The History of Ancient Israel Michael Grant Review

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Aug 06, 2014 Gpsz rated it really liked it

Typical straightforward Grant history. Piece of cake to read, no apparent axe to hone. Well documented which is his norm. (Unlike near of the reviews I saw)

Aug 03, 2011 René rated it information technology was ok

Had I known this was the History of Biblical Israel, I would never had bought this book. It also often takes mythological lore and ancient tales as historical facts, with picayune objective and comparable validation. It ends up not being an history book, but a subjective Old Testament review.

This absorbing book brings to low-cal the roots of Western faith and morality, and the people who offset developed them.

Grant, a Cambridge-educated scholar and prolific writer on ancient history, produced a gracefully written chronological survey of State of israel from its earliest origins until its destruction past the Romans in 70 Advertizing, a span of roughly ii one thousand years. Grant gives special attention to religious literature, noting that the originality of the Israelites was "literary rather than artistic.

This absorbing volume brings to lite the roots of Western faith and morality, and the people who first adult them.

Grant, a Cambridge-educated scholar and prolific author on aboriginal history, produced a gracefully written chronological survey of Israel from its earliest origins until its devastation by the Romans in 70 Advertizement, a span of roughly two thousand years. Grant gives special attention to religious literature, noting that the originality of the Israelites was "literary rather than artistic." He touches more briefly on economical developments, such as the use of new metals and the growth of trade routes.

His detailed history draws fluently from the two bachelor source materials – the Sometime Testament of the Bible and archaeology – to depict how the Hebrews gradually divers themselves in relation to others and to God. The narrative's complication is increased by Grant's decision to introduce books of the Bible at the probable fourth dimension of their writing rather than during the period to which they refer. Only his interpretations of these sources are usually convincing.

Amid the complexity of this story, iii themes recur.

One is the relationship betwixt Israelites (who became Jews) and their close neighbors. The previously nomadic Israelite settlers often lived at peace, and even intermarried with the pastoral Canaanites, while adopting their settled way of life in villages and towns. Some also followed foreign rites of nature worship, for which they were vehemently condemned past the Biblical prophets.

From Moses and Joshua onward, the Israelites' dilemma was "whether to be receptive to the ways of foreigners, including those in [their] midst, or to decline them with total exclusiveness." Successive Israelite kings veered back and along between these practices.

The second theme is divisions among the Israelites themselves. Although commonly not spilling into violent disharmonize, this discord increased their vulnerability to foreign domination. The nigh dissentious instance started in 926 BC when Israel split into two states, Judah in the due south and "Israel" in the northward, post-obit disputes about Jerusalem's revenue enhancement and forced labor exactions. The two remained separate until they were each conquered – Israel by Assyria (722 BC) and Judah by Babylonia (587) – among the most tragic and painful episodes in Jewish history. Israel did not regain its independence and unity until 166 BC.

The volume's tertiary theme is the fraught relationship between the Israelites and God. What other people, what other organized religion has recorded outspoken, heartfelt pleas of dozens of prophets to respect God's commandments and warnings virtually private responsibility? What other literature has and then closely united religion, law, and morality as the Jews' sacred Torah? The passionate verses of Isaiah and other prophets about faith, repentance, redemption, and forgiveness ring powerfully to this twenty-four hours.

Grant'southward text raises many questions, including some information technology does not respond. Why, for example, did Greeks in Alexandria conduct out the showtime e'er pogrom against Jews (38 AD)? Grant mentions that this followed "four centuries of anti-Semitic propaganda", but does non delve into the origins of this ominous hatred.

Although Grant wrote for a full general audience, he was not one to suspension and ruminate on such big questions as "What does it mean to be Jewish?" However, his detailed narrative offers insight on many subjects: in a higher place all, on the intense preoccupation of Jews with their God-given responsibilities, and their enduring organized religion that "I am the Lord, and there is no other." (Isaiah 45:5)

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December 21, 2010 Erik Graff rated information technology liked information technology

Recommends it for: Hebrew Bible fans

Recommended to Erik by: no ane

As usual, Michael Grant, an historian, has taken upward a topic from antiquity with a few written sources, summarized them and supplemented them with other information and his own judgment. In this case information technology's the story of the Jewish nation and its origins every bit described primarily in the Hebrew Scriptures and as qualified by archaeological evidences and occasional references in other literatures.

Overall the volume is rather dry out, but, for me, an appreciated review of texts not read for many years. Grant makes no

Equally usual, Michael Grant, an historian, has taken upwardly a topic from artifact with a few written sources, summarized them and supplemented them with other information and his own judgment. In this instance information technology's the story of the Jewish nation and its origins as described primarily in the Hebrew Scriptures and equally qualified by archaeological evidences and occasional references in other literatures.

Overall the book is rather dry, but, for me, an appreciated review of texts not read for many years. Grant makes no extraordinary claims. If annihilation he tends to back up the textual evidence unless other evidences or common sense make them insupportable.

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Oct 24, 2016 Rob rated it liked it

A good textbook for preachers and students of the Old Testament. Very helpful.

Feb 27, 2009 Sheila rated it it was ok

Intersting, simply a slow read. This is a textbook type read, every bit opposed to a more novelized book.

Michael Grant was an English language classisist, numismatist, and writer of numerous popular books on aboriginal history. His 1956 translation of Tacitus'south Annals of Imperial Rome remains a standard of the work. He once described himself equally "one of the very few freelances in the field of ancient history: a rare phenomenon". Every bit a popularizer, his hallmarks were his prolific output and his unwillingness to ove Michael Grant was an English classisist, numismatist, and author of numerous popular books on ancient history. His 1956 translation of Tacitus'due south Register of Majestic Rome remains a standard of the piece of work. He once described himself as "one of the very few freelances in the field of ancient history: a rare phenomenon". Every bit a popularizer, his hallmarks were his prolific output and his unwillingness to oversimplify or talk downwards to his readership.

Librarian Annotation: There is more than 1 author in the GoodReads database with this name. Run into this thread for more information.

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