-biblical literary re- mains: Ras Shamra (pages 73-74); Mesha Inscription (page 80); "Hymn to the Aton" and the "Theology of Memphis" (page 94); Hittite and Nuzi texts (pages 96-97); Assyrian inscriptions (pages 98-102); Mernep- tah Stele -"Israel's history ... begins around 1230 B.C.E., for the simple reason that this is the earliest refer- ence to Israel in a text that can be dated with confidence" (page 117); Mari prophetic texts (page 275); wis- dom literature (pages 294-95). In their discussion of the parallels be- tween creation stories, the authors note that "the object . . . is not to try to prove or disprove the dependence of Genesis on other traditions. It is, rather, to indicate what themes are treated in the texts that have been discovered" (page 198).

Visually, this volume is the most attractive of any reviewed. It has 48 color plates scattered through- out the volume, and many more black-and-white pictures, charts and maps. Most of these illustrations depict archaeological sites and ob- jects and have helpful captions, al- though there are a number of pieces of medieval art (stained-glass win- dows and illuminated manuscripts). Because of this greater emphasis on the visual, this volume most closely resembles the survey texts in history and the other social sciences. We applaud Prentice Hall and urge other publishers to follow their lead.

It also uses scientific notation in the body of the text rather than footnotes. This is easier for begin- ning students to handle than foot- notes; however, the bibliography at the end of the volume needs to be expanded to include more "popular" articles and books that beginners could immediately use without ad- ditional background. The index also needs to be enlarged and a scripture index should be added.

The Old 'ITestament Speaks, by Samuel J. Schultz, fourth edition (Harper & Row, 1990) When this volume first appeared in 1960, it quickly became a best-selling conservative textbook. It has previ- ously been revised in 1970 and 1980 and has been translated into many languages.

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The archaeological information is surprisingly brief. There is no in- troduction to archaeological methods or techniques and no discussion of the values and limitations of archae- ology. The creation and flood stories are discussed briefly, but no com- parison is made with extra-biblical literature. Only two pages are de- voted to the geography of Israel and the date of the exodus. A 10-page sec- tion on the conquest is primarily a

Because the revisions have been minimal, The Old Testament Speaks is quite dated.

summary of the biblical narrative. Problems, such as the absence of oc- cupation at Ai, are treated fairly. Some extra-biblical texts, for ex- ample, the Moabite Stone and the Lachish Letters, are included, but

many others are omitted. Each chapter has a bibliography,

but many of the books listed are now dated. Three indices of biblical refer- ences, maps, and names and subjects conclude the volume. There is no ar- chaeology listing in the subject index.

For a book that has sold so well, it is surprising that the revisions have been so minimal. Only four pages of black-and-white photos are included after page 208, and the book remains visually unattractive. The reader can go for too many pages at a time without any visual aids whatsoever. Furthermore, because the revisions have been minimal, the book is quite dated. Fortunately, there are now several better options available for conservatives.

Crisis and Story, by W. Lee Humph- reys, second edition (Mayfield, 1990) Humphreys focuses on the most re- cent contributions of social-scientific and literary scholarship, organizing his book around the Moses-Sinai and David-Zion stories and three major

Crisis and Story has no separate section on archae- ology and its methods.

crises in the history of Jerusalem. These crises are the capture of Jeru- salem by David and the formation of the kingdom or empire with Jeru- salem at the center; the destruction of the city and temple by Nebuchad- nezzar in 587; and the destruction of the city and Second Temple by the armies of Rome in 70 C.E.

Rather than an introduction to archaeology and the Bible, Humph- reys devotes one paragraph to explain- ing that archaeology deals with early life and physical evidence and rarely links particular persons or events of the Bible with specific discoveries. There is no separate section on ar- chaeology or its methods; Hum- phreys does state "it is rare, however, for particular persons or events men-

224 Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991

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tioned in the Bible to be securely linked with specific archaeological artifacts, levels, or other forms of evidence" (page 7).

Five pages (pages 25-29) are devoted to the origins of ancient Israel and the three major theories of the conquest (noting a thirteenth century date only as possible), in- cluding slow migration, external at- tack, and an internal uprising. The section concludes with an apprecia- tion for the "reconstructionist" scholars who have "enriched our ap- preciation of the complexity of those processes that led to the emergence of Israel" (page 29). In his discussion of the external attack view of the conquest, he mentions the archae- ological evidence of the "sudden and violent destruction in the thirteenth century B.C.E. of several sites" (page 27), but there is no critical discussion of the problems at Jericho or Ai that would have been useful at least as an indication of the problems with this view. This may be one of the prob- lems inherent to volumes that are too brief in their discussion (com- pare Tullock). These theories are explained in more detail than any- thing else relating to archaeology because this is part of his emphasis on social-scientific research.

Humphreys mentions the Gilga- mesh account of the flood only brief- ly and notes that "many of the Yah- wist's themes appear in the literature

and mythology of the Near East especially in that of ancient Mesopo- tamia." In his discussion comparing Gilgamesh with the Genesis flood story, he includes the notation that in "unearthing this corpus of ancient material during the past century, archaeologists have provided a back- ground that gives new dimensions to the Yahwist's work" (page 81). He sees the Yahwist as creating "a uni- fied structure" from these materials (page 82).

There is no separate section de- voted to climate and geography. The selected bibliographies are not an- notated and rarely mention archae- ological books. A helpful glossary has few terms connected with archae- ology. Other than its cover, this is not a particularly attractive volume. There are 38 black-and-white pictures widely scattered throughout the book, which depict artifacts and geography, but some are too dark, and there are just too many pages of nothing but text. Although never stated directly, Humphreys appears to share Crenshaw's opinion that archaeology is a secondary concern.

A Survey of the Old 'Istament, by Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton (Zondervan, 1991) This is designed as an evangelical survey of the OT/HB. After a pro- logue of 65 pages covering general introductory matters, the authors proceed book by book according to the English canon. The books are grouped into four categories: Penta- teuch, Historical Books, Poetic

Hill and Walton is the best conservative textbook for the beginning student.

Books and Prophets-with an intro- ductory chapter for each category of the OT/HB. An epilogue with two chapters, "Toward the New Testa-

ment" and "What We Have Learned," concludes the volume.

The prologue includes a good 11-page introduction to archaeology and the Old Testament. The methods and techniques of archaeology could be expanded in this section, but the values and limitations are well pre- sented. Here, several of the major ar- chives (Ebla, Mari, Nuzi, etc.) are mentioned. It is readily admitted that archaeology has created confusion and problems, especially on questions of the exodus and the conquest.

A 14-page chapter on geography successfully introduces the student to the ancient Near East and the land of Palestine, and 17 pages are devoted to a historical overview of Old Testament times. This chapter

AC S1. N/ff 0- F r} 011•-D TE-ENMN

effectively places biblical events in their historical context. Only in a few places, for example Mesopotamia 2900-2000 B.C.E., is the detail more than the beginning student needs.

The discussion of creation and flood epics includes a comparison with Enuma Elish and Gilgamesh. Although helpful, it should be ex- panded. Other literature from the ancient Near East (Moabite Stone, Lachish Letters, Siloam Inscription, etc.) is mentioned briefly at appro- priate places.

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This book is helpful to the be- ginning student, but it could be improved. There are only 28 black- and-white pictures, most of which are quite small, but there are 53 excellent charts or graphs and 10 maps. Each chapter concludes with questions for further study and a bibliography with some annotations. Time lines are scattered throughout the book, and there is a two-page chronology at the end. The time line is arranged so that the book must be turned sideways, which makes it dif- ficult to use. Additional aids include an index and a few footnotes, but no glossary.

This is the best conservative textbook for the beginning student. It is positive, cautious and helpful. It is up-to-date and uses archaeological discoveries appropriately. Occasion- ally, special cases are made where archaeological discoveries confirm, or at least do not discount, the ac- curacy of Scripture: "experience has shown that calling into question the historicity of the biblical text for lack of evidence is unwarranted, be- cause subsequent archaeological dis- coveries tend to confirm Scripture" (page 132).

OT/HB Textbooks for Advanced Students

The Hebrew Scriptures: An Introduc- tion to Their Literature and Religious Ideas, by S. Sandmel (Oxford, 1978) This is the only volume published before 1980 reviewed. It represents a perspective (Jewish) that is not pres- ent anywhere else in the current textbook market. While this volume reads very well, its style is beyond that of the average beginning stu- dent. There are no pictures and just 17 maps to break up the visual image on the printed page. After two preliminary chapters that discuss the canon and some aspects of the history of the Israelites, Sandmel launches into a series of chapters on the prophets. It is not until chapter 25 that Genesis is discussed in the

context of the "narrative books" of the Bible.

Sandmel's use of archaeology is limited. There are brief references to the Babylonian myth of the flood, from which he notes that "the Gene- sis flood narrative is derived" (page 352). He also emphasizes that archae- ology's chief value is in confirming the reliability of "the general picture of early Palestinian life as depicted

Sandmel represents a perspective (Jewish) that is not present anywhere else in the current textbook market.

in the Tanak" (page 348). However, the bulk of his discussion of archae- ology is assigned to Appendix I (pages 507-16), which provides a brief de- scription of methods, a map showing major sites, and a discussion of the value of inscriptional remains for the reconstruction of biblical history.

Sandmel's treatment of the bib- lical materials is sophisticated and will appeal to the advanced student. He has a no-nonsense style that strives to illuminate the text with- out overburdening it with theologi- cal jargon. Because it is the only "Jewish" introductory text, it fills a niche, but it is so dated that it should be revised.

Introduction to the Old Testament, by James K. West, second edition (Macmillan, 1981) Utilizing a mainstream approach, West first provides a series of intro- ductory segments and then follows the English canon in his survey of the OT/HB. The level of readership is the advanced undergraduate, and the volume is illustrated fairly well, al- though the layout is not particularly attractive. Student aids include foot- notes on nearly every page, a glossary, names and subjects indices, scripture index, chronological chart, outdated

bibliographies at the end of each sec- tion and a general bibliography at the end of the volume.

There is no separate segment on archaeology and only a very brief discussion of archaeological methods (pages 38-40). West does make very effective use of literary parallels from the ancient Near East. For instance, in his discussion of the Genesis creation stories, he quotes from and makes direct comparisons with the Enuma Elish (pages 82-84), and in a similar manner references Atra-hasis and the Gilgamesh epic in his discussion of the flood narra- tive (pages 94-98).

The various peoples associated with the ancestral narratives are pre- sented along with the documentary materials used to compare them with the Bible (Nuzi, Mari, El Amarna, Ebla; pages 105-18). West does a detailed job of tackling the problems over dating the narratives (Patriarchs, pages 118-23; Exodus, pages 147-52). He also provides a balanced exami- nation of the three principal theories of the conquest (pages 203-9).

While the degree of detail is helpful, it is more than could be handled successfully by many begin- ning students. This volume would

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West would be most useful to upper level or seminary students in a mainstream or university context.

be most useful to upper level or seminary students in a mainstream or university context. It is out-of- date and needs to be revised.

Old Testament Survey: The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament, by William S. LaSor, David A. Hubbard and Frederic W. Bush (Eerdmans, 1982) The volume is intended for college students, with footnotes and further reading for seminary students. The authors' stated purpose is " . .. to in- troduce the reader to the background, content, literary quality and message of the Old Testament as a whole and of its various books" (page vii). The result is less a survey for college stu- dents and more of a detailed "intro- duction" for seminary students.

Despite the detail in this book, there is no section introducing ar- chaeology, and the term archaeology does not appear in the subject index. On the other hand, there are 27 ref- erences to W. E Albright in the au- thor index. Archaeological contribu- tions are distributed throughout the whole book.

There are five introductory chap- ters. Chapter 5 is a detailed section on geography (pages 40-53). This helpful chapter concludes with a brief section on the political and theological significance of geography. The latter typifies the emphasis on theology throughout the volume. In the remainder of the book, the au- thors treat each OT/HB book in ap- propriate chronological order, with separate chapters introducing vari- ous sections, such as "Prophets and Prophecy."

There is extensive discussion of the historical context of Genesis

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(pages 87-107) and of Exodus (pages 117-30). The latter includes a detailed presentation on placing the date of the exodus in the thirteenth century. The conquest is also covered exten- sively, but not with as much detail as the exodus. The archaeological problems are discussed and brief mention is given to alternatives to the conquest (pages 203-4). Extra- biblical literature is cited whenever appropriate. Although the Enuma Elish is not mentioned by name, there is a comparison drawn between Mesopotamian creation literature and the biblical story of creation (page 73). The same is true for the flood story. Actually, this work in- cludes more use of extra-biblical literature than most other volumes.

There are 46 black-and-white photos as well as several charts and maps. Even so, this is not a visually

The coverage in Old Testament Survey is balanced, with an emphasis on issues of special interest to conservatives.

attractive volume. Inferior paper quality has resulted in poorly repro- duced photographs in many cases. There are indices for subjects, au- thors and foreign terms. Each chap- ter concludes with a select bibliog- raphy with occasional annotations. Extensive footnotes and a general bibliography are also included.

Overall, the coverage in this vol- ume is balanced, with an emphasis on issues of special interest to con- servatives. Despite the lack of an in- troduction to archaeology, this is the best volume for conservatives in the advanced category. It should, there- fore, be revised as soon as possible, since it is almost 10 years old.

The Hebrew Bible: A Socio-Literary Introduction, by Norman K. Gott- wald (Fortress, 1985) Monumental in scope and style, this volume is perhaps the most compre- hensive of those reviewed. It tackles all of the problems inherent to bibli- cal studies, and in some cases engulfs them with details. Frankly, it is more of a reference work than an introductory textbook and therefore cannot be recommended to the be- ginning student. Its proper place is in the seminary or the graduate school where students are better equipped to deal with its critical, social-scientific agenda.

On the informational level, Gott- wald can be applauded for providing good surveys of the historical geog- raphy and archaeological horizon of the Near East. He is careful to note that "archaeological reconstruction is a slow and laborious process, often misunderstood by the general public who hears only of this or that sensa- tional discovery" (page 50). In address- ing the question of the use of paral- lel literary materials, he cautions that these parallels "show that there was a vast fund of writings in the wider world which used literary forms very much like the forms of biblical literature and that dealt with the same or similar historical and thematic concerns" (page 51).

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A S o

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Norman K

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This statement is followed by an extensive table of paralleled texts (pages 52-55), which he says are "meant to show that not only did Israel participate in a common geo- graphical and historical world but also in a common literary and religio- cultural world." His failure to discuss most of these ancient texts in any detail (see pages 332-33) weakens the volume's usefulness as well.

The treatment of archaeology is somewhat mixed-between the ex- tremely technical (see chart of sites on pages 60-62), as in the discussion of the chronology on pages 164-65,

Gottwald provides good surveys of the historical geography and archaeological horizon of the Near East.

and more general statements, such as his definition of "Palestinian ar- chaeology" on page 59. He tends to be cautious in drawing conclusions from the text about specific histori- cal periods:

Even the existence of northern Mesopotamian cities bearing pa- triarchal names is not as compel- ling evidence for MB II origins

of the ancestors in that region as has often been claimed, since some of these names occur also in texts from much later cen- turies (page 169).

His discussion of the conquest models is quite comprehensive (pages 261-76; chart of archaeologi- cal evidence page 263). He concludes that "when the whole body of bibli- cal archaeological data is examined, the case for the conquest model of Israelite origins in Canaan is sharply reduced if not undermined beyond repair" (pages 262, 265). He also points out the typological difficul- ties in the use of the term "Israelite" to describe archaeologically the people identified with the conquest period and the settlement remains from that time period (page 269).

Both the index and bibliography are comprehensive and very useful. This is a relief considering the mass of material in the volume. There are no pictures, although there are some excellent charts and diagrams. The result is a visually unattractive book, which has sacrificed, in some cases, comprehension for detail.

Understanding The Old ITestament, by Bernhard W. Anderson, fourth edition (Prentice Hall, 1986) This is the textbook against which most others are judged because it has dominated the market for more than three decades. It is a compre- hensive volume containing many of the features we have come to expect in a survey of the OT/HB with a mainstream perspective, including good author and subject indices as well as a bibliography for each of the chapters. There are several very help- ful charts, many black-and-white pic- tures of archaeological sites and ob- jects and eight color plates (grouped in two sets of four). The maps are somewhat disappointing, lacking clear definition because of the two- tone shading (although the same maps appear in other volumes, for example Carmody). The many foot-

Anderson has dominated the market for more than three decades.

notes add useful bibliographic refer- ences. These, however, will probably be of more use to advanced or semi- nary students than to beginners.

There is no chapter on archae- ology, geography or the historical background of the ancient Near East. Each of these topics is covered in the course of other chapters. For instance, a series of peoples (Amorites, Hur- rians, Apiru and Aramaeans) are dis- cussed on pages 30-41 in the chapter "The Beginnings of Israel." The his- torical geography of Canaan is found on pages 124-25 as part of the dis- cussion of the conquest. The only extended discussion of archaeology is found on pages 135-37 with regard to the evidence for the conquest. Anderson's position on the limits of archaeology is the following:

UNDERSTANDING THE OLD

TESTAMENT

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We really should not expect ar- chaeology to prove that the bibli- cal story is true just as written. Archaeology aims to be a scien- tific discipline, and as such it is not in the service of any special interest (page 28).

With regard to the creation epics, he notes that the Enuma Elish and the

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Gilgamesh Epic "show formal simi- larities to the biblical account" (page 36). He details some of these paral- lels in his discussion of the Israelite epic tradition, noting that "the Is- raelite story-tellers borrowed freely from the reservoir of popular tradi- tion, although transforming the material in accordance with their Yahwistic theological perspective" (page 160). It should be noted that he does not treat the primeval materials of Genesis until Chapter 5, after first discussing the exodus event.

Most of the major literary pieces from the ancient Near East are dis- cussed: Mari, Nuzi, Hammurabi's Code, Ugaritic epics, various As- syrian annals and Egyptian wisdom literature (perhaps the best section on the use of ancient Near Eastern parallels in this volume; see pages 568-603). This is done effectively, al- though no great emphasis is placed on these parallels except in the wis- dom chapter.

In the section on the conquest, Anderson plays out the discussion on Joshua's version and how it relates to the archaeological record (pages 134- 37) and then compares the various views on the occupation of the land (pages 137-40). This is a balanced section that covers each view well and does not choose sides, noting the possibilities as well as the prob- lems with each one.

Primary weaknesses, as we see them, are in the somewhat dated scholarly views expressed. This is tempered somewhat in the footnotes and the expanded coverage of the con- quest, which includes Mendenhall's and Gottwald's ideas. It is appropri- ate for gifted or advanced students and seminarians, but is too difficult for many beginning students. Visual- ly, it is not very attractive. Despite the color plates and the black-and- white photos, there are too many pages of nothing but text.

This volume has been a major seller for years and has been used as a textbook in many different con- texts. Despite its need for updating,

it remains the best of the advanced textbooks for mainstream, upper level student settings.

An Introduction to the Old Testa- ment and Its Study, by Robert L. Cate (Broadman, 1987) This textbook combines a literary emphasis with a historical treat- ment of the OT/HB. After a lengthy section devoted to general considera- tions, each succeeding section is in- troduced with an "issues" chapter. Then each book is taken up indi- vidually with respect to date, author- ship and unity, along with special problems or issues. The contents of each book are explained through an outline and description. Coverage is fairly thorough with very few foot- notes. Cate writes from a conserva- tive perspective but he does not avoid problems or difficulties.

Cate has no indices, study questions, glossary or other student aids.

Chapter 2, "The World of the Old Testament," includes brief, but help- ful, sections on archaeology, geog- raphy, climate and history. This quo- tation is typical of Cate's approach:

The science of archaeology has probably been the most useful and most abused of all disciplines which have been brought to bear on the task of understanding the Old Testament (pages 29-30).

Archaeological contributions are regularly noted at appropriate places. Several options are given for dating the exodus (pages 150-53), and seven pages are devoted to archaeology and the conquest (pages 210-16). On the latter issue, archaeological evidence, or the lack of it, is provided in indi- vidual discussions of 11 sites.

Extra-biblical sources are fre- quently mentioned. Enuma Elish is compared with the Genesis creation story and the Gilgamesh story of the

AN INTRODUCTION

TO THE

OLD TESTAMENT AND ITS STUDY

Robert L.Cate

flood. The Ugaritic tablets are noted in a section dealing with the nature of Canaanite religion.

Unfortunately, this book is visually unattractive. There are no pictures or drawings, although there is a four-page chronological chart and an 11-page bibliography without annotations. There are no indices, study questions, glossary or other student aids. It will appeal more to advanced students, although it is quite readable and could serve many beginning students.

Exploring The Hebrew Bible, by John Carmody, Denise L. Carmody and Robert L. Cohn (Prentice Hall, 1988) While this volume contains a num- ber of useful student aids (glossary, study questions, a bibliography that marks items useful to undergradu- ates), its readership level is beyond that of most beginning students. One example is found in the descrip- tion of the exodus:

... two facts seem quite certain. First, only a small part of what later became "Israel" in fact ex- perienced an exodus from Egypt. Second, there was no "Israel" until several tribes confederated in Canaan (page 11).

Its format includes a commentary on each biblical book or canonical

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section followed by a section on his- torical background, literary intent and lasting significance. However, the inclusion of a detailed discussion of some scholarly theories is not balanced by alternative positions (see the heavy reliance on Gottwald's theories on pages 11, 43, 121, 126).

The detailed discussions of scholarly theories are not balanced by alternative positions.

There is no separate section on archaeology, although the brief sec- tion on the history of Israel and the Near East (pages 9-15) does refer to the archaeological discoveries at Mari, Nuzi and Ebla. However, there is no mention of the archaeological problems associated with the Joshua account of the conquest. The men- tion of the Near Eastern creation accounts is very brief (page 25) and the comparison of flood traditions is summed up thusly:

The story of the building of the ark, the presentation of the dif- ferent species of animals, and the actual occurrence of the flood draws on Mesopotamian paral- lels - for instance, the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh (page 29).

This is a less successful team effort than others. It is visually unexciting, the print is too small and there are too few pictures.

Recommendations and Ratings Now that we have examined two separate categories of textbooks and how they cover archaeology, we can move on to propose how archaeology should be presented in the ideal text- book. We want to stress that a text- book should be all things to all people as much as possible. Obviously space limitations and cost dictate many compromises. We fully recognize that colored pictures are generally too costly for all but the best-selling textbooks. Likewise, we recognize that in 350 pages or so, selectivity is essential. Still, we think the coverage of archaeology in textbooks on the OT/HB can and needs to be improved.

First, somewhere near the begin- ning should be a separate section de- voted to archaeology and the OT/HB. It does not have to be a whole chap- ter, but it does need to be a separate unit. The books by Boadt, by Craigie, by Hill and Walton, and by Flanders, Crapps and Smith are the best ex- amples here. In this section the au- thor should introduce archaeology to the beginner. This should include how archaeologists proceed from site selection to publication. There should also be a description of the tell, dating techniques, etc.

Most important is how archae- ology helps to illuminate the Bible and what its limitations are. In our opinion this latter point is the weak- est part of most textbooks. There is often some indication of values and a statement that archaeology can neither prove nor disprove the Bible. Yet this is usually not explained in enough detail to change the popular conception that archaeology is some kind of panacea for solving biblical problems. For this reason, we believe much more attention needs to be placed on what archaeology can and cannot do for the study of the Bible. Furthermore, we think it is appro-

priate to conclude this section with some important discoveries, but also some important problems or revi- sions of interpretation. A history of Palestinian archaeology is not needed here, but it is beneficial to show stu- dents a few of the interpretation mistakes made in the past and a few of the revised interpretations that new discoveries have required and will necessarily require in the future.

Finally, this section should in- clude a description of how the stu- dent can keep pace with a rapidly changing field. This could be done in the bibliographical section, but we prefer a narrative section, or an inset, that notes journals like Biblical Archaeologist, Biblical Archaeology Review and Biblical Illustrator. In short, this chapter should introduce an approach rather than numerous facts or discoveries.

Once archaeology is introduced, the textbook should proceed to illus- trate the values and limitations of archaeology as appropriate. Since archaeology is responsible for the discovery of most extra-biblical texts, these texts should be emphasized in every textbook. We find the use of extra-biblical texts to be the best way to teach students the ancient Near Eastern context of the Bible. Furthermore, it is the single most important way to prevent students from reading the Bible as though it were a twentieth century text that was written yesterday. Here are three specific examples illustrating how extra-biblical texts can be used:

A comparison of the Gilgamesh account of the flood and the bib- lical account of the flood. This is an excellent place to introduce students to literary and source criticism. Because of widespread student interest in the flood, they find it fascinating to com- pare and contrast the two ac- counts and to better see what the purposes of the biblical writer might be.

The Ugaritic texts and their

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emphasis on agriculture and fer- tility. These are also helpful in showing Israel's attraction to the gods of her neighbors and the background to legal prohibi- tions and prophetic harangue.

The Assyrian texts. These texts, such as Sennacherib's description of his attack on Hezekiah, give the student the opportunity to see the same event as described from two different perspectives.

All the introductory textbooks make some use of extra-biblical texts; unfortunately few take full advan- tage of them. Neither Crenshaw nor Humphreys, for example, devote much time to the Gilgamesh ac- count of the flood and a significant literary comparison with the bibli- cal account of the flood. If space considerations limit the inclusion of translated sections of ancient Near Eastern documents in the textbook, we suggest supplementing it with one of the collections of ancient Near Eastern texts in translation.

Daily life in ancient Israel should also be emphasized. There is always a human fascination with the way other people do things, and this is especially true when people do things significantly differently. Boadt's chapter devoted to daily life is especially helpful. A special chap- ter is one effective way to emphasize daily life. Another way would be to emphasize daily life throughout the text either with sidebars, insets or special sections. The advantage of the second approach is that it is a bit easier to focus on each period and show some of the limited changes that took place during the course of Old Testament history. Good pic- tures of all kinds of artifacts are essential. Gone are the days when visuals were considered too expen- sive to include in textbooks. The visual orientation of our society demands the best pictures and as many as is economically feasible. Unfortunately, textbooks in religious

studies suffer in comparison to text- books in larger markets, such as history or sociology, because those bigger markets allow publishers to spend more on pictures and graphics. In addition to artifacts, we believe it is essential to have photos of excava- tions in process (preferably with peo- ple to add interest). Photos of tells and some of the geographical features are also essential.

Third, there should be a discus- sion of geography, topography and climate. No student can understand the literature of the OT/HB without a description of the physical world each Israelite faced daily. We prefer a specific section devoted to these matters near the beginning of the book with notation of the signifi- cance throughout the book at appro- priate places. Good maps to locate places are essential, as is some method to indicate the topography of at least parts of Israel. Rainfall and average temperature maps are also helpful.

Fourth, there should be a his- torical summary that includes Is- rael's neighbors and places Israel in the context of the Near East. Some description of these neighbors and their culture is also necessary, in- cluding a description of how ancient Israel was both similar to and differ- ent from its neighbors. If a chronologi- cal organization is used, the histori- cal background and Israel's neighbors can be dealt with as appropriate. If a book-by-book approach is followed, then a historical summary similar to Crenshaw's is essential.

Whatever approach is followed, the exodus and conquest deserve special emphasis. The author should show students how archaeology has created more problems for us than it has solved, how we seek to develop a chronology from both literary sources and archaeological evidence, and how new social-scientific develop- ments are helping reconstruct the early history of ancient Israel. While it is not necessary to go into great detail, we believe the book would be

remiss if it did not show the com- plexity of the issues relating to the exodus and conquest. Archaeology has not provided final solutions, but it has made us more cautious and helps us read the text in new ways.

Fifth, we believe bibliographies in beginning textbooks have put too much emphasis on technical books. We suggest authors include popular books and articles on archaeology and the Bible. Furthermore, annota- tions are essential for students and should note the difficulty of the book or article under review.

Sixth, we believe all textbooks should be user friendly. This means each volume should have pedagogi- cal devices that make the mass of material easier for the student to comprehend. We have already men- tioned pictures, charts, maps and bibliographies. To these we would add study questions, glossaries and indices.

Study questions should be in- cluded at the end of each chapter. Some of these questions should help the student see archaeology's values and limitations throughout the whole OT/HB. A glossary should enable the student to review key terms, such as archaeological terms, periods and major finds. Finally, in- dices are essential for any textbook. The student should be able to look up where archaeology is utilized in the text, as well as scholars, discov- eries and key sites.

Unlike Crenshaw, we do not think archaeology is a secondary con- cern in understanding the OT/HB. Rather, it is one essential approach, along with many others, and should be treated as such by all authors of textbooks. We think all teachers have a right to expect better coverage of archaeology in future beginning textbooks. Authors, publishers and teachers really form a partnership; each of us needs to press the other for improved textbooks. The result will be better education and learn- ing for our students.

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Old Testament Survey Textbooks Not Reviewed

Author and Date and Title Publisher Illustrations Price Pages God With Us: A C. Barth and none 1991 413 Theological In- G.W. Bromiley, $29.95 troduction to the editors Old Testament

Eerdmans

Introduction to M.B. Dick 6 black-and-white 1988 335 the Hebrew Bible: photos, 8 line $17.00 paper An Inductive Prentice Hall drawings, 6 charts Reading of the and 3 maps Old Testament

The Old D.R. Gordon 36 black-and-white 1985 336 Testament: A photos, 8 maps and $26.80 paper Beginning Survey Prentice Hall 12-page chrono-

chart

God's Word J. Jensen 12 black-and-white 1982 333 to Israel photos, 4 line $12.95 paper

Michael Glazier drawings, 5 maps, revised 4 charts and 5-page edition chrono-chart

An Introduction A.L. Laffey none 1988 255 to the Old $12.95 paper Testament: Augsburg/ A Feminist Fortress Perspective

A Guide C.B. Marshall 11 maps, 7 charts 1989 158 Through the Old and 3 line drawings $14.95 paper Testament Westminster/

John Knox

The World of the A.S. van der 65 black-and-white 1989 312 Old Testament Woude, editor photos, 3 charts $24.95 paper

and 9 maps (translation Eerdmans of 1982

edition)

Comments

Translated and shortened from Indonesian, originally published in sections from 1970-90, designed for use by pastors and laypersons in a mission context. Conservative theological orientation with no attempt to use archae- ological data or comparative ancient Near Eastern litera- ture. Extensive subject and scripture indices.

Workbook format dealing with a select group of biblical texts representing each period and genre of biblical study. Effective use of extra-biblical literary parallels in Genesis 1-11 and in legal materials. Good discussion of conquest options and archaeological problems (pages 121-22). Exer- cises and text geared to the beginning college student. Helpful glossary, subject and scripture indices and limited bibliographic suggestions.

Balanced, mainstream approach. Good use of parallel literature in section on Mesopotamian influences. No separate section on archaeology but archaeological data is discussed regarding conquest. Bibliography includes basic research aids plus selected works on each section of volume. Subject index only.

Canonically arranged, brief, balanced discussion of ar- chaeological techniques and limitations as well as sum- mary of major extra-biblical literary remains and integra- tion of ancient parallels into discussion of creation and flood. Short, out-of-date bibliographies for each chapter, subject and scripture indices, plus appendix on issues of inerrancy and inspiration. Mainstream position on dating and historicity.

Primary emphasis on women's studies, systematically applies feminist interpretation rather than giving a com- prehensive examination of each period or genre. Format includes presentation of episodes, an interpretation and summary. No effort made to draw upon archaeology or extra-biblical parallels. Helpful bibliographies after each chapter, with scripture and subject indices.

Workbook format limits text to major periods, personages and genres. Excellent use of ancient Near Eastern parallel literature for flood epic and legal codes, good brief discus- sion of neighboring cultures. Helpful glossary, very brief bibliography, but no index. Designed for high school and church school students.

History and examination of social world and the literary genres of the Old Testament written by many authors. Archaeological data interspersed, especially comparative ancient literature, but no separate section. Good bibliog- raphies direct further reading, although some are dated due to the gap before translation. Reference work qualities make it too detailed for beginning students.

232 Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991

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Page 17: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones Are Best?; Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, & Content; Story and Faith: A Guide

Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Tehxtbooks for Beginning Students Reviewed

Author and Date and Title Publisher Illustrations Price Pages Reading the Old L. Boadt 22 maps, 44 charts 1984 573 Testament: An and 29 drawings $9.95 paper Introduction Paulist

The Old P.C. Craigie 18 black-and-white 1986 351 Testament: Its photos, 10 charts $18.95 Background, Abingdon and 9 maps Growth, & Content

Story and Faith: J.L. Crenshaw 59 black-and-white 1986 480 A Guide to the photos, 1 chart n/a Old Testament Macmillan and 7 maps

(Hendrickson reprint in 1992)

Introducing the J. Drane 165 black-and- 1987 352 Old Testament white photos, 15 $19.95 paper

Harper & Row maps, 9 chrono- charts and 6 charts

The Old J.H. Tullock 31 black-and-white 1987 409 Testament Story photos, 11 maps, $34.00

Prentice Hall 4 drawings and 5- second page chrono-chart edition

People of the H.J. Flanders, 43 black-and-white 1988 512 Covenant: An R.W. Crapps photos, 12 maps $29.95 Introduction and D.A. Smith and 11 charts third edition to the Old Testament Oxford

The Old J. Rogerson and 48 color, 68 black- 1989 384 Testament World P. Davies and-white photos, $36.00

14 maps and Prentice Hall 5 chrono-charts

The Old S.J. Schultz 8 black-and-white 1990 453 Testament photos, 7 charts $24.95 Speaks Harper & Row and 15 maps fourth

edition

Crisis and Story: W.L. 38 black-and-white 1990 395 Introduction Humphreys photos, 9 charts $26.95 paper to the Old and 8 maps second Testament Mayfield edition

A Survey of the A.E. Hill and 28 black-and-white 1991 479 Old Testament J.H. Walton photos, 53 charts, $22.95

10 maps and 2-page Zondervan chrono-chart

Comments

Balanced, Catholic perspective with detailed treatment of archaeology and historical context of ancient Israel. Good use of charts, but additional illustrations would make this volume more attractive to students. Inexpensive price makes possible the use of supplementary textbooks. Along with Flanders, Crapps and Smith, this is the best book for beginning students.

Mainstream approach, with excellent chapters on archae- ology and the historical context of ancient Israel. Dis- appointingly brief summaries of each biblical book do not integrate discussion of archaeology or many of the prob- lems faced in interpretation of the text. Illustrations concentrated in the first half of the volume make this a fairly unattractive book for beginning students.

Literary approach minimizes the usefulness of archae- ology. Excellent discussion of literary parallels, especially between Near Eastern and biblical wisdom literature. Additional attention to physical remains and more illus- trations and maps would improve this volume.

Varied page format and illustrations evoking modern images make this volume appear more contemporary than most of the others reviewed. Archaeological data, which is brief, is very often placed in insets, with small print.

Simply written textbook that could be used with high school students. Brief commentary format in most chap- ters minimizes the material and does not provide suffi- cient data for students to gain more than a superficial understanding of the Bible.

A volume that bridges mainstream and conservative approaches, this book and Boadt are the best for beginning students. Good (sometimes too detailed) coverage of archaeology and literary parallels provides balanced understanding of the Bible.

Visually the best textbook reviewed, social-scientific approach geared to the sophisticated beginning student. Good use of archaeology and literary parallels.

Minimal revisions since the first edition in 1960 have not brought this widely used, conservative textbook up-to- date. Limited use of archaeology and only brief mention of literary parallels. Visually unattractive and almost no student aids. Extensive revision is needed.

Well-written, visually interesting, but structurally un- usual volume. Emphasis on Jerusalem as focal point for Israelite history. Abbreviated use of archaeology, good student aids.

Newest and best textbook for conservative, beginning students. Good chapters on archaeology, geography and Israelite history. Excellent charts and many helpful student aids.

Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991 233

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Page 18: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Textbooks: Which Ones Are Best?; Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, & Content; Story and Faith: A Guide

Old Testament/Hebrew Bible 'Ixtbooks for Advanced Students Reviewed

Author and Date and Title Publisher Illustrations Price Pages The Hebrew S. Sandmel 17 maps and 1978 592 Scriptures: An 1 chrono-chart $18.95 paper Introduction to Oxford Their Literature and Religious Ideas

Introduction J. West 86 black-and-white 1981 636 to the Old photos, 21 maps, 4- $36.00 Testament Macmillan page chrono-charts second

and 12 drawings edition

Old Testament W.S. LaSor, 46 black-and-white 1982 709 Survey: The D.A. Hubbard photos, 9 maps $24.95 Message, Form and FW. Bush and 15 charts and Background of the Old Eerdmans Testament

The Hebrew N.K. Gottwald 24 maps, 29 tables 1985 732 Bible: A Socio- and 12 charts $22.95 paper Literary Intro- Augsburg/ duction Fortress

Understanding B.W. Anderson 8 color photos, 76 1986 701 the Old black-and-white $37.00 Testament Prentice Hall photos, 11 chrono- fourth

charts, 16 maps edition and 16 tables

An Introduction R.L. Cate 4-page chrono- 1987 539 to the Old chart $21.95 Testament and Broadman its Study

Exploring the J. Carmody, 36 black-and-white 1988 464 Hebrew Bible D.L. Carmody photos, 3 charts $35.00

and R.L. Cohn and 7 maps

Prentice Hall

Comments

Mainstream scholarship, Jewish perspective. Atypical format first discussing the prophets and then the Penta- teuch and Writings. Readership level above that of most beginning students, but would be attractive, if revised and updated, for upper level and graduate students. Little attention to archaeology except in a 10-page appendix. No illustrations; excellent, but dated annotated bibliography.

Mainstream approach, best suited to upper level students because of the degree of detail included. Good use of archaeology and literary parallels, but now out-of-date and in need of revision.

Very detailed textbook, useful primarily in upper level contexts. Now out-of-date and in need of revision, a help- ful volume that provides conservative students with a balanced examination of many of the questions raised by the text and archaeology.

More a reference work than a textbook, this volume pro- vides the most comprehensive examination of the biblical materials available. Social-scientific approach, extensive notes and detailed arguments will appeal only to advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Extensive archae- ological data integrated into text, but no separate section included.

Long the standard for textbooks, based on its systematic approach. Well illustrated, this volume remains the best for advanced students in mainstream contexts. It is now out-of-date with respect to its coverage of archaeology and is in need of revision.

Conservative textbook, but with a balanced use of archae- ological data. Degree of detail makes this acceptable pri- marily to upper level and seminary students. Lack of illus- trations lessens usefulness of this volume.

Unnecessarily detailed in some places, but very limited mention of archaeological data and extra-biblical literary parallels. Unattractive layout, with illustrations ineffec- tively used.

234 Biblical Archaeologist, December 1991

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