This textbook illustrates the "history of Israel" from the beginnings until the Bar-Kochba insurgence 132-135 AD. The knowledge, which is indispensable for exegesis and theology studies, is passed on by the author as a matter of course and in light of current research. He uses all available sources for his illustrations: next to the bible, archaeological findings, inscriptions and artwork have been considered; it is shown by means of example how the sources are to be interpreted and where the boundaries of reconstructing history lie. For this purposes, he introduces the latest findings of archaeological and historic research and links the results to biblical interpretations in a critical manner. This produces an impression of the history of ancient Israel in the context of the Southern Levant, which is often familiar, but also fresh and unexpected.

Prof. Dr. Christian Frevel teaches the Old Testament at the University of Bochum.