The curse of the bronze sky and the curse of the iron ground in Deuteronomy 28:23 are widely considered to be the strongest freestanding parallels between EST (Esarhaddon’s Succession Treaties) and Deuteronomy 28. Indeed, this parallel was so striking that in 1961, three years after EST was first published, the well-known Assyriologist Rykle Borger concluded … Read more
With traditional powers of Egypt and Hatti diminishing at the end of the Late Bronze Age, the sitz im leben in Canaan shifted as well. The changes in the Late Bronze – Iron Age transition reflect a shifting power structure considerably different from those present in the days of Egyptian hegemony. The Pharaoh Merenptah’s attack … Read more
This paper will examine the biblical tradition of David’s lineage to Moab. An overview of the biblical traditions of Ruth and Boaz as well as the biblical traditions of the Ephrathites and Ephraimites will be presented. Recent trends in archaeology that have focused on state development in Transjordan and Judah as well as material culture … Read more
Recent scholarship has paid attention to the value of ancient Israel’s lament as a voice of faith, but there have been disagreements on its historical origin. Based on structural similarities between Israel’s lament and those of the ancient Near East (ANE), some scholars have suggested that Israel borrowed this genre from its neighboring cultures late … Read more
The Bible identifies Hezekiah as a good king and a cultic reformer. However, archaeological discoveries related to Hezekiah (including his royal seals) muddle the portrait of the king. While the seals attest to the historicity of the king by name, they also include foreign iconography. At first glance, the imagery (scarabs, winged sun disks, and … Read more
Most Deuteronomy scholars acknowledge that this book offers more information on its own composition than any other book in the Hebrew Bible. Even so few critical scholars take at face value the book’s portrayal of Moses as the source of the oral addresses in the book or as the scribe who produced written versions of … Read more
Jeroboam, son of Nebat, holds a prominent place in ancient Israelite history as the inaugural king of the Northern kingdom (922–901 B.C.E.). His life is a tale of ascension from a background in Solomon’s royal administration to rebellion against Solomon’s policies and eventual exile in Egypt. Following Solomon’s death, Jeroboam returned to his homeland and … Read more