Reconstructing the Society of Ancient Israel [Paperback]

In this volume Paula McNutt provides a synthesis of recent research on the nature and development of the society of ancient Israel. Focusing on Israelite history from the tribal period through the time of Persian domination, McNutt employs a social-scientific perspective to examine recent reconstructions of the social and cultural contexts that nurtured the literature of the Hebrew Bible. She also offers a helpful overview of the components and dynamics of ancient Israelite society. By investigating the intricate social processes that sustained the society of ancient Israel, McNutt enables the reader to discern the forces at work during key periods of transition and transformation in early Israelite history.Using the textual sources from the Bible and and material evidence of archaeology, McNutt traces the changing nature of ancient Israelite society, from the tribal peruiod to the time of Persian domination. She focuses in particular on demographic patterns in economics, politics and religion.