This study of the history of the Philistines during the first quarter of the first millennium B.C.E. has a twofold aim: First, to examine in detail a number of ancient texts, mainly biblical until the rise of the neo-assyrian empire, while evaluating each text in its own right as a potential historical source. Second, to offer a synthetic reconstruction of the course of Philistine history between 1000 - 730 B.C.E., employing the results of the textual study in conjunction with those of recent archaeological excavations in Philistia.
This is the first monograph to be devoted to the...

From an Antique Land introduces the various cultures and literatures of the Ancient Near East, including literature originally written in Egyptian, Sumerian, Akkadian, Hittite, Ugaritic, Canaanite, Hebrew, and Aramaic. The timeframe extends from the invention of writing through the conquest of Alexander the Great. Each chapter includes an overview of the culture, a discussion of literary genres, and descriptions and short analyses of the major literary works.

The character of Saul and his place within the history, theology, and ideology of ancient Israel have fascinated interpreters for centuries. This book surveys the field of Saul studies. It includes in the first instance essays detailing Saul's place within the biblical narrative and its constituent parts (such as the Deuteronomistic History and the Chronicler's work). The possibility of identifying a Saulide period in the archaeological record is also discussed. A number of essays look at more specific themes and passages within the Saul cycle, such as his heroic nature, kingship, war, and...