Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel, 2nd ed.

by Eugene H. Merrill

Publisher:

Baker Academic

, 2008

Overview

From the origins and exodus to the restoration and new hope, Kingdom of Priests offers a comprehensive introduction to the history of Old Testament Israel. Merrill explores the history of ancient Israel not only from Old Testament texts but also from the literary and archeological sources of the ancient Near East. This updated and revised second edition addresses and interacts with current debates in the history of ancient Israel, and offers an up-to-date articulation of a conservative evangelical position on historical matters. The text is accented with nearly twenty maps and charts.

Key Features

• Gives an in-depth look into the lives of Saul, David and Solomon
• Contains an index of each Scripture that is referenced

Contents

Top Highlights

“Samuel’s quarrel is not with kingship but, as suggested above, with the character of kingship demanded by the people—‘such as all the other nations have’—and with their refusal to wait for the man of God’s own choosing.” (Page 208)

“The purpose of this document of unknown authorship was to record the history of Israel from the viewpoint of the Davidic dynasty.” (Page 249)

“Saul’s failure thus lay in his appropriating to himself priestly prerogatives that may have been associated with pagan kingship and that, without specific divine sanction, were inappropriate to him or any king of Israel.” (Page 228)

“Our purpose is to understand the history of Israel as an integration of political, social, economic, and religious factors, and to do so not only on the basis of the Old Testament as Scripture but also with careful attention to the literary and archaeological sources of the ancient Near Eastern world, of which Israel was a part.” (Page 20)

“David functions as both king and priest not by virtue of his Israelite citizenship but because he stands in the direct continuum of Abrahamic promise and fulfillment.” (Page 283)

Praise for the Print Edition

In Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel, Eugene Merrill follows a sound methodology that uses explicitly stated and well-reasoned principles in analyzing Old Testament events. He demonstrates how the 'facts' of Old Testament history emerge only after sound hermeneutics that give attention to issues of style, genre, and rhetorical strategies are applied to the biblical text. Merrill provides historical background for each biblical book and period of Israel's history and gives up-to-date information from extrabiblical sources regarding nations and rulers with whom Israel often found itself in conflict. This work is a crowning achievement of a distinguished career devoted to the study of Old Testament history and is destined to become the standard evangelical treatment of biblical history for decades to come.

—Mark F. Rooker, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Eugene Merrill's Kingdom of Priests has served several generations of students and colleagues with distinction, so it is with delight that I welcome this second edition. Judiciously updated throughout, its most important improvement is the engagement of recent historiographical discussions, including a burgeoning literature among evangelicals. I am pleased to recommend it.

—David M. Howard, Dean, Center for Biblical and Theological Foundations; professor of Old Testament, Bethel Seminary

Product Details

• Title: Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel, 2nd ed.
• Author: Eugene H. Merrill
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Baker
• Publication Date: 2008
• Pages: 560

About Eugene H. Merrill

Eugene Merrill (1934– ) is an Old Testament scholar who currently serves as distinguished professor of Old Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has also taught at Bob Jones University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Berkshire Christian College. Merrill served as the president of the Evangelical Theological Society in 2010 and has been involved in international Christian ministry in Europe, Asia, and the Near East.

Merrill attended Bob Jones University where he earned his BA, MA in Bible, and PhD in Old Testament interpretation. He also earned an MA in Jewish studies at New York University, MPhil and PhD in Middle East languages and culture at Columbia University, and completed research at Tyndale House in Cambridge.

Merrill has published several books and contributed to many collaborative projects. His works include An Historical Survey of the Old Testament, 2nd ed., Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel, 2nd ed., Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary, and The New American Commentary: Deuteronomy.