A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars

To anyone interested in bringing bible history to life, this is the one book you have to have. And if you don't have it, you ought to get it asap. The material is awesome; crystal clear, and anyone can verify the facts in a good History Page in the Internet. Which I found very motivating to do, so search where some of the places are with our time-names. The bible makes such more sense, I also got 1-2 kings, Chronicles, Esdras, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Bible Commentaries (by NICOT, or The New American Commentary) to fill in to expand the bible portions, thus to get the big picture with more details.

This is one of those books that must remain in the Bible student's personal library. I recommend it for its rendering to the one of the most honest stories ever told, the History of Israel. Excellent for Old Testament studies, and also to provide context for the intermediate period between the last book in OT, and the Gospels.

I'm new to archaeology so this has been a good primer on biblical history and the supporting archeological evidence. I didn't even know that bronze was an alloy of tin and copper. I am only at page 119 in the book, so I cannot provide a comprehensive review of the book. But I must say that I had a little cause for pause at an error on page 117 in the biblical narrative about Joseph in prison when he interpreted the dreams of the butler and baker. This book on the History of Israel says the "baker was released and later remembered that Joseph could interpret dreams when Pharaoh himself had one that needed interpretation". But the bible says the baker met an untimely death by hanging (Genesis 40:22). This mistake can be forgiven. And I must admit I too must think twice before saying the butler was restored and the baker hanged. It does make me wonder though about the care and detail that went into confirming the Bible's narrative. And no one on the editing staff was meticulous enough to catch this simple error at a pivotal moment in the birth of Israel? This makes me wonder about the author's and editing team's knowledge of the bible's narrative of the History of Israel, which gets rather complicated when the nation splits in two.

The second edition is filled with beautiful color illustrations, maps, and relevant photos that will certainly appeal to students. I plan on using this text in my Old Testament course, BA and MA level.

Accurate details carefully researched to provide background, cultural customs, and a plethora of enriching information.

Amazing work. Recommended by our professor for studying the history of Israel.. Have to add that this book has taken a balanced and reasonable position whenever assumption was necessary!! Highly recommended! ✌👍

Brother Walter does a fantastic job writing about Israels history. I haven't finished the book but I intend to. Thank you Brother Walter!!

A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars by Walter C. Kaiser has been a classic seminary textbook for nearly two decades. Its detailed structure and organization have provided professors and students the ideal platform needed for thoughtful exploration into the history of ancient Israel. Now, after almost 20 years of academic service, A History of Israel has received a much-needed overhaul. A full review of the book’s content can be found elsewhere, as this is a revision. That said, at least two comments are worth mention here before attention is turned towards the revision. First, and probably foremost, those familiar with Kaiser’s work will be pleasantly welcomed by the conservative scholarship that is characteristic of his legacy. Kaiser deals with the evidence (and sometimes lack thereof) without compromise in scholarship or conviction. Second, as mentioned above, the organization of the volume has been a large factor of its success in the classroom over the years. Kaiser is detailed and comprehensive, and the editorial effort that has been done to bring this caliber of work into focus is impressive, and it only gets better with this revision. The revision itself in many ways simply enhances the original beauty of Kaiser’s work. There are a number of enhancements worth discussing here. First, and probably most notable, Paul D. Wegner has been added to the volume as a coauthor, and likely a major reason that the revision was commenced. Wegner is a capable scholar and complements Kaiser nicely. Second, there is more content than before, approximately 200 pages. Some of the added page count is the result of added illustrations, but some is also due to revision within the content of the book. The revisions therein largely focus on Old Testament texts and ancient Near Eastern literary and archaeological sources. Kaiser and Wegner aim to highlight the important modern controversies surrounding this portion of Scripture and treat topics such as current approaches to the study of the history of Israel, common fallacies in modern, secular biblical studies, and the evidence for the historical authenticity of the Old Testament accounts. Third, as alluded to above, there has been a substantial focus on the volumes visual appeal. The revised edition includes over 600 full-color maps, charts, and illustrations to help bring the content closer to the reader, and this is a welcomed effort. Still, where the above highlights some of the more praiseworthy elements of the revised edition of A History of Israel, it is important to comment on the shortcomings of the volume. It should be said at the onset that apart from some likely methodological differences, for most readers, few content related shortcomings exist. Where the missed opportunities are evident is largely in the hands of the publisher. B&H Academic is known for quality resources, especially when it comes to full-color prints. That said, this volume is likely the first exception to that legacy. First, the book is way too big for a flimsy paperback cover. The binding is stiff, difficult to read beyond the first hundred pages or so, and the cover does not match the caliber of the content therein. The book’s size alone makes it worthy of a hardcover. Second, while the pages are nice and thick, the print quality therein is a little better than what you would get at home on an old HP printer. Third, the 600+ full-color visuals are welcomed, but the overall execution of such was well below even the lowest standard of quality. The colors and print quality are inconsistent, and sadly, the otherwise excellent content appears amateur as a result. A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars (Revised Edition) by Walter C. Kaiser and Paul D. Wegner is a phenomenal resource. Kaiser and Wegner have done a huge service by bringing the material up-to-date with current conversations. It continues to be a gold standard resource for a conservative position on the matters of the history of Israel. It’s a shame that the physical appearance of the book detracts from the academic rigor therein. Because the content is both needed and done right, it comes highly recommended—but only for those who can look beyond the aesthetics of a poorly printed book.

The book is full of information or facts about Israel. When i make research for the Bible Study it is a great help!

This book explained even more than I had expected! On Page 538 the authors mention what no other biblical chronologist explain;---That Hezekiah's 'total' reign was from 729BC, to his death in 686BCE. So, Hezekiah, at just 11 years old in 729BC, was 'co-king' with his father Ahaz,--- for 14 years,---until the death of Ahaz in 715BC, Interesting! Very interesting! Perhaps, the 'Total' 25 year period,---from the so-called 'death' of King Uzziah, in 750BC, when Uziah became 'A Leper' to his death,---in 725BC, is part of "the missing years" of the Jewish calendar count of 167 years,---TOTAL! That would confirm that Uzziah was 16 years old,when, in 3115AM, 777BC, "the people took him as king", 15 years before the death of his father Amaziah, in 3130AM, 762BC. Uzziah would be 28 years old and have reigned 12 years,---in 3130AM, 762BC. Uzziah would be 31 years old when Amaziah actually died in 3130AM, 762BC. Uzziah would be 43 years old at the 'Earthquake' of Amos 1:1 in 3142AM, 750BC, when Uzziah 'died' (??). Jotham, his son, (governed) from 750BC, to 747BC, and was 'co-King' for another 16, until his own death in 3161AM, 731BC. Ahaz, his son, was vice-king from 744BC, to 735BC, (17ty year of Pekah, in Israel), which WAS in 3157AM, 735BC. And, Ahaz was 'co-king' with Jotham for 20 years, from 735BC, to 715BC, when Ahaz, at just 36 years of age,---died 3177AM, 715BC. Yes, "A History of Israel" is a great----Read and vastly illuminates the 25 years of Kung Uzziah's 25 years of suffering,---"as a leper".

This book is a great resources for Old Testament studies however, there is an issue with the printing. Page numbers are all over the place, I went from page 73 to 174 in a flip of a page, then later from 104 to 206. CHECK YOUR BOOKS when you purchase!