Ancient Israel in Sinai: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition

by James K. Hoffmeier

In his pathbreaking Israel in Egypt James K. Hoffmeier sought to refute the claims of scholars who doubt the historical accuracy of the biblical account of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt. Analyzing a wealth of textual, archaeological, and geographical evidence, he put forth a thorough defense of the biblical tradition. Hoffmeier now turns his attention to the Wilderness narratives of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. As director of the North Sinai Archaeological Project, Hoffmeier has led several excavations that have uncovered important new evidence supporting the Wilderness narratives, including a major New Kingdom fort at Tell el-Borg that was occupied during the Israelite exodus. Hoffmeier employs these archaeological findings to shed new light on the route of the exodus from Egypt. He also investigates the location of Mount Sinai, and offers a rebuttal to those who have sought to locate it in northern Arabia and not in the Sinai peninsula as traditionally thought. Hoffmeier
addresses how and when the Israelites could have lived in Sinai, as well as whether it would have been possible for Moses to write down the law received at Mount Sinai. Building on the new evidence for the Israelite sojourn in Egypt, Hoffmeier explores the Egyptian influence on the Wilderness tradition. For example, he finds Egyptian elements in Israelite religious practices, including the use of the tabernacle, and points to a significant number of Egyptian personal names among the generation of the exodus. The origin of Israel is a subject of much debate and the wilderness tradition has been marginalized by those who challenge its credibility. In Ancient Israel in Sinai , Hoffmeier brings the Wilderness tradition to the forefront and makes a case for its authenticity based on solid evidence and intelligent analysis.

Genres: History, Archaeology, Biblical Studies, Religion, Egyptology, Ancient History, Nonfiction

284 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Dr-Orban E. Hassan]

الكتاب دعاية رخيصه لكيان شيطاني استعمارى بغيض لاكسابه شرعية ضم اراضي جديده وفق الحلم القديم من النيل الي الفرات و محاوله يائسه لتدعيم ما كتب بالكتاب المقدس و هو ليس مقدسا بعد ان تم نحريفه و التلمود الذى كتبوه ليعبر عن احلام و طموحات مطلوب تحقيقها بالاغتصاب و القهر و العدوان، لم يعجبني ما جاء بالكتاب بصرف النظر عن مؤلفه و لم يعجبني تعليقات من أرادوا الترويج له و كأنه اجبار علي قبول أراء وتمهيد سخيف للإستيلاء علي أراضي الدول العربيه ضمن خطة ممنهجه فليكن شمال الجزيرة أولا ثم من بعدها شبه جزيرة سيناء أو العكس حتي يتم استكمال المخطط و كلها تصورات صهيونيه ممقوته و ليس لها أى
ودليل علي صحتها الا ما هو موجود في عقولهم الخربة

[P. Es · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got it Sunday, just finished it today. Truly tremendous and tactically written follow-up to "Israel in Egypt" (Hoffmeier's exposition of the evidence for the core of the Biblical narrative of Israel as a people in Egypt and the Exodus), picks up The Story from pretty much the beach through the Sinai Theophany and the 40 years in the Wilderness. Oft times as much an exploration of politics in Archeology as it is a presentation of evidence.

[David Tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that puts minimalist complaints to rest. The author points out why there is little to no evidence for Israel's wandering in the Sinai desert and even quotes I. Finkelstein who said such occupation would be invisible.

This is an informative work that helped me to develop one chapter in my Noah's Flood book on why there is no evidence for the exodus. It is well worth the time it takes to read it and one will not have wasted their money

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

Hoffmaier presents a sound defence of the wilderness tradition. He offers a plausible and reasonable account on the origins of the Law and it's possible connection with Egypt from whom they had recently escaped

[Shane Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is more for the academic instead of the layperson of whom I am....a little dry at times also....on a positive note there is some solid information as well....

[Karim Farid · Rating 4 out of 5]

مثال جميل للدراسات التاريخية اللي فيها تداخل مع تاريخ الأديان، وفي نفس الوقت الدارس بيحاول فيها يبقى موضوعي ويبص على كل الآراء ويعترف إنه فيه حاجات مش عارفها.
الكتاب مسلي جدًا كمان جنب كدة.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many who look for any way possible to denigrate the authenticity of Scripture, in particular matters related to history. One such element of Scripture that has been viewed with skepticism or at least has generated a bit of discussion as to the exact location of what transpired is Israel’s wilderness wanderings from the time they were delivered by God from bondage in Egypt to the time when they entered the Promised Land. Noted Egyptologist and Near Eastern scholar James Hoffmeier in his excellent book Ancient Israel in Sinai, provides the reader with valuable information that validates the historicity of the biblical account.

Hoffmeier draws upon his vast experience in the field of archaeology to outline his belief in a wilderness wanderings taking place in the Sinai Peninsula rather than northern Arabia as some have averred. There are some who will likely ask what difference is it as to where the people of Israel wandered around for 40 years. Is it not enough to simply believe they wandered around in the desert, regardless of its precise location so the unbelieving generation would die off thus allowing a new generation of people to enter the land of promise? Ultimately, what Hoffmeier’s research and book notes is the Bible can be trusted as being historically accurate. Despite the constant protestations to the contrary by some liberal scholars, the events noted in Scripture and the locations identified throughout can be asserted as actually taking place.

One particular aspect of Hoffmeier’s book I found rather enlightening was the connection he made between the Documentary Hypothesis and evolutionary dogma. While I am quite familiar with the tenets of the proposal presented by some scholars of multiple authors of the Torah vice a singular author of Moses, I had not made the important connection that such a theory can be construed as being rooted in an evolutionary approach to religion. Hoffmeier aptly comments “If humans evolved from simple life forms to complex ones, it was reasoned that human culture and institutions, social and religious, must also have evolved from simple to complex forms.” Thus, those who affirm the Documentary Hypothesis base their reasoning that the variety of names used for God as well as the complex religious thought identified in the Torah could only have been the product of later time period. Taking this approach in turn moves some to reject or at least question the historicity of the wilderness narrative. Hoffmeier correctly rejects the Documentary Hypothesis and its evolutionary based approach instead affirming the biblical narrative as historically accurate and the product of a Mosaic pen rather than the product of multiple authors centuries after the actual occurrence of the events noted.

Of additional interest is the array of historical, geographical, and archaeological facts Hoffmeier interacts with throughout this book, along the way continually demonstrating not only his expertise in these fields, but also the reality that the biblical account is completely accurate. He does a marvelous job of rejecting the mythological or symbolic approach taken by some liberal scholars to the wilderness account, using the historical, geographical, and archaeological realities to outline the fact that the information recorded for example in Exodus and Numbers reflects a “real geographic picture.” Instead of a picture of conflicting traditions written at a much later period of history, the wilderness narratives in Scripture actually reflect the forty year journey through the wilderness from Egypt to the Promised Land. Hoffmeier interacts with a number of key passages in Scripture that serve as geographical place markers, noting how Scripture reflects actual places that can be identified on a map using sound geographical and archaeological evidence.

This is truly a fascinating book replete with scholarly study that I firmly believe should be something all believers take the time to engage. Hoffmeier does an excellent job of sharing what admittedly is very scholarly information in a manner that even those not familiar with the particular geographical specifics of this part of the world can understand. Furthermore, the plethora of information provided by Hoffmeier serves to reveal Scripture can be trusted and that the wilderness wandering took place exactly as identified by Moses. Hoffmeier’s book will make a welcome addition to any Christian apologist’s collection and I know I will refer to it often in the future as a valuable reference tool. I highly recommend this book.

I received this book for free from Oxford University Press for this 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.”

[Brian Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoffmeier continues his case that indirect evidence lends credence to the Bible's account of the Israel in Egypt and, in this book, in the Wilderness. For instance, in one chapter he looks at the names in the genealogies in Numbers and notes that a good number of them are of Egyptian derivation. This argues for the authenticity of the sojourn in Egypt. He also discusses issues such as the location of the Red Sea crossing and Mount Sinai, and the path taken in the Exodus. His point in these discussions is that the accounts in the Pentateuch are located in real places rather in than in a mystical realm in which such routes and locations cannot be evaluated. I think Hoffmeier's point stands even if one wishes to argue for different locations. The very fact that he can make an argument for one location and that someone else can examine the evidence and make a case for another location proves Hoffmeier's point that these accounts are of such a nature that such discussions are possible and profitable. This would not be the case with myth. Hoffmeier also takes on the inconsistency of critical approaches to Scripture. For instance, he notes that a historical treatise by a 3rd century BC historian that is preserved only in quotation in other sources (e.g., Josephus and Eusebius) is still used today as the basis for our sequencing of the early Egyptian dynasties. With the Bible we have a much better manuscript tradition that reaches back in time closer to the original documents and events. For instance, some of the Dead Sea Scrolls date back to the first and second centuries B.C. But the critics insist on dating the Pentateuch late and reject countervailing evidence. The Bible is rejected as a "historical partner." Hoffmeier raises the question of why, despite claims that the Bible should be treated like any other book, it is treated like no other book. His supposition: "Either they want the material to be late so as to fit a particular theory or model they advocate, or they want sources to be late (operating under the assumption that later sources are poor sources) so as to discredit the historical reliability of the Bible. This in turn allows them to reconstruct the history, social framework, and moral or religious traditions in a manner that is more aligned with their own view of things" (18).

[Philip Boling · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the one hand I am shocked I never wrote a review and on the other, how could I?

Just incredibly grateful that I read it; granted the scholarship often tested my ability to keep up; that said my overwhelming sense from the story was one of wonder; gratitude that we have the bible, that it is history and represents the reality of that era; I don't judge them; I accept this was their generations best view of their very real truth.

I knew I wrote something; found the following written in 2013 about my impressions of the book: This is not a light read; and I often felt a bit overwhelmed by the information coming at me; from my very uninformed view point I felt the defense of the Exodus tradition as real history to be in brilliant hands; leaving the arguments dismissing the tradition as fiction to be ignorant of the evidence or so blinded by their own agenda's and bias to be incapable of seeing the facts. Eyes but cannot see. Incredible the discoveries that have been made.

[Jean-michel Pigeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livre se portant à la défense de l'historicité de l'exode. Très convaincant.