The Myth of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

by Andrew Tobolowsky

The Myth of the Twelve Tribes of Israel is the first study to treat the history of claims to an Israelite identity as an ongoing historical phenomenon from biblical times to the present. By treating the Hebrew Bible's accounts of Israel as one of many efforts to construct an Israelite history, rather than source material for later legends, Andrew Tobolowsky brings a long-term comparative approach to biblical and nonbiblical “Israelite” histories. In the process, he sheds new light on how the structure of the twelve tribes tradition enables the creation of so many different visions of Israel, and generates new questions: How can we explain the enduring power of the myth of the twelve tribes of Israel? How does “becoming Israel” work, why has it proven so popular, and how did it change over time? Finally, what can the changing shape of Israel itself reveal about those who claimed it?

Genres: Religion, History, Nonfiction, Judaism

300 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2022

Reviews

[Joey Hyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myths are cool.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this would be a bit more in-depth, but what’s here is a pretty fascinating cross-historical look at mythological reception.