HISTORY OF ANCIENT ISRAEL & JUDAH

This course surveys the history of Ancient Israel and Judah from the ancestral stories through the end of the Persian period. It offers an introduction to both the biblical narrative and the archaeological research. The focus is on history – what is known, how it is known, and who writes it – and is intended for anyone who wants an introduction to the Bible or the place of Israel and Judah in the context of the Ancient Near East. Through an examination of the epigraphical, archaeological, and biblical sources, students will become familiar with the materials that scholars use to investigate history, but more importantly, they will be encouraged to evaluate these narratives about the past for themselves.
The course consists of a lecture and a recitation. All students must be registered for and attend both. The lectures will contextualize the required readings and primary sources, and students will participate in discussions about them in recitation.