What do you think?
Rate this book
Historical and Biblical Israel: The History, Tradition, and Archives of Israel and Judah
At the center of this book lies a fundamental yet unanswered under which historical and sociological conditions and in what manner the Hebrew Bible became an authoritative tradition, that is, holy scripture and the canon of Judaism as well as Christianity. Reinhard G. Kratz answers this very question by distinguishing between historical and biblical Israel. This foundational and, for the arrangement of the book, crucial distinction affirms that the Israelof biblical tradition, i.e. the sacred history (historia sacra) of the Hebrew Bible, cannot simply be equated with the history of Israel and Judah. Thus, Kratz provides a synthesis of both the Israelite and Judahite history and the genesis and development of biblical tradition in two separatechapters, though each area depends directly and inevitably upon the other. These two distinct perspectives on Israel are then confronted and correlated in a third chapter, which constitutes an area intimately connected with the former but generally overlooked apart from specialized those places and "archives" that either yielded Jewish documents and manuscripts (Elephantine, Al-Yahudu, Qumran) or are associated conspicuously with the tradition of the Hebrew Bible (Mount Gerizim,Jerusalem, Alexandria). Here, the various epigraphic and literary evidence for the history of Israel and Judah comes to the fore. Such evidence sometimes represents Israel's history; at other times it reflects its traditions; at still others it reflects both simultaneously. The different sources point todifferent types of Judean or Jewish identity in Persian and Hellenistic times.
- GenresAncient HistoryReligion
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2016
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Read
April 9, 2025Whoever thought that a precise reconstruction of the redaction history of the biblical texts, supplemented and confronted with non-biblical sources, would result in a clear picture of the earliest history of ancient Israel, is in for a disappointment. The German theologian Kratz (° 1957, University of Göttingen) makes this very clear in this book. He repeatedly indicates that we are still groping in the dark in essential areas, and will probably continue to.
Regarding the historical reconstruction of the earliest Israel, Kratz is clearly on the minimalist/sceptical line, a bit like his colleague Bernd Schipper in the book A Concise History of Ancient Israel: From the Beginnings Through the Hellenistic Era, that I read earlier. Kratz does indicate well the intense debates that have raged and still rage about the historical value of the biblical texts, but his opinion is rather critical: the biblical version of the origins of Israel is largely the result of fictional fabrication, in function of much later, religious interests: “In the end, the tradition filled in and compensated for great gaps in knowledge with fabricated legends and theological objectives.”.
Kratz also discusses in detail the redaction history of the Hebrew Bible, and here the fog, if possible, is even greater. The only thing we can say with certainty is that the biblical texts were only written down very late (at the earliest from the 7th century BCE), originated from different traditions, and were constantly edited. This adaptation was done in function of beliefs that only came to the fore much later, in the Persian and Hellenistic period, and which were then introduced into the earliest texts: “What we see now is only the result: a biblical Judaism later retrojected onto the history of Israel from creation of the world until the demise of the Israelite and Judahite kingdoms in the pre-exilic period (Genesis–Kings; Chronicles) and onto the subsequent history of the Samarian and Judahite provinces in the “post-exilic”—i.e., Persian—period (Ezra, Nehemiah, and, for survival in the Babylonian captivity, Dan. 1–6).”
A special merit of this book is that Kratz also devotes considerable attention to the parabiblical texts and pseudepigraphica (including the famous Qumran scrolls). For these illustrate more than anything else the plurality of traditions within Jewish thought, and thus increase even more the scepticism with regard to views that adhere to a uniform, coherent, authoritative belief, from ancient times on. Kratz's conclusion is clear: "For this reason, the Hebrew Bible cannot serve as a primary source for Israelite and Judahite history, be it political or religious, yet it does provide excellent material for reconstructing intellectual or theological history.
Thus, the Hebrew Bible as an infinitely complex puzzle, the reconstruction of which we can only do to a limited extent, and then with great uncertainties. Which also explains why every publication on early Israel and the origins of the Bible presents its own version and interpretation, in an endless debate among academics and non-academics. Even points on which a consensus seems to have been reached at certain times, are questioned again a few decades later and examined in a new light. It is unlikely that this will ever come to an end. If the Biblical and Historical history of early Israel illustrates anything, it is that knowledge and understanding can never be “finally acquired.” And to be clear: there's nothing wrong with that!
Disclaimer: This review is only about the Bible as a historical source, not about the theological value of the texts; these are two very different things.
Regarding the historical reconstruction of the earliest Israel, Kratz is clearly on the minimalist/sceptical line, a bit like his colleague Bernd Schipper in the book A Concise History of Ancient Israel: From the Beginnings Through the Hellenistic Era, that I read earlier. Kratz does indicate well the intense debates that have raged and still rage about the historical value of the biblical texts, but his opinion is rather critical: the biblical version of the origins of Israel is largely the result of fictional fabrication, in function of much later, religious interests: “In the end, the tradition filled in and compensated for great gaps in knowledge with fabricated legends and theological objectives.”.
Kratz also discusses in detail the redaction history of the Hebrew Bible, and here the fog, if possible, is even greater. The only thing we can say with certainty is that the biblical texts were only written down very late (at the earliest from the 7th century BCE), originated from different traditions, and were constantly edited. This adaptation was done in function of beliefs that only came to the fore much later, in the Persian and Hellenistic period, and which were then introduced into the earliest texts: “What we see now is only the result: a biblical Judaism later retrojected onto the history of Israel from creation of the world until the demise of the Israelite and Judahite kingdoms in the pre-exilic period (Genesis–Kings; Chronicles) and onto the subsequent history of the Samarian and Judahite provinces in the “post-exilic”—i.e., Persian—period (Ezra, Nehemiah, and, for survival in the Babylonian captivity, Dan. 1–6).”
A special merit of this book is that Kratz also devotes considerable attention to the parabiblical texts and pseudepigraphica (including the famous Qumran scrolls). For these illustrate more than anything else the plurality of traditions within Jewish thought, and thus increase even more the scepticism with regard to views that adhere to a uniform, coherent, authoritative belief, from ancient times on. Kratz's conclusion is clear: "For this reason, the Hebrew Bible cannot serve as a primary source for Israelite and Judahite history, be it political or religious, yet it does provide excellent material for reconstructing intellectual or theological history.
Thus, the Hebrew Bible as an infinitely complex puzzle, the reconstruction of which we can only do to a limited extent, and then with great uncertainties. Which also explains why every publication on early Israel and the origins of the Bible presents its own version and interpretation, in an endless debate among academics and non-academics. Even points on which a consensus seems to have been reached at certain times, are questioned again a few decades later and examined in a new light. It is unlikely that this will ever come to an end. If the Biblical and Historical history of early Israel illustrates anything, it is that knowledge and understanding can never be “finally acquired.” And to be clear: there's nothing wrong with that!
Disclaimer: This review is only about the Bible as a historical source, not about the theological value of the texts; these are two very different things.
April 23, 2025
Solid, comprehensive and in-depth overview of both the earliest history of Israel, and the editorial history of the Hebrew Biblical texts. Kratz's approach is critical-sceptical with regard to the historical value of the Hebrew Bible, certainly when it comes to the period 1200-800 BCE, but also afterwards. He rightly indicates that we simply cannot make any sensible historical statements about a number of essential issues (the patriarchs, the stay in Egypt and the Exodus, the 'conquest' of Canaan, the Unified Kingdom), unless that the Biblical version is rather improbable. The same goes for the origin of the Biblical texts, since - according to Kratz - it was only in the Persian and Hellenistic period (i.e. after 400 BCE) that the 'classical' monotheism of Judaism crystallized around the Torah and the temple in Jerusalem (and not during or shortly after the exile as was thought until a few decades ago). And then again, even then there were still different forms of Jewish thought, and practices and religious views continued to evolve. If this book makes anything clear, it is that both the historical and Biblical history of Israel is an extremely complex subject, with many gaps and therefore still room for further research and debate. Fascinating! More in my History account on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
April 4, 2016
Reinhard G. Kratz is Professor of Old Testament at the University of Göttingen. Kratz previously served as an assistant in the Department of Old Testament at the University of Zurich and held a Visiting Fellowship position in Christ Church College, Oxford. Kratz has studied literary history and theology of the Old Testament, Ancient Near Eastern prophecy, and Judaism in both the Persian and Hellenistic periods. He is the author of several scholarly books, including, The Composition of the Narrative Books of the Old Testament and Law and Religion in the Eastern Mediterranean: From Antiquity to Early Islam (with Anselm C. Hagedron). Most recently, with the assistance of Paul Michael Kurtz (translator), Historical and Biblical Israel: The History, Tradition, and Archives of Israel and Judah was made available for the first time in the English-speaking world.
Historical and Biblical Israel is a tour de force into the life and literature of the people of Israel. Kartz has divided the book into three major sections: (1) The History of Israel and Judah, (2) The Biblical Tradition, and (3) Jewish Archives. Depending on the interest or needs of the reader, these sections can be read individually or together. The first section depends primarily on the broader, external scope of politics, culture, and religion for its reconstruction of the history of Israel and Judah (p. 6). Kratz helpfully seeks to divorce this initial investigation from the biblical narrative and focus attention on “the archeological . . . evidence and additional information that can be won from the biblical tradition by means of both critical analysis and historical analogy” (p. 2). This section is packed with careful scholarship and reflection, and the reader is guided from the origins of Israel to the Herodian Kingdom.
The second section of the book focuses attention on the biblical tradition of the Hebrew Bible. This includes a helpful chapter on the scribal culture, scribes and scribe schools, as well as writing and writing sources in the pre-biblical period. Kratz seeks to present a focused investigation on the transformation of the pre-biblical material into biblical tradition and then outlines the literary history of such through the forthcoming centuries. Kratz work here is especially helpful, but will undoubtedly be met with opposition from some readers. The final section of the book provides somewhat of a blended examination of the preceding methods, as Kratz seeks to broaden his investigation of historical and biblical Israel into the Jewish archives—namely the Elephantine, Al-Yahudu, Qumran, Gerizim, Jerusalem, and Alexandrian archives. The book concludes with three appendices (Timeline, List of Kings and High Priests, and Glossary), a lengthy bibliography, and source index that will be useful for future consultation.
Historical and Biblical Israel is a wealth of informed scholarly reflection. I found myself in disagreement with the presuppositions presented in this volume more than once, but the sheer usefulness of the approach taken therein outweighed such contention. Still, I think it may have the approach taken—the divorced examination of historical and biblical Israel—that made these presuppositions more evident. This is, of course, to the reader’s advantage, and I believe that the keen reader will likewise walk away with such observations. Nevertheless, even those entering into the conversation in disagreement with Kratz will learn much. Kratz is concise and direct in his presentation, and the reader will appreciate the scope of the investigation despite the apparent lack in page count. If you are looking for a book that will stimulate your present understanding (or misunderstanding) of the people of Israel, then Historical and Biblical Israel: The History, Tradition, and Archives of Israel and Judah by Reinhard G. Kratz would be a volume well worth the investment.
I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an 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.
Historical and Biblical Israel is a tour de force into the life and literature of the people of Israel. Kartz has divided the book into three major sections: (1) The History of Israel and Judah, (2) The Biblical Tradition, and (3) Jewish Archives. Depending on the interest or needs of the reader, these sections can be read individually or together. The first section depends primarily on the broader, external scope of politics, culture, and religion for its reconstruction of the history of Israel and Judah (p. 6). Kratz helpfully seeks to divorce this initial investigation from the biblical narrative and focus attention on “the archeological . . . evidence and additional information that can be won from the biblical tradition by means of both critical analysis and historical analogy” (p. 2). This section is packed with careful scholarship and reflection, and the reader is guided from the origins of Israel to the Herodian Kingdom.
The second section of the book focuses attention on the biblical tradition of the Hebrew Bible. This includes a helpful chapter on the scribal culture, scribes and scribe schools, as well as writing and writing sources in the pre-biblical period. Kratz seeks to present a focused investigation on the transformation of the pre-biblical material into biblical tradition and then outlines the literary history of such through the forthcoming centuries. Kratz work here is especially helpful, but will undoubtedly be met with opposition from some readers. The final section of the book provides somewhat of a blended examination of the preceding methods, as Kratz seeks to broaden his investigation of historical and biblical Israel into the Jewish archives—namely the Elephantine, Al-Yahudu, Qumran, Gerizim, Jerusalem, and Alexandrian archives. The book concludes with three appendices (Timeline, List of Kings and High Priests, and Glossary), a lengthy bibliography, and source index that will be useful for future consultation.
Historical and Biblical Israel is a wealth of informed scholarly reflection. I found myself in disagreement with the presuppositions presented in this volume more than once, but the sheer usefulness of the approach taken therein outweighed such contention. Still, I think it may have the approach taken—the divorced examination of historical and biblical Israel—that made these presuppositions more evident. This is, of course, to the reader’s advantage, and I believe that the keen reader will likewise walk away with such observations. Nevertheless, even those entering into the conversation in disagreement with Kratz will learn much. Kratz is concise and direct in his presentation, and the reader will appreciate the scope of the investigation despite the apparent lack in page count. If you are looking for a book that will stimulate your present understanding (or misunderstanding) of the people of Israel, then Historical and Biblical Israel: The History, Tradition, and Archives of Israel and Judah by Reinhard G. Kratz would be a volume well worth the investment.
I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an 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.
November 15, 2023
Brilliant. Honest. Careful. Interdisciplinary.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews