Designed as a supplementary resource for students who have an interest in the ancient Near East and biblical history, this volume provides a basic introduction to the historical, archaeological, and socio-contextual aspects of ancient Israel during its early foundation period through the end of the monarchy in Judah. Victor Matthews integrates extra-biblical information on the physical realities of geo- and super-power politics, international and interregional movement of peoples, and the evolutionary process of complex states in the ancient Near East with information from biblical narratives in order to explore the development of ancient Israelites' identity, cultural traditions, and interactions with other major cultures. In particular, he examines aspects of everyday life in both village culture and urban settings as a key to the development of social, legal, and religious traditions and practices. The History of Bronze and Iron Age Israel features an easy to navigate format, non-technical language, and a series of informative insets that highlights important methodological concepts and comparative material.

Dean of the College of Humanities and Public Affairs and Professor of Religious Studies at Missouri State University, Victor H. Matthews is a specialist in Hebrew Bible and the social world of the ancient Near East, and has published seventeen books and dozens of articles. Among his research interests are ancient Near Eastern legal traditions, social scientific criticism, and gender studies in the ancient world.

Series Introduction Chapter 1: Placing Ancient Israel in its Ancient Near Eastern Context Chapter 2: Israel's Earliest Historical Traditions- The Middle and Late Bronze Period Chapter 3: Settlement and Competition in Iron Age I Canaan- An Archaeological, Political, and Social Perspective Chapter 4: Transition from Iron I to Iron II- The Early Monarchy Chapter 5: Super Power Politics in Iron II and the Role of Vassal States- From Jeroboam to Josiah Bibliography