Table of Contents

Series Preface

Editor’s Preface

Abbreviations

Part 1: Israel’s Past in Present Research

Introduction 2

(i) The Path to the Present

The History of the Study of Israelite and Judaean History: From the Renaissance to the Present - John H. Hayes 7

(ii) The Present Lack of Consensus

The New Biblical Historiography - Mark Zvi Brettler

The Paradigm Is Changing: Hopes—and Fears - Rolf Rendtorff

Part 2: The Historical Impulse among Israel’s Neighbors

Introduction

Biblical History in Its Near Eastern Setting: The Contextual Approach - William W. Hallo

Biblical and Prebiblical Historiography - H. Cazelles

Israelite and Aramean History in the Light of Inscriptions - A. R. Millard

Part 3: Israel’s History Writing: Its Multiplex Character

Introduction

(i) Antiquarian

The ‘Historical Character’ of the Old Testament in Recent Biblical Theology - John J. Collins

Joshua’s Campaign of Canaan and Near Eastern Historiography - John Van Seters

What Do We Know about Ancient Israel? - R. N. Whybray

‘Ancient Israel’ and History: A Response to Norman Whybray - Philip R. Davies

Truth and Reality in the Historical Understanding of the Old Testament - Gerhard Maier

(ii) Aspectual

History as Confession of Faith—History as Object of Scholarly Research: On One of the Basic Problems of the History of Israel - J. Alberto Soggin

The Old Testament’s Understanding of History in Relation to That of the Enlightenment - Claus Westermann

(iii) Artistic

History and Fiction: What Is History? - V. Philips Long

Narrative Art in Joshua-Judges-Samuel-Kings - L. Alonso Schokel

Part 4: Writing Israel’s History: The Methodological Challenge

Introduction

(i) General Discussions of Method

Doing History in Biblical Studies - Diana Edelman

The Underpinnings - K. Lawson Younger, Jr

The Devaluation of the Old Testament as a Historical Source: Notes on a Problem in the History of Ideas - Siegfried Herrmann

Reading the Bible Historically: The Historian’s Approach - J. Maxwell Miller

Contingency, Continuity and Integrity in Historical Understanding: An Old Testament Perspective - Ferdinand Deist

(ii) Social Science and the Battle over the Bible

Is It Still Possible to Write a History of Ancient Israel? - Niels Peter Lemche

Erasing History: The Minimalist Assault on Ancient Israel - Baruch Halpern

(iii) Literary Study and Historical Reconstruction

Historical Criticism and Literary Interpretation: Is There Any Common Ground? - John Barton

Modern Literary-Critical Methods and the Historicity of the Old Testament - Herbert H. Klement

Part 5: The Historical Impulse in the Hebrew Canon: A Sampling

Introduction

(i) The Law

The Hebrew Patriarchs and History - Roland de Vaux

Historical and Christian Faith - Thomas L. Thompson

The Patriarchs in Scripture and History - John Goldingay

(ii) The Prophets (Former)

Early Israel in Canaan: A Survey of Recent Evidence and Interpretations - Richard S. Hess

Faces of Exile in Old Testament Historiography - J. G. McConville

(iii) The Prophets (Latter)

The Understanding of History in the Old Testament Prophets - Hans Walter Wolff

‘The Early Traditions of Israel in the Prophecy of Hosea’—A Review - Heinz-Dieter Neef

(iv) The Writings

History and Historiography: The Royal Reforms - Gary N. Knoppers

Part 6: The Future of Israel’s Past

The Future of Israel’s Past: Personal Reflections - V. Philips Long

Indexes

Index of Authorities

Index of Scripture