The Land of Canaan in the Late Bronze Age (The Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies)

by Lester L. Grabbe

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 2016

Overview

This volume provides a series of contributions on the crucial aspects relating to the Bible and the Late Bronze Age period. The volume is introduced with a background essay surveying the main areas of history and current scholarship relating to Late Bronze Age Palestine and to the Egyptian New Kingdom (Dynasties 18-20) domination of the region, as well as the question of the biblical account of the same geographical area and historical period.

Specific chapters address a range of key concerns: the history of Egypt’s dealing with Canaan is surveyed in chapters by Grabbe and Dijkstra. The Amarna texts are also dealt with by Lemche, Mayes and Grabbe. The archaeology is surveyed by van der Steen. The Merenptah Stela mentioning Israel is of considerable interest and is discussed especially by Dijkstra. This leads on to the burning question of the origins of Israel which several of the contributors address. Another issue is whether the first Israelite communities practised egalitarianism, an issue taken up by Guillaume, with a response by Kletter.

Key Features

• A collection of essays that thoroughly explore crucial aspects of the LBA period in Canaan.
• Addresses the history of Egypt’s interactions with Canaan.
• Offers a critical examination of the origins of Israel.

Contents

Part I: Introduction and Background

• Introduction Lester L. Grabbe
• Late Bronze Age Palestine: If we had only the Bible … Lester L. Grabbe

Part II: Chapters

• Canaan in the Transition from the Late Bronze to the Early Iron Age from an Egyptian Perspective - Meindert Dijkstra
• Canaan under the Rule of the Egyptian New Kingdom: From the Hyksos to the Sea Peoples - Lester L. Grabbe
• Poor by Necessity or by Choice? Ancient Israelite Egalitarianism - Philippe Guillaume
• Land Tenure, Ideology and the Emergence of Ancient Israel: A Conversation with Philippe Guillaume - Raz Kletter
• The Impact of the Late Bronze III Period on the Origins of Israel - Ernst Axel Knauf
• The Amarna Letters and Palestinn Politics - Niels Peter Lemche
• International Diplomacy in the Amarna Age - Andrew D. H. Mayes
• The Archaeology of the Late Bronze Age in Palestine - Eveline van der Steen

Part III: Conclusion

• Reflections on the Discussion - Lester L. Grabbe

Product Details

• Title: The Land of Canaan in the Late Bronze Age
• Author: Lester L. Grabbe
• Series: Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies
• Volume: 636
• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Print Publication Date: 2016
• Logos Release Date: 2020
• Pages: 248
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• Subjects: Bible › Antiquities--Congresses; Bronze age › Israel--Congresses; Bronze age › Palestine--Congresses; Bronze age › Egypt--Congresses; Israel › Antiquities--Congresses; Palestine › Antiquities--Congresses; Egypt › Antiquities--Congresses
• ISBNs: 9780567672810, 9780567672827, 9780567675590, 9780567683878, 0567672816, 0567672824, 0567675599, 0567683877
• Resource ID: LLS:LNDCNNLTBRNZG
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-09-24T03:51:13Z

About Lester L. Grabbe

Lester L. Grabbe (Ph.D. Claremont) is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism at the University of Hull, UK. He is the author of Wisdom of Solomon in this series, Good Kings and Bad Kings and A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period, Vol. 1 (included in the Second Temple Period Collection) and Can a “History of Israel” be Written? (included in the Studies in Old Testament Themes).