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A Biblical History of Israel
For over a decade, "A Biblical History of Israel" has gathered praise and criticism for its unapologetic approach to reconstructing the historical landscape of ancient Israel through a biblical lens. In this much-anticipated second edition, the authors reassert that the Old Testament should be taken seriously as a historical document alongside other literary and archaeological sources.
Significantly revised and updated, "A Biblical History of Israel, Second Edition" is prefaced with the authors' direct response to critics. In part 1, the authors review scholarly approaches to the historiography of ancient Israel and negate arguments against using the Bible as a primary source. In part 2, they outline a history of ancient Israel from 2000 to 400 BCE by integrating both biblical and extra-biblical sources. The second edition includes updated archaeological data and new references. The text also provides four maps and fourteen tables as useful references for students.
Significantly revised and updated, "A Biblical History of Israel, Second Edition" is prefaced with the authors' direct response to critics. In part 1, the authors review scholarly approaches to the historiography of ancient Israel and negate arguments against using the Bible as a primary source. In part 2, they outline a history of ancient Israel from 2000 to 400 BCE by integrating both biblical and extra-biblical sources. The second edition includes updated archaeological data and new references. The text also provides four maps and fourteen tables as useful references for students.
514 pages, Paperback
Published November 6, 2015
131 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
About the author
Iain W. Provan
16 books24 followersMarshall Sheppard Professor of
Biblical Studies (OT) at Regent College (Vancouver) and formerly senior lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
Biblical Studies (OT) at Regent College (Vancouver) and formerly senior lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 5, 2025
Audiobook saved my bacon. Ain’t no way I would have finished reading this on my own. Helpful sections, but a snooze fest overall.
Also, if I listened to this book, can I even count it as “read” if I didn’t look at one word of the book?
Also, if I listened to this book, can I even count it as “read” if I didn’t look at one word of the book?
January 5, 2026
You can tell sometimes how even people you are aligned with dost protest too much, and in the process, reveal and expose a bit more about themselves than they would perhaps have desired.
So it ultimately goes with Provan, Long, and Longman III’s A Biblical History of Israel (Second Edition) (galley received as part of early review program, but full book read).
Based on the title, you might imagine the authors intend to present a Biblical history of Israel. And, about a quarter of the way into the book, the authors do begin to systematically present an analysis of the story of Israel following the Biblical arc, beginning with the patriarchs and ending with Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.
But that’s only after the first quarter of the book, and in this portion the reader gets to see what the book is really about.
According to the authors, the book is really about defending and upholding the Bible primarily, and other historical documents secondarily, as credible sources to consider and use when telling the story of Israel. They spend some time exploring the question and issue and dig deeply into epistemological priors and how one might be able to know about the history of Israel, how we might have any confidence, or lack thereof, in the Biblical text as historical evidence, how we can glean historical truth and insights from stories told with agendas and within various literary schema, and how we consider matters of proof versus making the best possible case for a given scenario based on all evidence we understand.
Throughout the authors are in conversation with various scholars and others who have a far more critical and skeptical view of the Bible. In general, they do well at pointing out the unreasonableness of many of the postures they are resisting as well as the many points of hypocrisy. The authors want to position themselves as the reasonable adults in the room, taking seriously a lot of the world opened up by historical-critical methods and other forms of criticism while making a defense for the Biblical text as history.
So it is from this vantage point that the authors then explore Biblical history. And, in general, they make good cases and manage evidence and expectations well. They will always make the best case scenario for upholding the integrity of the Biblical witness. Sometimes, like in Genesis, that will mean pointing out the points of consistency with Early and Middle Bronze Age archaeological and textual discoveries while recognizing a significant dearth of corroborating evidences. Sometimes it means pointing out, as with the location of Ai, how there still is a lot of uncertainty and vagary in what we think we know archaeologically, and so there might well be a way forward in vindicating the way the Biblical text presents itself. Likewise, it also will involve showing how literary form need not discount historical integrity, and showing sometimes how format may actually be the best way to uphold the integrity of a Biblical text.
So how do the authors protest too much? One can perceive such things in how frequently they are tussling in the text with their opponents, and all the more so in the appendix. It’s important to note how this is the second edition of BHI, and most of the expansions have involved the authors’ responses to the various critiques of the first edition. The authors do well point out a lot of the fallacies used in the arguments against them, the different standards, and the overall party viewpoint which seems to want to wall off what is deemed “serious scholarship” from anything remotely resembling a conservative Evangelical view.
But in all such protesting, the authors do truly manifest a trend and tendency the critics point out. One need not agree with the critics on all points, or even most points, in order to be able to perceive, even in the arguments made against them, how they are noticing something which works against the conceit of the authors.
…and that is how the authors want to position themselves as without a predetermined agenda and are just trying to follow the evidence where it goes, when in fact the exposition quite manifestly displays the standard conservative Evangelical posture of defending the Biblical text as is in all and every respect.
I find the best evidence of this in the authors’ treatment of the Book of Esther in p. 400ff. They recognize how much of scholarship has come to the conclusion the Book of Esther is a novella, or romantic novel, and prove quite skeptical about any historical basis for the character of Esther.
If the authors really did want to show some kind of critical bonafides, this would be a great place to do so. But Longman has already written a book in which he attempts to defend the historicity of Esther, and so this work is gonna try to defend the historicity of Esther.
And some of the points made are valid. Even those who believe it a romance do recognize how the author is very well acquainted with the Persian court and how the Achaemenids ran their Empire. This is true. The authors would present themselves as reasonable and conciliatory by granting how the story is indeed written as a romance with a lot of dramatic and literary factors.
But then they try to give their evidence for Esther as intending to be historical (“genre signals within the book communicate a historical concern,” whatever that might mean; p. 401). They argue it is “grouped with other historical books in the Septuagintal order of the biblical books,” and how the “history of interpretation confirms that Esther has usually been taken as a historical narrative” (ibid.).
The authors will later attempt to cast aspersions on the details given by Herodotus and others which stand at variance with the text of Esther as presented: Xerxes only having one wife, Amestris, who was among the Persian elite, as if the possible existence of some question about her origin means the whole thing is still up for debate (p. 402). The last line in this section seems a bit rich: “the duty of historians is to handle all sources, not merely some of them, with intelligence” (ibid.).
Yeah, about that…
At no point do the authors seem to even want to concede the historical problems with the Esther narrative as written. Unless all of our understanding of time in Xerxes’ reign is off, Xerxes was in Greece or was coming back to Persia at the time he is suggested to be meeting and elevating Esther (ca. 480-479 BCE), let alone how all the sources are quite consistent in portraying Xerxes as having one wife, Amestris, throughout his reign. Granted, the portrayal of Xerxes’ character in Esther is spot on, but just because you’ve well portrayed a character doesn’t mean what you’re presenting the character as doing is actually historical. And it remains quite rich to start demeaning a historical source which is saying things which are at variance with what you would like for them to say (Herodotus, The Histories), when you’ve been railing at everyone for ignoring, neglecting, or suppressing historical documents as sources when they do not align with a more skeptical posture.
We shouldn’t necessarily expect to find any documented evidence of people like Mordecai or Haman, but Haman as an Agagite with Mordecai as a descendant of Kish, thus Saul, seems quite convenient in light of the Saul versus Agag of Amalek contest in 1 Samuel 15. This difficulty is compounded by how Agag was killed by Samuel and the Amalekites cease to be a going concern after David defeats them after they overran Ziklag.
But the big and completely unaddressed issue in all of this is the presence of Esther in the Septuagint and the existence of similar romances in the Septuagint. No mention is made in BHI of how there are expansions of the Book of Esther in the Greek Septuagint not found in the Hebrew text. The Septuagint presents the Book of Esther as grouped among the “historical books”? Yes, it does…right after Tobit and Judith, and right before 1 and 2 Maccabees.
If we’re going to be intellectually critical and honest and maintain the same standard of judgment across books claiming historical precedent, according to the pretense of the authors, I do not understand how you justify the Book of Esther as presenting a true historical story in a highly literary fashion but then immediately criticize and challenge the Books of Tobit and Judith as fictive romances.
Tobit and Judith present themselves as historically as does Esther: they are characters presented as living in a time before the author writes (Tobit, during the days of the Assyrians; Judith, during the days of the Babylonians). Both stories will make appeals to certain historical details, and they will also often stand at variance with what we read from other sources to some degree or another. Judith in particular features Judith saving her people from Holofernes the Assyrian (=Babylonian) general, and shares a lot of common features with Esther.
Oh, and in the history of interpretation? Early Christians absolutely believed Esther was a historical figure. They were equally confident in Tobit, Tobiah, Judith, and Holofernes as being historical figures.
In this the Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox are consistent: they recognize all of these as canonical works, and even if many of their scholars today cast aspersions on their historicity and instead emphasize the importance of these stories as historical romances to encourage faith in God during Second Temple Judaism and beyond, they have no canonical or dogmatic need to treat Esther any differently from Tobit and Judith, etc.
Yet the authors of BHI are Evangelicals; perhaps I am being presumptuous, but I imagine they would argue Tobit and Judith are historical romances and novellas, were not actual people in the days in which they are claimed to exist, and while their stories might have profit in encouraging faith, we should not deem them inspired and we certainly should not consider them as representing actual history.
And if first century BCE and CE Judaism had put Esther in that same category, what would the authors of BHI argue about the Book of Esther? I have a sneaking suspicion they would categorize Esther in the same way.
I am not trying to be presumptuous here as much as wanting to honor the spirit of the authors more than where they’ve actually turned out. I actually don’t disagree with the primary premises of the authors. I agree with their primary premises to the point of being willing to countenance the Book of Esther as a historical novella which may have not actually happened. My faith is not compromised by such a view; I completely grant that Herodotus and others might be quite mistaken and the author of Esther might be vindicated as a historian. But that’s not where all the evidence is right now. One should be able to make the argument in all seriousness and in full honor of the witness and integrity of the Biblical text and say that Esther is more like Tobit and Judith than it even is Daniel, let alone 1/2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the historical prophets.
If the authors were truly handling “all sources” with “intelligence,” they would have at least broached the reality of the other historical novella within the Septuagint and grant many points of connection among them. You would never know that Tobit and Judith existed based upon what is presented in BHI.
Because in the end, while I do completely agree with the general posture of the authors, I will not grant their conceit. They are conservative Evangelicals who are working diligently to affirm and confirm their priors in justifying the Old Testament in its canonical form as historically accurate or credible in all points, and maintaining a maximalist view of what passes for presenting historical data.
Their critics are right about that, even if they do not prove quite willing to confess it themselves.
So that’s what the book is. Maybe you’re even inclined to completely agree with them about such things. Excellent! Go for it. Maybe it’s really important for you in your faith to believe Esther and Mordecai really did live in Susa, Esther was elevated to Persian queen, and delivered her people. I’m not here to argue with you.
But let’s not pretend BHI is some kind of objectively created and curated, balanced in all ways portrayal of Biblical history. It has its agenda from its posture and is committed to a fully canonical defense of the Hebrew Bible, and its authors would do well to be a lot more honest about it, and be willing to concede at least that much to their critics.
So it ultimately goes with Provan, Long, and Longman III’s A Biblical History of Israel (Second Edition) (galley received as part of early review program, but full book read).
Based on the title, you might imagine the authors intend to present a Biblical history of Israel. And, about a quarter of the way into the book, the authors do begin to systematically present an analysis of the story of Israel following the Biblical arc, beginning with the patriarchs and ending with Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.
But that’s only after the first quarter of the book, and in this portion the reader gets to see what the book is really about.
According to the authors, the book is really about defending and upholding the Bible primarily, and other historical documents secondarily, as credible sources to consider and use when telling the story of Israel. They spend some time exploring the question and issue and dig deeply into epistemological priors and how one might be able to know about the history of Israel, how we might have any confidence, or lack thereof, in the Biblical text as historical evidence, how we can glean historical truth and insights from stories told with agendas and within various literary schema, and how we consider matters of proof versus making the best possible case for a given scenario based on all evidence we understand.
Throughout the authors are in conversation with various scholars and others who have a far more critical and skeptical view of the Bible. In general, they do well at pointing out the unreasonableness of many of the postures they are resisting as well as the many points of hypocrisy. The authors want to position themselves as the reasonable adults in the room, taking seriously a lot of the world opened up by historical-critical methods and other forms of criticism while making a defense for the Biblical text as history.
So it is from this vantage point that the authors then explore Biblical history. And, in general, they make good cases and manage evidence and expectations well. They will always make the best case scenario for upholding the integrity of the Biblical witness. Sometimes, like in Genesis, that will mean pointing out the points of consistency with Early and Middle Bronze Age archaeological and textual discoveries while recognizing a significant dearth of corroborating evidences. Sometimes it means pointing out, as with the location of Ai, how there still is a lot of uncertainty and vagary in what we think we know archaeologically, and so there might well be a way forward in vindicating the way the Biblical text presents itself. Likewise, it also will involve showing how literary form need not discount historical integrity, and showing sometimes how format may actually be the best way to uphold the integrity of a Biblical text.
So how do the authors protest too much? One can perceive such things in how frequently they are tussling in the text with their opponents, and all the more so in the appendix. It’s important to note how this is the second edition of BHI, and most of the expansions have involved the authors’ responses to the various critiques of the first edition. The authors do well point out a lot of the fallacies used in the arguments against them, the different standards, and the overall party viewpoint which seems to want to wall off what is deemed “serious scholarship” from anything remotely resembling a conservative Evangelical view.
But in all such protesting, the authors do truly manifest a trend and tendency the critics point out. One need not agree with the critics on all points, or even most points, in order to be able to perceive, even in the arguments made against them, how they are noticing something which works against the conceit of the authors.
…and that is how the authors want to position themselves as without a predetermined agenda and are just trying to follow the evidence where it goes, when in fact the exposition quite manifestly displays the standard conservative Evangelical posture of defending the Biblical text as is in all and every respect.
I find the best evidence of this in the authors’ treatment of the Book of Esther in p. 400ff. They recognize how much of scholarship has come to the conclusion the Book of Esther is a novella, or romantic novel, and prove quite skeptical about any historical basis for the character of Esther.
If the authors really did want to show some kind of critical bonafides, this would be a great place to do so. But Longman has already written a book in which he attempts to defend the historicity of Esther, and so this work is gonna try to defend the historicity of Esther.
And some of the points made are valid. Even those who believe it a romance do recognize how the author is very well acquainted with the Persian court and how the Achaemenids ran their Empire. This is true. The authors would present themselves as reasonable and conciliatory by granting how the story is indeed written as a romance with a lot of dramatic and literary factors.
But then they try to give their evidence for Esther as intending to be historical (“genre signals within the book communicate a historical concern,” whatever that might mean; p. 401). They argue it is “grouped with other historical books in the Septuagintal order of the biblical books,” and how the “history of interpretation confirms that Esther has usually been taken as a historical narrative” (ibid.).
The authors will later attempt to cast aspersions on the details given by Herodotus and others which stand at variance with the text of Esther as presented: Xerxes only having one wife, Amestris, who was among the Persian elite, as if the possible existence of some question about her origin means the whole thing is still up for debate (p. 402). The last line in this section seems a bit rich: “the duty of historians is to handle all sources, not merely some of them, with intelligence” (ibid.).
Yeah, about that…
At no point do the authors seem to even want to concede the historical problems with the Esther narrative as written. Unless all of our understanding of time in Xerxes’ reign is off, Xerxes was in Greece or was coming back to Persia at the time he is suggested to be meeting and elevating Esther (ca. 480-479 BCE), let alone how all the sources are quite consistent in portraying Xerxes as having one wife, Amestris, throughout his reign. Granted, the portrayal of Xerxes’ character in Esther is spot on, but just because you’ve well portrayed a character doesn’t mean what you’re presenting the character as doing is actually historical. And it remains quite rich to start demeaning a historical source which is saying things which are at variance with what you would like for them to say (Herodotus, The Histories), when you’ve been railing at everyone for ignoring, neglecting, or suppressing historical documents as sources when they do not align with a more skeptical posture.
We shouldn’t necessarily expect to find any documented evidence of people like Mordecai or Haman, but Haman as an Agagite with Mordecai as a descendant of Kish, thus Saul, seems quite convenient in light of the Saul versus Agag of Amalek contest in 1 Samuel 15. This difficulty is compounded by how Agag was killed by Samuel and the Amalekites cease to be a going concern after David defeats them after they overran Ziklag.
But the big and completely unaddressed issue in all of this is the presence of Esther in the Septuagint and the existence of similar romances in the Septuagint. No mention is made in BHI of how there are expansions of the Book of Esther in the Greek Septuagint not found in the Hebrew text. The Septuagint presents the Book of Esther as grouped among the “historical books”? Yes, it does…right after Tobit and Judith, and right before 1 and 2 Maccabees.
If we’re going to be intellectually critical and honest and maintain the same standard of judgment across books claiming historical precedent, according to the pretense of the authors, I do not understand how you justify the Book of Esther as presenting a true historical story in a highly literary fashion but then immediately criticize and challenge the Books of Tobit and Judith as fictive romances.
Tobit and Judith present themselves as historically as does Esther: they are characters presented as living in a time before the author writes (Tobit, during the days of the Assyrians; Judith, during the days of the Babylonians). Both stories will make appeals to certain historical details, and they will also often stand at variance with what we read from other sources to some degree or another. Judith in particular features Judith saving her people from Holofernes the Assyrian (=Babylonian) general, and shares a lot of common features with Esther.
Oh, and in the history of interpretation? Early Christians absolutely believed Esther was a historical figure. They were equally confident in Tobit, Tobiah, Judith, and Holofernes as being historical figures.
In this the Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox are consistent: they recognize all of these as canonical works, and even if many of their scholars today cast aspersions on their historicity and instead emphasize the importance of these stories as historical romances to encourage faith in God during Second Temple Judaism and beyond, they have no canonical or dogmatic need to treat Esther any differently from Tobit and Judith, etc.
Yet the authors of BHI are Evangelicals; perhaps I am being presumptuous, but I imagine they would argue Tobit and Judith are historical romances and novellas, were not actual people in the days in which they are claimed to exist, and while their stories might have profit in encouraging faith, we should not deem them inspired and we certainly should not consider them as representing actual history.
And if first century BCE and CE Judaism had put Esther in that same category, what would the authors of BHI argue about the Book of Esther? I have a sneaking suspicion they would categorize Esther in the same way.
I am not trying to be presumptuous here as much as wanting to honor the spirit of the authors more than where they’ve actually turned out. I actually don’t disagree with the primary premises of the authors. I agree with their primary premises to the point of being willing to countenance the Book of Esther as a historical novella which may have not actually happened. My faith is not compromised by such a view; I completely grant that Herodotus and others might be quite mistaken and the author of Esther might be vindicated as a historian. But that’s not where all the evidence is right now. One should be able to make the argument in all seriousness and in full honor of the witness and integrity of the Biblical text and say that Esther is more like Tobit and Judith than it even is Daniel, let alone 1/2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the historical prophets.
If the authors were truly handling “all sources” with “intelligence,” they would have at least broached the reality of the other historical novella within the Septuagint and grant many points of connection among them. You would never know that Tobit and Judith existed based upon what is presented in BHI.
Because in the end, while I do completely agree with the general posture of the authors, I will not grant their conceit. They are conservative Evangelicals who are working diligently to affirm and confirm their priors in justifying the Old Testament in its canonical form as historically accurate or credible in all points, and maintaining a maximalist view of what passes for presenting historical data.
Their critics are right about that, even if they do not prove quite willing to confess it themselves.
So that’s what the book is. Maybe you’re even inclined to completely agree with them about such things. Excellent! Go for it. Maybe it’s really important for you in your faith to believe Esther and Mordecai really did live in Susa, Esther was elevated to Persian queen, and delivered her people. I’m not here to argue with you.
But let’s not pretend BHI is some kind of objectively created and curated, balanced in all ways portrayal of Biblical history. It has its agenda from its posture and is committed to a fully canonical defense of the Hebrew Bible, and its authors would do well to be a lot more honest about it, and be willing to concede at least that much to their critics.
February 27, 2017
Iain Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman, well-respected scholars all, have extensively updated this book for its second edition. Apparently, the first edition raised the dander of the extreme left side of scholarship. There’s even an appendix that you might want to read first called “In Praise of Critical Thought” that addresses the misunderstandings and over-the-top criticisms leveled at the first edition. To my mind, some of these criticisms were so absurd that trying to answer them was tantamount to killing those you have already slain.
Part one covering five chapters and 150 pages tackles history, historiography, and the Bible. That section can best be summarized as explaining and refuting the worst that extreme, radical scholarship has thrown at the credibility of Bible history. For the scholar who needs that interpretive history outlined and answered, you will love that section. Others may already feel a complete confidence in the credibility of biblical history.
I found Part Two, which covers the different phases of Old Testament history in order, to be much more beneficial. In fact, these pages will make a nice reference when studying the various passages. Again, the authors laid out the scholarly attacks against the history in each of these epochs clearly and answers them. Archaeology, historical detail, the biblical text, and logic are all brought to bear to prove the point that Old Testament narratives are historically trustworthy.
The detail presented is incredible. For example, when studying the historical time period of the days of Joshua, some great detail on Jericho, Bethel, and Ai was brought out that showed some scholarly conclusions that are often crammed down our throats are not all they’re cracked up to be. Again, you will find here some fine material to reference in your studies. The book just goes through the Exile and after, meaning this history just covers the Old Testament.
This book is a more advanced biblical history of Israel than many on the market. Many other volumes just go through the material almost as a historical survey and ignores the broadsides from the critical camp. This volume respects those scholars enough to interact with their views. To handle its goal, the material is more challenging than some others. Without a doubt, though, scholars will love it.
Despite the circuitous route it must take, this volume lands at many conclusions where a more conservative student of the Scriptures would agree. It succeeds in what it sets out to do, and so is a voice to be reckoned with in the scholarly world.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Part one covering five chapters and 150 pages tackles history, historiography, and the Bible. That section can best be summarized as explaining and refuting the worst that extreme, radical scholarship has thrown at the credibility of Bible history. For the scholar who needs that interpretive history outlined and answered, you will love that section. Others may already feel a complete confidence in the credibility of biblical history.
I found Part Two, which covers the different phases of Old Testament history in order, to be much more beneficial. In fact, these pages will make a nice reference when studying the various passages. Again, the authors laid out the scholarly attacks against the history in each of these epochs clearly and answers them. Archaeology, historical detail, the biblical text, and logic are all brought to bear to prove the point that Old Testament narratives are historically trustworthy.
The detail presented is incredible. For example, when studying the historical time period of the days of Joshua, some great detail on Jericho, Bethel, and Ai was brought out that showed some scholarly conclusions that are often crammed down our throats are not all they’re cracked up to be. Again, you will find here some fine material to reference in your studies. The book just goes through the Exile and after, meaning this history just covers the Old Testament.
This book is a more advanced biblical history of Israel than many on the market. Many other volumes just go through the material almost as a historical survey and ignores the broadsides from the critical camp. This volume respects those scholars enough to interact with their views. To handle its goal, the material is more challenging than some others. Without a doubt, though, scholars will love it.
Despite the circuitous route it must take, this volume lands at many conclusions where a more conservative student of the Scriptures would agree. It succeeds in what it sets out to do, and so is a voice to be reckoned with in the scholarly world.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
July 10, 2025
Review for myself to remind myself what I felt the book was about: I enjoyed the structure of this book. First part deals with the concept of using the Bible as a historical source and the history of biblical history in general. Second part walks through different parts of biblical history (story-by-story) and discusses , and . (EG, with Abraham they’re like: okay, this story mentions these specific kings, so we can look at other historical sources and see if they mention these kinds, and if so, do the dates align? Etc.) Doesn’t shy away from a discussion of genre bearing on how to read the text. Definitely both a conservative and scholarly work. I think they tried to be more objective than they actually were haha but such is life 😅😂❤️
December 20, 2021
5.0 // I don’t have much to compare it to, but this book was immensely helpful in creating a solid foundation from which to understand and interpret the Historical Books of the Old Testament. I especially appreciated the authors’ argument for taking testimony seriously as historical narrative. Didn’t agree with everything the authors wrote, but still a valuable resource.
March 30, 2024
A bit dense, and some of the chapters are better than others, but overall the historical presentation was good and sensitive to the available historical evidence. In particular, the conversation in part one concerning historiography and epistemology is certainly worth reading.
June 17, 2017
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” Therefore when we decide to ignore our history we lose our sense of identity. For Christian’s that sense of identity can be found in Christ as part of the family of God. Now the family of God is the nation of Israel, not physical Israel but spiritual Israel, therefore all Christian must know the history of their family, and the way to do so is by studying the narratives in the Old Testament.
A wonderful scholastic book on this matter is, A Biblical History of Israel by Iain Provan, V. Phillips Long, and Tremper Longman III produced by Westminster John Knox Press. All of these men are well respected scholars in the field of Old Testament Biblical Studies. This book is now in its second edition and is as well done as its predecessor. The second edition has been extensively revised and updated to include recent discoveries in critical scholarship.
In A Biblical History of Israel, a critical study is laid out in two parts. The first part of this work tackles history, the study of history, and the Bible. There are many radial critical arguments explained and refuted in this section, and are extremely helpful to a scholar who is looking for a highly technical work on the subject.
Where the work becomes helpful to the non-scholar is in part two of the work, where this trio of scholars tackles the different eras of Old Testament History in chronological order. In this they detail dates, places, and times of the events which are recorded in scripture and examine critical scholarships arguments for and against traditional arguments. In the end the authors argue that the narrative of the Old Testament are historically trustworthy. Furthermore the recent advances in the field of archeology are detailed in this work and make it a fascinating read.
A Biblical History of Israel, is one of the most through and critical studies on Biblical history on the market. I was pleasantly surprised that while tackling such a critical heavy subject that most of the conclusions drawn had an conservative element to them. With that said I would be very cautious with this work, if you are not highly educated in critical thought, for the work can be wordy and arguments can be circuitous, yet it succeeds in what it set out to do, and places a mostly conservative voice in a highly critical scholastic world.
This book was provided to me free of charge from Westminster John Knox Publishing in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
A Biblical History of Israel, Second Edition
© 2015 by Iain Provan, V. Phillips Long, and Tremper Longman III
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Page Count: 550 Pages
ISBN: 978-0664239138
A wonderful scholastic book on this matter is, A Biblical History of Israel by Iain Provan, V. Phillips Long, and Tremper Longman III produced by Westminster John Knox Press. All of these men are well respected scholars in the field of Old Testament Biblical Studies. This book is now in its second edition and is as well done as its predecessor. The second edition has been extensively revised and updated to include recent discoveries in critical scholarship.
In A Biblical History of Israel, a critical study is laid out in two parts. The first part of this work tackles history, the study of history, and the Bible. There are many radial critical arguments explained and refuted in this section, and are extremely helpful to a scholar who is looking for a highly technical work on the subject.
Where the work becomes helpful to the non-scholar is in part two of the work, where this trio of scholars tackles the different eras of Old Testament History in chronological order. In this they detail dates, places, and times of the events which are recorded in scripture and examine critical scholarships arguments for and against traditional arguments. In the end the authors argue that the narrative of the Old Testament are historically trustworthy. Furthermore the recent advances in the field of archeology are detailed in this work and make it a fascinating read.
A Biblical History of Israel, is one of the most through and critical studies on Biblical history on the market. I was pleasantly surprised that while tackling such a critical heavy subject that most of the conclusions drawn had an conservative element to them. With that said I would be very cautious with this work, if you are not highly educated in critical thought, for the work can be wordy and arguments can be circuitous, yet it succeeds in what it set out to do, and places a mostly conservative voice in a highly critical scholastic world.
This book was provided to me free of charge from Westminster John Knox Publishing in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
A Biblical History of Israel, Second Edition
© 2015 by Iain Provan, V. Phillips Long, and Tremper Longman III
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Page Count: 550 Pages
ISBN: 978-0664239138
September 14, 2017
An interesting and thought-provoking book in the arena of both the modernist disdain for the reliability of the biblical texts as a source for doing history, and the postmodern skepticism to the possibility of reaching/revisiting the past. For many people, the first chapters seem quite long and tedious (just like reading N. T. Wright's "The NT and the People of God"). They are, however, the whole apologetic argument for the possibility of history that most conservatives are not developing. The value in the work of Provan, Long and Longman, in my view, lies in their deep defence of the possibility of doing history based on testimony (here, they depend a lot on the philosophical work of Coady).
There is a negative point, that is the arbitrary initial point in Abraham, with the assumption that what comes before it cannot be accessed as a historical testimony. Somehow, it feels that the authors repeated the criticized attitude of Soggin and Miller/Hayes.
I highly recommend it.
There is a negative point, that is the arbitrary initial point in Abraham, with the assumption that what comes before it cannot be accessed as a historical testimony. Somehow, it feels that the authors repeated the criticized attitude of Soggin and Miller/Hayes.
I highly recommend it.
September 11, 2017
Once the book actually starts reviewing the Biblical History of Israel, I found it a lot more interesting. The first 155 pages focus on justifying why historians should use the Biblical testimony when dissecting Israel's history. While I understand that that is a very important subject and the assault from skeptics on the text has been heavy, just one chapter (instead of three 50 + page chapters) may have been sufficient. Other than that this an essential book for the student of the Bible to put the history of Israel in proper context.
July 27, 2022
Read as part of required reading for a Graduate level Scripture course at the Augustine institute. Admittedly, there was a sizeable chapter on archaeological methodology that was not required, and that I therefore did not read, but the real meat of this book is the second part where they go systematically through the Bible and dispute or argue against many of the leading Scripture Scholars who have got it wrong.
Dense at times, recommended for the serious Bible Scholar and not so much for a casual read. Will definitely be rereading at some point to better understand their arguments.
Dense at times, recommended for the serious Bible Scholar and not so much for a casual read. Will definitely be rereading at some point to better understand their arguments.
July 14, 2019
Excellent book that integrates historical-critical methods with the latest archaeological research while giving serious attention to the testimony of Scripture in order to form a highly readable overview of the history of ancient Israel. Also, the authors are super-punchy and do not suffer the fools who dismiss their methods on purely ideological grounds at all. Read the appendix for a rocking good time.
August 11, 2025
This book smashes the modern historical-critical methodology for historiography and its post-enlightenment epistemology and proposes in its place an epistemology built on careful trust in testimony. And that’s only the introductory first part. Besides that the book is also a carefully studied, culturally in-tuned, balanced telling of the story of Israel. One of the most worthwhile books to read for the student of the OT. Highly recommended.
September 5, 2018
I am not a history or archaeology person. I had to read this. That said, I appreciated what it said and the topics it undertook. But this was way too academic for my cup of tea and was tough to read through. For anyone who is into these topics, it may be more of an exciting read.
January 17, 2022
Helpful textbook that insightfully deals with epistemology, historiography, and the nature of testimony in part I. In part II the history of Israel is chronicled from Abraham to the post exilic period, while in dialogue with archaeology and critical scholarship.
April 7, 2022
Read this as required reading for a class on salvation history. It is a heavy read! Be prepared to take your time to process because this is not casual reading. Good if you are interested in biblical studies
December 29, 2017
This book contains a great amount of information regarding Israel and the Old Testament. Tough to read at times, but deep and academic.
October 21, 2019
Absolutely brilliant. Incredible biblical history apologetics the first 100 pages. Great history of Israel for the balance. Incredible book.
April 15, 2022
Excellent book that counters many of the minimalist assumptions of the academy
July 23, 2025
The authors offer a sustained and detailed critique of liberal/historical-critical methodologies concerning the Old Testament, which is helpful. Though in this it made me feel like I had missed something because I hadn’t read the first edition and the reviews of the first edition, which is a bit of a strange reading experience, and perhaps it was a tad long winded.
Their reading of the OT narrative is helpful.
Their reading of the OT narrative is helpful.
December 28, 2015
A Biblical History of Israel by Iain Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman III has been a useful and well-respected textbook for over a decade. It has been received with both praise and criticism for its unapologetic approach in the reconstruction of Israel by scholars and students alike, but the former has always seemed outweighed the latter. Now, significantly revised and updated, this second edition of A Biblical History of Israel proves to be more refined and useful than ever.
If the reader is familiar with the previous edition of the book, the content, and organization of this second edition is largely the same as before. In part one, the authors provide a helpful review of the various scholarly approaches to the historiography of ancient Israel and argue against the minimalist consensus that seeks to negate the use of the Bible as a primary source for such task. This section constructs a needed framework for the conversation and provides the reader with a useful introduction to the issues surrounding historiography and ancient Israel.
In part two, the authors shape a history of ancient Israel from the time of Abraham to the Persian Period (2000 to 400 BCE) by integrating biblical sources, extrabiblical sources, and a number of relevant archaeological discoveries. In regards to the latter, the second edition has been thoroughly updated to concur with the most recent archaeological data and discoveries over the past decade, as well as new references have been added and updated. This section has and continues to be a helpful reference for the reader. It is well-documented throughout, clearly stated, convincingly argued, and judiciously presented.
Additionally, in this second edition of the book, the authors have intentionally sought to address a large array of criticism against the effort of the first edition. This interaction is witnessed throughout the book and makes for a more engaging read that is certain be enjoyed by readers of all persuasions. The authors have also included a designated appendix that is aimed more specifically at the criticism against the first edition, and the attentive reader is sure to find this level of interaction helpful. In total, there is approximately 60 pages of additional material, as well as the inclusion of a number of maps and charts for the reader’s use.
A Biblical History of Israel has been a useful and respected resource since first being published in 2003. This second edition has been clearly built upon a solid foundation. As expected, much of the content and organization that made the first edition successful has remained, but with this second edition, the reader has been provided a thoroughly revised, updated, and refined engagement with issues related to the history of ancient Israel. Add the intentional effort of the authors to interact with the criticism of the first edition and you have a recipe for a must-have and up-to-date volume for biblical studies enthusiasts everywhere.
I received a review copy of these books in exchange for and honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
If the reader is familiar with the previous edition of the book, the content, and organization of this second edition is largely the same as before. In part one, the authors provide a helpful review of the various scholarly approaches to the historiography of ancient Israel and argue against the minimalist consensus that seeks to negate the use of the Bible as a primary source for such task. This section constructs a needed framework for the conversation and provides the reader with a useful introduction to the issues surrounding historiography and ancient Israel.
In part two, the authors shape a history of ancient Israel from the time of Abraham to the Persian Period (2000 to 400 BCE) by integrating biblical sources, extrabiblical sources, and a number of relevant archaeological discoveries. In regards to the latter, the second edition has been thoroughly updated to concur with the most recent archaeological data and discoveries over the past decade, as well as new references have been added and updated. This section has and continues to be a helpful reference for the reader. It is well-documented throughout, clearly stated, convincingly argued, and judiciously presented.
Additionally, in this second edition of the book, the authors have intentionally sought to address a large array of criticism against the effort of the first edition. This interaction is witnessed throughout the book and makes for a more engaging read that is certain be enjoyed by readers of all persuasions. The authors have also included a designated appendix that is aimed more specifically at the criticism against the first edition, and the attentive reader is sure to find this level of interaction helpful. In total, there is approximately 60 pages of additional material, as well as the inclusion of a number of maps and charts for the reader’s use.
A Biblical History of Israel has been a useful and respected resource since first being published in 2003. This second edition has been clearly built upon a solid foundation. As expected, much of the content and organization that made the first edition successful has remained, but with this second edition, the reader has been provided a thoroughly revised, updated, and refined engagement with issues related to the history of ancient Israel. Add the intentional effort of the authors to interact with the criticism of the first edition and you have a recipe for a must-have and up-to-date volume for biblical studies enthusiasts everywhere.
I received a review copy of these books in exchange for and honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
January 16, 2016
History is important. I know that many of us do not have fond memories of history class or for that matter the history teacher droning on for what seemed like an eternity about some minute point of days gone by. However unfortunate your experience with history class might have been, that does not negate the importance of understanding our past. This is especially true when it comes to engaging Scripture. Given the events recorded in the Bible are actual history, it goes without saying that if we are to be able to have a proper framework for the flow of biblical history, then we need to be students of history.
Of course it is always helpful when a quality book comes along that helps guide your efforts. One helpful book that focuses on biblical history is A Biblical History of Israel: Second Edition by Iain Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman III.
Now this is admittedly a scholarly book through and through. The authors are noted experts in matters related to the Old Testament and it shows in the information provided in this book. The reader is walked through the entire spectrum of biblical history as it relates to Israel, starting with the period of the patriarchs and ending with the post-exilic period with a brief interaction with the intertestmental period.
There is a veritable plethora of information to read in this book. In fact, I would argue it is a text not really meant to be read cover to cover, but rather to be accessed as needed when the reader needs to obtain information about a particular time period of the biblical history of Israel. To sit and read this book cover to cover would take one a great deal of time and I believe would actually detract from its intended purpose, namely that of a reference tool. What a reference tool this is by the way as it is full of scholarly insight, helpful maps, tables, and footnotes. Please do not overlook the footnotes as they provide an even larger means by which to further your study of the biblical history of Israel.
The authors pose the question as the outset of this book as to whether biblical history is dead as a subject matter. The answer thankfully is a resounding no due in part to excellent resources such as this book. I highly recommend this book for those in Bible College and Seminary especially and quite frankly, I recommend it for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of history as it relates to the Old Testament. You will find yourself presented with a great deal of information to absorb, but it is quality, salient, and important information that will go a long way to helping you grow in your understanding of the events that take place in the Old Testament period.
I received this book for free from Westminster John Knox Press and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Of course it is always helpful when a quality book comes along that helps guide your efforts. One helpful book that focuses on biblical history is A Biblical History of Israel: Second Edition by Iain Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman III.
Now this is admittedly a scholarly book through and through. The authors are noted experts in matters related to the Old Testament and it shows in the information provided in this book. The reader is walked through the entire spectrum of biblical history as it relates to Israel, starting with the period of the patriarchs and ending with the post-exilic period with a brief interaction with the intertestmental period.
There is a veritable plethora of information to read in this book. In fact, I would argue it is a text not really meant to be read cover to cover, but rather to be accessed as needed when the reader needs to obtain information about a particular time period of the biblical history of Israel. To sit and read this book cover to cover would take one a great deal of time and I believe would actually detract from its intended purpose, namely that of a reference tool. What a reference tool this is by the way as it is full of scholarly insight, helpful maps, tables, and footnotes. Please do not overlook the footnotes as they provide an even larger means by which to further your study of the biblical history of Israel.
The authors pose the question as the outset of this book as to whether biblical history is dead as a subject matter. The answer thankfully is a resounding no due in part to excellent resources such as this book. I highly recommend this book for those in Bible College and Seminary especially and quite frankly, I recommend it for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of history as it relates to the Old Testament. You will find yourself presented with a great deal of information to absorb, but it is quality, salient, and important information that will go a long way to helping you grow in your understanding of the events that take place in the Old Testament period.
I received this book for free from Westminster John Knox Press and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
November 4, 2016
Chapter 1: The Death of Biblical History?
K.W. Whitelam makes claims that biblical history is no longer viable, must move on to Palestinian history. The authors take to task this claim.
First chapter essentially sets stage for the rest of the book. Authors are trying to revive biblical history while also challenging the presuppositions, biases, and methods of contemporary historiography of biblical history.
I found this chapter kind of boring. Also seems to assume you are familiar with the field.
Chapter 2: Knowing & Believing--Faith in the Past
Authors take to task T.L. Thompson's idea that we can no longer hold as fact the idea of "ancient Israel"--it's merely a Jewish fiction.
This chapter stresses the important of testimony in our knowledge of the past. Testimony is "storytelling." Therefore, interpretation is unavoidable. It contains ideology, narrative structure, and rhetoric. What is commonly referred to as "knowledge of the past" is really "faith in testimony." Authors acknowledge that there is no neutrality in theory-making, i.e. "value-free academic endeavor does not exist" (39).
Survey of the philosophy of history of J.G. Droysen, Dilthey, and Windelband.
"Philosophy and tradition necessarily set the parameters for all thinking about the world with which human beings engage" (43). Probably more accurate to say that 'religion' sets the parameters. Three responses to this claim: (1) intellectual ostrich, stick head in sand, (2) postmodern--emphasize subjectivity and relativity of history, (3) embrace the implications and balance subjectivity and objectivity.
Thomas Reid quote on testimony.
"History, it turns out, is indeed, fundamentally, 'the believing of someone else when that person says that he remembers something'; or to put it more accurately, history is the openness to acceptance of accounts from the past that enshrine such people's memories" (46).
Historians should approach texts with 'epistemological openness' (48)
"Historiography is ideological narrative about the past that involves, among other things, the selection of material and its interpretation by authors who are intent on persuading themselves or their readership of certain truths about the past" (49).
Authors making awesome claims that there is no such thing as "pre-critical thinking." The claim to be a critical thinker is always haunted by blind faith in relation to one's own tradition and selective skepticism in relation to everything else.
Chapter 3: Knowing about the History of Israel
Why should we adopt a verification over a falsification principle? Why should the onus be on the texts to "prove" themselves valuable in respect of history? (55).
"Method that holds verification to be centrally..." (56)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2016
A Biblical History of Israel by Provan, Long & Longman III
This is a very good history of Israel from Biblical and scientific perspectives. The first part of the book deals with historiography and why the authors state that K. Whitelam’s contentions that “Biblical history is dead” and “…little evidence exists that this “Israel” is anything other than a literary fiction.” are quite wrong. While the authors do an excellent job supporting their premise that Biblical history is not dead and what was written in the Bible is accurate, unless a person has a bit of a scholarly interest in history it could be slow going. Once the actual history starts it is well written, well supported and very interesting. Much can be learned from this book. I do recommend not skipping the historiography. I received a free copy of A Biblical History of Israel by Provan, Long & Longman III from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks to NetGalley.
This is a very good history of Israel from Biblical and scientific perspectives. The first part of the book deals with historiography and why the authors state that K. Whitelam’s contentions that “Biblical history is dead” and “…little evidence exists that this “Israel” is anything other than a literary fiction.” are quite wrong. While the authors do an excellent job supporting their premise that Biblical history is not dead and what was written in the Bible is accurate, unless a person has a bit of a scholarly interest in history it could be slow going. Once the actual history starts it is well written, well supported and very interesting. Much can be learned from this book. I do recommend not skipping the historiography. I received a free copy of A Biblical History of Israel by Provan, Long & Longman III from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks to NetGalley.
May 3, 2014
I read a biblical history of Israel, in exchange for review from Edelweiss. The book was written by Iain Provan, V. Phillips Long, and Tremper Longman III. The book was published by Westminster John Knox Press.
I chose this book because I read Israel at War for review and was confused. A lot of the information mentioned was new to me. I chose this book because it discusses the history of Israel versus the wars between Israel and other Arabian countries. The book is written from an academic, research perspective. You really have to read it carefully to understand the book--otherwise, you will miss something. This is not a quick, easy read. This book is meant to be studied.
I chose this book because I read Israel at War for review and was confused. A lot of the information mentioned was new to me. I chose this book because it discusses the history of Israel versus the wars between Israel and other Arabian countries. The book is written from an academic, research perspective. You really have to read it carefully to understand the book--otherwise, you will miss something. This is not a quick, easy read. This book is meant to be studied.
March 20, 2014
I'm of two minds. I liked their work with the theory of how to write history (pushing back against supposedly scientific methods.) But I was a bit disappointed with the actual history. I was hoping to really get a nice picture that put the puzzle pieces together for me. Instead, it was so engaged with the nature of history that the history itself didn't really come to life. For many, the book will be worth reading for the theory alone. But for those that just want the history to come alive this book probably isn't what you want.
June 3, 2024
I enjoyed this a lot. The first half of the book dealt with methodology and could get pretty boring. I felt these chapters could have been boiled down to fewer, although the content is important. The second half of the book was very informative about the evidence that is in line with the Biblical narrative, and why the Biblical narrative itself should not be so easily disregarded.
December 29, 2015
Modern histories of Israel refuse to use the Bible. Provan rejects this modern notion and grounds the history of Israel in the Scriptures with a careful reading of the text along with a careful consideration of archeology and extra-biblical resources.
November 8, 2009
Overwritten, repetitive, boring
June 12, 2011
An in-depth evangelical look at the historiography issues that many of today's scholars use to argue the fallibility and errancy of scripture.
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