by marmot 19 Replies latest watchtower bible
I'm referring to "The Bible Unearthed : Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Isreal and the Origin of its Sacred Texts" by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman. I think it should be required reading for anyone who deigns to defend the historicity and literal interpretation of the bible. (I'm looking at you Singlecell)
http://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Bible_Unearthed.html?id=lu6ywyJr0CMC&redir_esc=y
I own that book. It's quite good, I agree.
I've heard of that one before; might have been on this site. Seems like I remember reading about a fight or feud or something like that between at least one of the authors and another scholar (maybe I'm confusing this book with another). Thanks for the recommendation; I'm adding it to my list now. Would love to read it.
I'm kind of curious. The authors' names indicate they're Jewish. I take it, though, that they're not very religious and that they are more like secular historians.
I own the book and use it as a basis for archeology. As for it's dating of the biblical texts I reject it since it's all based on a 'story' in 2 Kings which really can't be proven. Other then that the book is a good introductory to the reality archeology is uncovering.
Magnum that is Israel Finkelstein vs Willian Dever they always argue about something lol
I think it is, as you say, an excellent introduction for the Layman to the present situation in Biblical archaeology.
I think the central hypothesis of the book, that the early books of the Hebrew Bible were composed at the earliest in the days of Josiah has great merit. Of course, this can only stand until new discoveries change it, if they ever do, they may simply confirm.
The really enlightening part of the book was the explanation that a good number of the places mentioned in Genesis and "later" books , simply did not exist in the time they were supposed to be thriving cities !
It is plain that the early books of the Hebrew Bible are all Historical Fiction written to bolster the image of a very secondary Kingdom, Judah, and to provide it with a mythical great past, figures like David and Solomon being greatly mythologized.
As you say, a thoroughly good read.
This is an excellent book; really a bit of a archeological page-turner. I would recommend this for anyone who is interested in how well archeology supports the pre-babylonian OT narrative.
marmot - "I'm referring to 'The Bible Unearthed'... by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman."
I'm betting fundamentalist Christians don't much like these guys.
I may have to read this.
The book is much better than blindly following the biblical interpretation of fundamentalists religious leaders, but I think is a commercial book designed for the masses with a fair amount of speculation. I enjoyed much more the Introduction to the Hebrew Bible by John J. Collins and the lectures on Introduction to the Old Testament by Yale On Line (free) with professor Christine Hayes (she is very, very good). They take a broader scope (archaeology, Near East religions, paleography, the Bible text itself), and provide explanations that make you feel that you understand a lot better the Bible as a whole, the Bible writers motives, the Bible times and the relation of the Hebrew Bible to other Near Eastern religions.
____________________
Let's face it--some topics cannot be discussed. Why? The opposition won't allow it.
Instead of an open debate about X, pretext of bias, prejudice, and malice is used to derail.
A strawman Y replaces X, and off we go!
This is true of race relations, as we all know.
Well, it is definitely true of Israel.
_____________________
I would strongly advise you to read Alan Dershowitz's rebuttal book( The Case for Israel) so you don't
find yourself in a trap inside of an argument with fingers pointed at you as Anti-Semitic
for quoting Finklestein!
This happened to me--and it was NOT pleasant.
http://www.jbooks.com/interviews/index/IP_Dershowitz.htm
_________________________
An academic war broke out with Dershowitz on one side and Finklestein on the other.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dershowitz%E2%80%93Finkelstein_affair
____________________________________
Review by Noel Kriftcher
(Short excerpt of much larger Review)
"Finkelstein plainly reveals his bias: “In some quarters anger at Israel’s brutal occupation has undoubtedly spilled over to an animus toward Jews generally. But however lamentable, it’s hardly cause for wonder.” By excusing any wrongs done to Israel while lamenting all wrongs done by Israel, he weakens his standing as an objective analyst and thus, the persuasiveness of his argument.
Nor does American Jewry fare any better than Israel in his eyes: “...from this lethal brew of formidable power, chauvinistic arrogance, feigned (or imagined) victimhood, and Holocaust-immunity to criticism has sprung a terrifying recklessness and ruthlessness on the part of American Jewish elites. Alongside Israel, they are the main fomenters of anti-Semitism in the world today.” Evidently, we have met the enemy and he is us!
Once one reviews the “facts” surrounding Israel’s actions and considers Finkelstein’s rebuttal to Dershowitz and others, one is left with an anti-Israel, anti-American Jewry, pro-Palestinian polemic, which makes this a most difficult book to read dispassionately. Professor Finkelstein challenges conventional views of the Middle East but he is so intemperate in the animus he displays toward his various bêtes noires, that unbiased examination becomes virtually unattainable."
THE BIBLE UNEARTHED was available at my public library. It was totally awesome.
