A history of ancient Israel /

A modern scholarly and critical history of the Jews differs from the sacred history that Jews have written about their origins. The latter is available but the former has to be reconstructed from complex biblical sources. Therefore, Soggin begins his study with David and Solomon. He examines Israel's account of its premonarchical origins, which he sees as a reflection of a complex and late editorial process more important for religious identity than for history. Here Soggin draws useful analogies from imperial Rome's search for its origins; these are his best chapters. He concludes with shorter surveys up to the Bar Kokhba war. Two useful appendixes on archaeology and chronology complement the author's cautious treatment of the sources; up-to-date scholarly bibliographies guide the advanced reader. This translation from the Italian is a worthy and welcome addition to the historical critical method of biblical commentary, and is an extremely useful companion to Israelite and Judaean History, ed. by John H. Hayes (CH, Dec '78). Public and academic libraries, upper-division undergraduate level and above.-S. Bowman, University of Cincinnati