Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Preface xiii
Introduction xv Bill T. Arnold and Brent A. Strawn
List of Contributors xix
Abbreviations xxi
1. The Amorites, Daniel E. Fleming 1
2. Assyria and the Assyrians, Christopher B. Hays with Peter Machinist 31
3. Babylonia and the Babylonians, David S. Vanderhooft 107
4. Ugarit and the Ugaritians, Mark S. Smith 139
5. Egypt and the Egyptians, Joel M. LeMon 169
6. The Hittites and the Hurrians, Billie Jean Collins 197
7. Aram and the Arameans, K. Lawson Younger Jr. 229
8. Phoenicia and the Phoenicians, Christopher A. Rollston 267
9. Transjordan: The Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites, Joel S. Burnett 309
10. Philistia and the Philistines, Carl S. Ehrlich 353
11. Persia and the Persians, Pierre Briant 379
12. Arabia and the Arabians, David E Graf 417
13. Greece and the Greeks, Walter Burkertf 467
Index of Authors 501
Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Sources 511
Index of Subjects 519

"The best scholars in the modern world illuminate the various peoples in the ancient world of the Bible in this indispensable resource for students and teachers.” —WILLIAM M. SCHNIEDEWIND, University of California, Los Angeles
“For those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the Scriptures, The World around the Old Testament is an eminently useful and accessible resource. The volume features detailed, well-written, and informative articles on various peoples and places mentioned in the Bible, written by leading authorities in the field. The careful attention devoted to recent archaeological excavations and ancient inscriptions is most welcome.” —GARY N. KNOPPERS, University of Notre Dame
"The World around the Old Testament is a refreshing contribution to contextualizing the Hebrew Bible within its ancient N ear Eastern and Mediterranean context. The specialists for each area focus on their particular region while tying it into the larger framework of the Hebrew Bible.” —TAMMI J. SCHNEIDER, Claremont Graduate University
“This is an especially important book. Nowhere else can one find, in a single volume, the kind of up-to-date and nuanced treatment of the ethnolinguistic groups of the ancient Near East that appears in this collection. Each chapter is written by a renowned scholar, and each carefully explains the sources that are used to reconstruct our understanding of the history, language, and religion of these cultures. The clear-eyed examination of current scholarly debates and the identification of key insights for the study of biblical texts also set this book apart. The World around the Old Testament will be a very productive resource for advanced students and scholars alike.” —BRUCE WELLS, Saint Joseph's University