History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Roman-Jewish Wars and Hebrew Cultural Nationalism

Average customer rating:

The Roman-Jewish Wars and Hebrew Cultural Nationalism
Moshe Aberbach , and David Aberbach
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

From the Maccabees to the Mishnah, Second Edition

ASIN: 0312231911

Book Description

In this controversial book, the authors show how the Roman-Jewish wars were precipitated partly by Jewish demographic and religious expansion and by conflict with the Greeks and their culture. They argue that the trauma of defeat stimulated Jewish cultural growth during and after the wars. This culture was an implicit rejection of Greco-Roman civilization and values in favor of an exclusive religious-cultural nationalism, predating more recent cultural-national movements of defeated peoples.

From Babylon to Timbuktu: A History of the Ancient Black Races Including the Black Hebrews

Average customer rating:

Pure Fantasy - don't shelve with History
"Good, but who have to hear the whole Truth!"
Excellent scholarship
THIS BOOK IS GARBAGE
It's True

From Babylon to Timbuktu: A History of the Ancient Black Races Including the Black Hebrews
Rudolph R. Windsor
Manufacturer: Windsor Golden Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ethiopia | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0962088110

Book Description

This carefully reserched book is a significant addition to this vital foeld of knowledge. It sets forth, in fascinating detail, the history, from earliset recorded times, of the black races of the Middle East and Africa.

Customer Reviews:

Pure Fantasy - don't shelve with History.......2007-08-20

Yet another decidedly unscholarly attempt to falsify the record of the past and make history a tool of propaganda, beset with fantasy and illusion. Pure garbage formed ex nihilo, like Black Athena, sprung perfectly formed and armored from a Black Zeus. There is real and honest African history out there folks, and it doesn't have to co-opt, borrow or steal from other civilizations to be validated.

"Good, but who have to hear the whole Truth!".......2005-07-25

The book was informative, but there are some mistakes. At the begginning of the book, it says the Tigres and the Euphrates were the first civilization. Though this is a mistake, it can be thought to exist because of the times the author lived. The first civilization, was that in Kemet(Egypt), wich meant land of the blacks. The conservative estimate for the Tigres and Euphrates is 2,500 B.C. At the same time the conservative date for Kemet is 3200 B.C. With this, there are those who try, with much evidence to say that the Tigres and Euphrates go to 9000 B.C. With a foot hold up, and with the work of Graham Hancock, and Robert Bauval Kemet now, through the pyramid and the sphinx has been linked to 10,500 B.C. There is more evidence that civilization began in the land of Africa, but because of space, it can't all be said here. This truth of a begginning Aro-Civilization is not just because of racial pride or anything else, but just because of climate. Africa had a climate that would enable it to grow first. Also reader know, much, if not all of the theosophy found in the Hebrew religion, is found predated, in Kemet. This ranges from the creation story, the laws, monotheismm(Ahkenaton), Jacob's dreams, and the Christ myth. Not to mention, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Jesus all according to the Torah and the Bible went to Egypt, and also the old testament scriptures were compiled in Egypt. For more on this read 16 Crucified Saviors(Kersey Graves), African presence in Early Asia(Ivan Van Sertima), and Africans Who wrote the Bible(Nana Darkwah). In the end, yes Babylon, and the Tigres and Euphrates were Black Arican Civilization, but were later developed because the present Homo Sapien Humans developed in inner Arfica and migrated to lands across the world. The oldest spieces comparable with ours found was a woman labeled Lucy. She was found in Ethiopia dated 150,000 years old.

Excellent scholarship.......2005-01-30

R.R. Windsor is right in saying that the Hebrews were Blacks.

The White Jews are the Pharisees, Sadducees and Gentiles mentioned in the Bible. They later fled back to Europe and joined forces with the Khazars.

The so-called Jews of today are mostly the Khazars.

I also recommend "Retake Your Fame," by Aylmer von Fleischer.

THIS BOOK IS GARBAGE.......2004-09-17

THIS BOOK HAS MANY MISS INFORMATIONS ,LIES STORIES THAT ARE TOTALY FALSE ANY TIME YOU USE THE BIBLE AS REFERANCE YOUR INFORMATION IS FLAWED PLEASE TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT AFRICAN HISTORY ,AFRICAN CIVILIZATION NEVER HAD IT,S ORGIN IN THE MIDDILEEAST ,CHECK THE AFRICAN PEAPLE CALLED THE TWA READ THE HISTORY OF THE NILE VALLEY NOTE .THAT THE BOOK OF THE DEAD ,PRIMID TEX,THE BOOK OF GATES FAR EXCEDE THE BIBLE BUY MORE THEN 2,000 YEARS THE BIBLE IS ABOOK FULL OF MYTHS STORES STOLEN FROM ORIGINALS REVISED IN SUCH AWAY THAT IT MAINTANES GLOBAL WHITE SUPPREMINCE ( KNOWLEGDE )

It's True.......2004-06-16

For all those who doubt the facts stated in this book. I suggest doing a google search on the Lemba people of Zimbabwe.

Average customer rating:

Totally silly!
very in depth
So interesting and informative!
A must lexicon for the serious student of Biblical Hebrew.

The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible
Jeff, A. Benner
Manufacturer: Virtualbookworm.com Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1589397762

Book Description

All previous Biblical Hebrew lexicons have provided a modern western definition and perspective to Hebrew roots and words. This prevents the reader of the Bible from seeing the ancient authors' original intent of the passages. This is the first Biblical Hebrew lexicon that defines each Hebrew word within its original Ancient Hebrew cultural meaning. One of the major differences between the Modern Western mind and the Ancient Hebrew's is that their mind related all words and their meanings to a concrete concept. For instance, the Hebrew word "chai" is normally translated as "life", a western abstract meaning, but the original Hebrew concrete meaning of this word is the "stomach". In the Ancient Hebrew mind, a full stomach is a sign of a full "life". The Hebrew language is a root system oriented language and the lexicon is divided into sections reflecting this root system. Each word of the Hebrew Bible is grouped within its roots and is defined according to its original ancient cultural meaning. Also included in each word entry are its alternative spellings, King James translations of the word and Strong's number. Indexes are included to assist with finding a word within the lexicon according to its spelling, definition, King James translation or Strong's number.

Customer Reviews:

Totally silly!.......2007-07-29

Did you know that ancient people invented writing first, then started creating concepts and spoken words accordingly-?? Mind though, I'm not talking about Grammatology of Jacque Derrida but the postmodern "Ancient Hebrew Lexicon .."
Seriously:
Don't let the misleading title of the book or any positive (hoaxed?) reviews fool you. I could not believe my own eyes when I first paged through this so called "Lexicon". In short, this book is written by an unknown genius whom scholars may cruelly describe as a "crack pot". To see the point, let me give you an outline of the dictionary. The author has written the bulk of Biblical Hebrew words in his own version of Phoenician script; then like medieval magicians (who thought Egyptian hieroglyphic writing was series of encoded pictographs) has deciphered his home-made pictographic lexicon. In this regard, the author acts like an ancient Greek oracle: His etymological methodology is under sever influence of a phantasmagoric volcanic fume rising out of his own imagination.
If you are not allergic, let me invite you to inhale a sample of this laughing gas:
(1)The Hebrew word "KB" means `star'. Let's see how the author has discovered the root of this word: He starts with the interpretation of his own pictographic version of "KB" (written with a picture of a hand and a house). The result is what you may call delusional etymology: The first pictograph "is a picture of the palm of hand and represents a covering; the [second sign] is a picture of a tent. Combined these mean `covering of the tent'." -SO WHAT? You may ask, WHAT IS IT GOT TO DO WITH `STAR'?? The answer is so easy if you are patient enough and let the oracle continue: "The black goat hair fabric used for the roof of the tent allows some light through giving the appearance of stars overhead." (p.144)
CAN YOU BELIEVE that 611 pages of this deluxe lexicon are based on such jargons?
(2) second example: the Hebrew word K ='chastise', is written in this lexicon with two pictographs: the first "is a picture of the palm of hand" again, the second is "a picture of a wall. Combined these mean `palm wall'." Now please find the etymological connection between the concept of `chastising' and `hand-wall' ! Here, even our author's imagination may not help-- (I could have thought of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and the chastisement of its protagonist!). But, wait! Here is the author's resolution: "To correct or chastise with a firm hand." (p 145).
Order this book if you need a real fun! Otherwise I recommend the following excellent book:
George Fohrer's "Hebrew and Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament"

very in depth.......2007-04-11

ever want to understand biblical hebrew? this is the first step one could take, this author really breaks down origins of words there meaning and anything else you could think of it is not a pick up and go book but requires you study and really challenges you to be a study of GOD's word.

pick up your copy asap

So interesting and informative!.......2007-04-01

I loved this book! It is one of my all time favorite reference books. It has opened up my understanding of the scriptures in a whole new and deeper way.

A must lexicon for the serious student of Biblical Hebrew. .......2006-03-22

There are numerous lexicons, dictionaries, and concordances on the market for students to use when translating Hebrew words as they appear in the Old Testament Hebrew text into English. This is one the few (and the only one I know of personally) that not only gives on the viewpoint of translating Hebrew words into English, while carrying across the thought process that comes with Ancient Hebrew culture.

A good example is the word, "Bara" in Genesis 1:1, where it says, "In the beginning, God created (bara) the Heavens and the Earth. The word "Bara" in most concordances and lexicons will simply trnaslated this word as "to create or to make". However, this is an abstract translation. A more concrete translation, as seen from a ancient Hebrew perspective would be "To fatten, or to fill", as what is fattened is filled. Thus, Genesis 1:1 would be better translated, "In the Beginning, God fattened and filled the Heavens and the Earth", portraying the idea of God filling a Earth that was without form and void, and not the idea of him creating it that way.

Another good thing about this book, is it is keyed to the Strongs exhuastive concordance, so you can look up what the word means in this lexicon, and this carry it over to the Strongs concordance to see the various translations. I highly recommend this work. There needs to be more works into the study of Ancient Hebrew culture & thought, and how it effects Biblical interpreation and translation. The only reason why I give it 4 stars, is because there are some roots (only a few) that are left without all their proper translations, but that is the case with pretty much any lexicon, which is why a serious student should always have more than one resource in the first place.

Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible

Average customer rating:

Excellent resource to understand the cognitive context of the OT
Not bad...
To perceive important basics of Israel's ancient cognitive environment
Excellent background material for old testament context.
Excellent Survey of the Material

Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible
John H. Walton
Manufacturer: Baker Academic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0801027500
Release Date: 2006-11-01

Book Description

Much of the Old Testament seems strange to contemporary readers. However, as we begin to understand how ancient people viewed the world, the Old Testament becomes more clearly a book that stands within its ancient context as it also speaks against it. John Walton provides here a thoughtful introduction to the conceptual world of the ancient Near East. Walton surveys the literature of the ancient Near East and introduces the reader to a variety of beliefs about God, religion, and the world. In helpful sidebars, he provides examples of how such studies can bring insight to the interpretation of specific Old Testament passages. Students and pastors who want to deepen their understanding of the Old Testament will find this a helpful and instructive study.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent resource to understand the cognitive context of the OT.......2007-05-01

Divided into five distinctive sections, this book provides an introductory look at the conceptual world surrounding the Hebrew Bible. The five sections are Comparative Studies, Literature of the Ancient Near East, Religion, Cosmos, and People.

The section on Literature of the Ancient Near East is is a good, although very brief, survey of the literature of the ancient near east including Egyptian, Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hittite. The author has included a good cross section of ritual texts, letters, chronicles, legal collections, hymns, wisdom literature, and prophecy.

The section on Religion is subdivided into The Gods, Temples and Rituals, and State and Family Religion. Here the reader is exposed to ancient thought on these subjects with the intent that they come to understand the common beliefs and practices well as beliefs and practices that differentiated them from each other.

The section on the Cosmos examines both the geography of the cosmos and the beliefs surrounding them. The section on the geography of the cosmos is excellent and includes an examination of the structure of heaven, the earth and the netherworld. I found this section to be particularly interesting and very informative with an excellent exposition on the Hebrew word "bara" and the functional aspects of naming.

The final section on People provides an excellent examination of the various concepts of creation of the human race as well as what it means to be human. It also includes a very good explanation of the interaction between the people and their religion including prophecy, oracles, and their perception of history as a nation. This section ends with a discussion of the beliefs about the future of the earth and what happens after death.

Throughout the book the author has included excellent side-bar sections offset in shaded boxes that further illuminate related ideas and concepts. These often contain some of the best and most interesting observations of the material if you are already somewhat familiar with the subject.

Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament provides a solid comparative study of the various literature from the ancient near east showing both commonalities and differences with the beliefs of the nation of Israel. The book clearly sets the culture of Israel in the Old Testament times alongside those of its neighbors and allows the reader to better understand the mindset of the time. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament is highly recommended.

Not bad..........2007-04-06

Walton's book focuses on the similarities between the Ancient Near Eastern religious teaching with the Old Testament. He is careful to point out that similarites between the two doesnt necessarily imply that one is borrowed from the other. He emphasizes that they came to some similar conclusions based on their similar environments. This is a quite interesting take on this hotly debated subject.

His introduction to the book and introduction to Near Eastern literature is excellent.

However, while I will admit readily there are some similarites between Ancient Near Eastern religions and the O.T., Walton seems to see some similarities that I do not. He seems to be reaching quite a bit in those instances. For this reason, I gave it three stars.

The similarities between the two schools of religious thought are so few and far between that I feel a case could be made for coincidental similarities.

The book did however, accomplish what I thought it would accomplish. Regardless of the author's comments, the comparisons between the religions really emphasizes the distinctiveness of the O.T. For that reason, I am grateful for purchasing the book. Its something I have never doubted, but it certainly makes the chasm wider between the Ancient Near Eastern religions and the religion of the O.T.

Of course, the difference is one is real, and the others arent.

To perceive important basics of Israel's ancient cognitive environment.......2007-03-11

"The synthesis that I have offered is undoubtedly characterized by assessments that some scholars will judge to be misleading, premature, or even wrongheaded. ... Instead, I desired to sift through the information provided by the specialists who have diligently made the literatures and cultures of the ancient Near East available to us,..." John Walton.

Prologue to Hermerneutics:
Half a century past, when I read the Old Testament in the city where it was first translated from Hebrew, now then, in its cousin language Arabic, much of the biblical narratives seemed stories from an ancient mythical past to me, the young Psaltos. However, when I started to formulate inquisitive questions, the most refreshing though troubling replies came from my father, a specialist in comparative civil law, a professor in the French Lyceum and a former Viennese student in the European enlightenment milieu of the thirties, the young teenager was then introduced to comparative criticism through JH Breasted, Gardiner and Lang when I began to understand how ancient Egyptian viewed the world, the Old Testament becomes more clearly a book that stood "within its ancient context, while also speaking against it," in the words of Wheaton's J. Walton.

Renewal of Biblical Studies:
"The rediscovery of Egypt began in earnest in the eighteenth century AD and of Mesopotamia in the mid-nineteenth century AD. With the decipherment of the ancient languages, the tens of thousands of texts that were being unearthed began to be translated and analyzed. ... Initial studies were inclined to be defensive of the Bible, even if such a stance required the dismissal or distortion of the cuneiform texts. The flurry of activity in connection with the relationship of these texts to the Bible had reached a critical mass of sorts by the turn of the century; and, consequently, widespread attention was attracted by the series of lectures presented in 1902 under the auspices of the German Oriental Society and attended by Kaiser Wilhelm II."

Israel's Intellectual Milieu:
John Walton suggests three main roles that a comparative study could play in Hebrew Bible interpretation: critical analysis, defense of the biblical text, and exegesis. He focuses on exegesis and its particular importance for guarding interpretation against applying modern world-views. Walton offers a thoughtful introduction to ancient Near Eastern literature and the common milieu of 'cognitive environment' that rediscovers the world of ancient Israel. He evaluates concepts of ancient beliefs on gods, views on people and history, about religion, the cosmos, after surveying types of literature, after a survey of the interface between the ancient Near East and Israel, clarifying the analogies and non similarities between them.

Comparative Biblical Study:
This book provides an excellent introduction to the field of comparative Biblical studies and integrates many specialized studies by Coogan, Chavalas, Currid, Kitchen, Redford, and Yamauchi on Israel's neighbors. He makes use of extra biblical resources to enrich their understanding of ancient Israel and its Scriptures. This is very well explained by Peter Machinist, of Harvard University, "Comparisons between the culture of biblical Israel and the other cultures of the ancient Near East have long been a fundamental part of biblical scholarship, but more often than not, they have been presented in piecemeal, isolated fashion. In his new book, John Walton offers a much broader reach, giving us arguably the most extensive review of these cultural comparisons now available together with a serious meditation on what the enterprise of cultural comparison is all about in biblical study."

Analytical Book reviews:
- "... excellent survey of the interface between the ancient Near East and Israel. I especially appreciate his sidebars on 'Comparative Exploration,' which enable readers to 'zero in' on the comparative topic of their choice relatively easily."--Mark Chavalas, U. Wisconsin
- "... an important and useful guide to entering into some of the major worldviews and value systems found in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Israel. ..., bridges the gaps between ancient Near Eastern texts and the perspectives of the Bible." Richard Hess, Denver Seminary
- "Walton penetrates beyond the simple comparisons often made to bring back intelligence about the contexts and constitution of the ancient world, stressing the ideas Israel and its contemporaries held in common. Yet Walton repeatedly demonstrates how Israel's faith was distinct,..." Alan Millard, U. of Liverpool

Excellent background material for old testament context........2007-02-04

The old testament had a context, the ancient near eastern context. This work will go a long way towards informing one of the type of thinking that was around in those days and in that geographical environment on many themes pertinent to the old testament. The author knows his stuff and makes helpful points along the way comparing and contrasting the old testament with the surrounding cultural views of those times. A very well done book, though maybe not for complete beginners. Another good book for getting the old testament at a thematic level is: Themes In Old Testament Theology by William Dyrness.

Excellent Survey of the Material.......2006-12-07

Walton provides the reader with an excellent synthesis of the broad reaches of ANE study and the biblical text through the presentation of essential documents from the ANE (including Egypt). His aim is not to prove or disprove any aspects of biblical truth (polemics) or to establish the ANE as the father for the Old Testament's text and traditions (borrowing). Rather, he succeeds in laying out a framework of thought ("cognitive environment") that existed in the ancient world and seeing how these elements are shared by the people of Israel (contextualizing their culture and community). He interacts with leading scholars for each respective field (Assman for Egyptology, for example), but keeps the work from scholarly minutae, opting instead for a readable, well-documented and defended work on the way in which people of the ancient world percieved themselves (anthropology), their community (sociology), their god(s) (theology) and other key topics. An excellent work and a must read for anyone who desires to teach, preach or learn about Mesopotamia and/or the Old Testament.

The Children's Bible: The Old Testament, The New Testament

Average customer rating:

I DID OWN THIS GREAT BIBLE, BUT IT WAS THROWN AWAY UNFORTUNATELY!EVERY CHILD WHO IS CHRISTIAN SHOULD OWN THIS BIBLE!
Not Suitable for Catholic Children
Excellent Children's Bible!
Childhood memories

The Children's Bible: The Old Testament, The New Testament

Manufacturer: Western Publishing, Inc. / Golden Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000CPYJKU

Product Description

The world's greatest book, simply written and beautifully illustrated in full color, has been approved by an editorial board of leaders in the Protestant, Catholic and Jewish faiths. Beautifully illustrated, this is the book you grew up with and will want for your young reader, too. The print is large-sized and easy to read for ages 8 and above. THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE is a wonderful introduction to the teachings of the Bible and is presented in a straight-forward and easy to understand manner.

Customer Reviews:

I DID OWN THIS GREAT BIBLE, BUT IT WAS THROWN AWAY UNFORTUNATELY!EVERY CHILD WHO IS CHRISTIAN SHOULD OWN THIS BIBLE!.......2007-01-01

.....I REMEMBER WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER USE TO SIT US DOWN BRIGHT & EARLY

EVERY SUNDAY JUST TO READ THIS BIBLE...SO THAT WE CAN BETTER OVERSTAND

THE ADULT'S BIBLE! EVEN AS A CHILD THERE WERE CERTAIN STORIES THAT STUCK

WITH MORE SUCH AS:"RICH MAN POOR MAN", THE STORY OF LAZARUS, THE BOOK OF

MATTHEW WHEN satan CHALLENGED JESUS & JESUS SIMPLY SAID "GET THEE HENCE

satan"!WHOO IT GIVES ME CHILLS EVEN NOW! 1 REVIEWER WROTE THAT THE

PICTURES OF JONAH & THE WHALE WAS GRAPHIC & SCARY... WELL I THINK THAT WAS

THE POINT, A PICTURE SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS! I'M THANKFUL FOR THE IMAGES

CHILDREN CAN RELATE TO COLORFUL PICTURES, IT GETS THEIR ATTENTION (IT GOT

MINE) *I WILL BE PURCHASING THIS BIBLE AGAIN, I LOVE IT! OH & FOR THE

PARENTS THAT WANT TO EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT THE WORD, LET THEM SEE

"THE MIRACLE MAKER, THE STORY OF JESUS CHRIST"!!
______________________________BOTTOM LINE________________________________

Not Suitable for Catholic Children.......2006-10-12

The Golden Children's Bible is recommended by some Catholic homeschooling curriculum providers. This children's book is supposedly a collaborative effort between Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant scholars. However, I did not see any evidence of input from the Catholic scholars. In skimming over the text, I noted a number of areas that would be problematic for Catholics:

The first red flag is the translation of Genesis 3:15. The Latin Vulgate reads:

"inimicitias ponam inter te et mulierem et semen tuum et semen illius ipsa conteret caput tuum et tu insidiaberis calcaneo eius."

In the Douay-Rheims Bible, this is translated as:

"I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel."

The reference is to Mary, the new Eve, and the symbolism is a rich and important part of our faith. Think of Our Lady of Grace crushing the snake with her heel. I love that image! Now in the Golden Children' Bible it says:

"I shall make the woman your enemy and her children the enemies of your children. They shall wound you in the head and you shall wound them in the heel."

It just doesn't have the force (or fidelity) of Mary crushing the head of the snake. It loses all of the symbolism of Mary as the new Eve. Eve brought sin into our lives by yielding to the snake, whereas Mary carried our Salvation in her womb and hence through her yielding to God's will she metaphorically stomped on the head of the snake (which symbolizes evil).

Another red flag is the beginning of St. Luke, where the Archangel Gabriel appears to Mary. In the Golden Children's Bible the angel says, not "Hail, full of grace," but rather, "Hail, most favored one." Again, a seemingly small change, but it makes a big difference as to whether children can discern that the opening words to the Hail Mary came from this passage. It also diminishes the teaching that Mary was not just most favored among women, but literally full of God's grace.

Finally, in Matthew 6 where Our Lord teaches us to pray, the Golden Children's Bible tacks on a doxology to the end of the Our Father, so that their version of the prayer ends with "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." Catholics should need no comment on the impropriety of inserting these words into the text.

Those three errors were enough for me to rule out this text. There might be more errors contained within; I did not feel I needed to read more. There are beautiful pictures and it's a huge book, but it's not worth exposing children to the errors. Children should be able to trust that their "Bible stories" should contain only truth. I don't know why anybody would recommend this book for Catholic children. There are better choices.

Excellent Children's Bible!.......2006-09-27

I was given one of these as a young girl many years ago, and still enjoy reading it as an adult.
The artwork is wonderful, and the text easy to read and understand..I highly recommend it as beginning reading or listening for young people and a gift that will be cherished through the years.

Childhood memories.......2006-04-22

When I was a little girl, my grandmother used to read me bedtime stories out of this book, a favorite of mine was the story of King Solomn. To this day I remember all of the feelings that I had as a child when my grandmother read this book to me. She passed away several years ago, but I talk to her in my prayers and thank her for teaching me the value of reading, of which this book was a big part in.

The Rescue of Jerusalem: The Alliance of Hebrews and Africans in 701 B.C.

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Clear and convincing points
One of the ten most interesting books I have every read
I'm Convinced!
Refreshing new approach

The Rescue of Jerusalem: The Alliance of Hebrews and Africans in 701 B.C.
Henry Trocme Aubin
Manufacturer: Soho Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Egypt | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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Egypt | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1569472750

Amazon.com

At the turn of the eighth century B.C., a mighty Assyrian army entered Judah and fought its way to the very gates of Jerusalem, poised, the prophet Isaiah warned, to "smash the city as easily as someone hurling a clay pot against the wall." But the assault never came; instead, the Assyrian army turned and fled, an event that has been called the Deliverance of Jerusalem. Whereas biblical accounts attribute the Assyrian retreat to divine intervention, journalist Henry Aubin offers an explanation that is miraculous in its own light: the siege was broken by the arrival of an army from Kushite Egypt--an army, that is, made up of black Africans. These Kushites figured in historical texts, Aubin continues, until the late 19th century, when racist scholars expunged them from the record--a process that, Aubin observes, coincided with the European conquest and colonization of Africa. The Kushite intervention assured the survival of the Hebrew people, Aubin asserts, and it deserves to be acknowledged anew. Well-written and carefully developed, though based on sometimes-uncertain evidence, Aubin's argument will doubtless excite discussion. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

The bible as history: how africans preserved monotheism.

In the summer of 701 B.C. Jerusalem faced a siege from Assyrian forces that had razed countless walled cities, pillaging and looting them, dispersing the defeated populations to distant places, and torturing the leaders to death. Had the city perished, the small and fragile Hebrew society would have been severely damaged and the world denied its seminal influence. Judaism's principal offshoots, Christianity and Islam, would not have arisen.

Only one monarch responded to Jerusalem's plea for help -- Shebitku, the Kushite who ruled Egypt as pharaoh of the twenty-fifth dynasty. He dispatched an army of Kushites, black Africans of the sub-Sahara, to challenge the invaders and save the Hebrew capital.

Customer Reviews:

Clear and convincing points.......2004-08-19

From my research into the biblical story of Jewish deliverance, The rescue of Jerusalem is the best source I could find, with clear and untterly convincing points.

Henry Aubin examines this biblical story with the uttermost scrutiny from most, if not all, the modern available evidence.

One of the ten most interesting books I have every read.......2003-07-06

Henry Aubin with Rescue of Jerusalem, has opened a whole new way for me to look at history and religion. Henry is a Canadian Prize winning journalist and his perspective compared to certified historians makes the writing much easier to digest. His sense of drama lifts this detailed and accurate history to an art form. Don't be afraid of the footnotes. They are there for "doubting Tomases" and in no way detract from an exciting read. Congratulations Henry, I can't wait for another one. Lets hear more about these forgotten but vital parts of history.

I'm Convinced!.......2003-02-23

This is one of the greatest books I have ever read. Before I read Aubin's book, I went out to either purchase or research about 10 books (excluding the versions of the 4 bibles I read ) that covered the subect matter. His explanation is the only plausible explanation I've read to-date. What a great mystery that was well argued and the wonderful detail that he presented was excellent. I read the whole book in about 2 days as if it was a mystery novel. It is great to know a that "white person -a father" wrote this book because it strengthen my faith in mankind, regardless of race. History should be about facts and not racial agendas, black or white.

I also happened to luck-up on a copy of James Henry Breasted "A History of Egypt", one of the writers mentioned in "The Rescue of Jerusalem". What a racist this guy was, who at the time was consisdered the premire expert in Egyptolgy. I'm glad I read Breasted's book myself to verify the accuracy of Aubin's quotations. Boy, he was right on the button concerning Breasted comments as well as the other theories that really doesn't add up.

I also read "What If" by William H. McNeill, who stated that the retreat of the Assyrian army was one of the greatest turning point in Western and therefore the world's history. Unfortuntely he believed in the "plagues theory". However, A 2nd review of the Aubin's book back cover now lists this author as a convert.

Refreshing new approach.......2002-09-26

This book is simply that.... refreshing. The approach of assigning credit to the African 25th Egyptian Dynasty of Kush is really well explained. And also, traditional ideas about "Divine intervention" or "rats who ate the bowstrings of the Assyrians" are dismissed with good enough explanations.

Ancient Texts For The Study Of The Hebrew Bible: A Guide To The Background Literature

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Massive Bibliography and Introduction

Ancient Texts For The Study Of The Hebrew Bible: A Guide To The Background Literature
Kenton L. Sparks
Manufacturer: Hendrickson Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1565634071

Book Description

The Hebrew Bible represents no mere collection of books but a stunning array of literary genres. To fully illuminate the history and culture of the Old Testament, it is necessary to compare these ancient writings to similar texts written concurrently by Israel's neighbors. Beginning with an overview of the important literary archives of the ancient Near East, Sparks provides exhaustive references to the ancient literary counterparts to the Hebrew Bible's major genres. Surveying the ancient writings found throughout Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Palestine, Sparks provides a brief summary of each text discussed, translating brief portions and linking them to literarily similar biblical passages.

Exploring over 30 genres—wisdom, hymns, love poetry, rituals, prophecy, apocalyptic, novella, epic legend, myth, genealogy, history, law, treaty, epigraphic materials, and others—it offers an exemplary guide to the fertile literary environment from which the canonical writings sprung. Rich with bibliographic material, this invaluable catalog enables the reader to locate not only the published texts in their original ancient languages but to find suitable English translations and commentary bearing on these ancient texts. A number of helpful indexes round out this outstanding resource. Providing students with a thorough introduction to the literature of the ancient Near East—and time-pressed scholars with an admirably up-to-date research tool—it will become a syllabus standard for a myriad of courses.

"For generations, specialists have begged for a book that would convey the literary richness of the Ancient Near East to students of the Bible and of the Classics. Kent Sparks' handy reference guide is now here to fill that need: elegant in presentation, judicious in contents, with precise summaries of opinions, and helpful bibliographically." —Jack M. Sasson, Vanderbilt University

"Students and scholars of every level will save days of catalog and preparation time for any one project just by having this ready to hand." —Daniel Fleming, New York University

Customer Reviews:

Massive Bibliography and Introduction.......2006-04-22

This work will guide you into the massive amount of ancient textual material that is relevant to understanding the ancient world of the Hebrew Bible and the resources that are available with respect to such literature. In addition to extensive bibliographic information regarding the resources available in multiple languages, Sparks provides relatively brief descriptions of various resources and categories of resources, which is very helpful as an introduction.

In addition to summarizing the ancient literature, he sometimes comments on the particular significance of such literature for the study of the Hebrew Bible (eg, love poetry). He seems to have a predisposition to conclude that the Hebrew Bible is specifically modeled on other similar literature, sometimes based simply upon such similarity (eg, king lists and geneologies) but the bottom line is that this is a valuable reference guide whether one agrees with Sparks' suggestions or not. In the preface, he says there will be a forthcoming companion volume in which he will focus on examining the Hebrew Bible in light of the literary context referenced in this book.

DNA and Tradition: The Genetic Link to the Ancient Hebrews

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Jewish genetics
DNA and Tradition: Ancient Hebrews
Arthur Koestler Reviewer: Shame on you for appropriating authors name.
Scattered and Gathered
A wonderful work, also a refutation of the review by Arthur Koestler

DNA and Tradition: The Genetic Link to the Ancient Hebrews
Yaakov Kleiman
Manufacturer: Devora Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Science & Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1932687130

Book Description

Did the Twelve Tribes of Israel really exist? Are the scattered groups of modern Jews really the direct descendants of the ancient Hebrews of the Bible? This extraordinary book chronicles the latest discoveries in the cutting-edge field of Molecular Population Genetics that add empirical evidence and scientific confirmation to Biblical tradition.

The areas that are analyzed include:

The Discovery of the "Cohen Gene",
DNA Tests of Tradition,
Confirming the Origin of World Jewry,
Discovering the Genetic Matriarchs,
Abraham's Chromosome Signature

Customer Reviews:

Jewish genetics.......2007-08-31

This book is a very good insiders look at the genetic history of the priestly tibe, the Levites and descendants from Aaron. The book and data suggest that the priestly line is intact after a hundred generations and that fact makes me proud (I am one of them). The book also seems to dispel the notion that a large segment of Jews are descendants from Central Asian converts, a theory that has occupied Jewish though for a long time. It is good to know that we are pure and descended from people in the bible.

DNA and Tradition: Ancient Hebrews.......2007-05-13

This is a great book with lots of information for anybody that wants to understand the concepts behind DNA and the link to the ancient Kohanim dynasty. The book is good for either neophytes or advanced individuals in the field of DNA that want a higher level of specific knowledge related to Cohen Modal Haplotype. The book further has a good linkage to the biblical versus that are the underpinning to the Kohanim group.

Arthur Koestler Reviewer: Shame on you for appropriating authors name........2006-09-06

or provide your credentials for the whole lot of nothing you wrote.

Scattered and Gathered.......2006-09-03

This remarkable book reveals recent discoveries in molecular genetics that provide scientific confirmation of Biblical and oral tradition. For those completely unfamiliar with genetics, it is advised to read chapter four first. The basics of DNA are covered there, including the history of its discovery and key concepts like genes, the human genome poject, genetic markers and mitrochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

Using DNA analysis, it has become possible to find definite answers to questions of Biblical tradition and genealogy. Chapter one discusses two pioneering studies that detected Y-Chromosome markers that occur with high frequency in the Jewish priestly line of Kohanim. This genetic signature has become known as the Cohen Modal Haplotype (CMH).

Further studies of Diaspora communities revealed that Jewish people around the globe are closely related to one another, distinct from their host communities, and share a common geographical origin in the Middle East. Chapter Three looks at the genetic and biblical Matriarchs through studies of the mtDNA, which is transferred through the female line. Studies seem to confirm that people like Sarah, Rebeccah, Rachel and Leah were real individuals, not mythical constructs.

Chapter Five deals with the Ancient Hebrews and the question of the Lost Tribes. It provides a historical overview of Ancient Israel, early exile communities, legends of the lost tribes and a look at modern groups that claim Hebrew roots, complete with the results of genetic tests. These groups include, amongst others, the Pathans of Afghanistan, Georgian, Kurdish and Bukharan Jews, the Bene Menashe of India, tiny communities in China and Japan, plus the Ethiopian Jews and the Lemba people of Southern Africa. The priestly Buba clan of the Lemba has a significant percentage of the aforementioned CMH. The Khazar question is also explored here.

The next chapter goes into more detail on the history of the Ashkenazi of Europe and the Sefardi of the Middle East and Mediterranean communities. Genetic studies reveal that these two broadly defined groups are closely related despite the long years of separation. This chapter contains the results of numerous genetic studies and includes a map of the history of Ashkenazi movements in Europe.

Chapter Seven addresses the question of who a Kohan is, discusses Aaron the High Priest and his descendents and includes a table of Kohanim Down The Ages. There is a fascinating section on Kohan names, which include Cohn, Kahn, Kaplan, Rappaport and Shapiro, and how they were adapted or derived. This interesting chapter also describes the duties and personality of the Kohanim, their lineages, plus the Tribe of Levi and their genealogy with a list of surnames that include Levy, Lewis, Segal and Horowitz. This section concludes with information on organizations working towards the reactivation of the Kohanim.

The next chapter is devoted to ancestor research, providing helpful information on Biblical and Rabbinical genealogy, how to go about searching out one's ancestors, special interest groups, online resources and a bibliography of useful books. All the tools needed for tracking down your forebears are provided here.

The next chapter is just as interesting as chapter seven as it examines the genetic indications of the historical Abraham. The CMH marker is also a signature of the Judeo-Christian patriarch. Research reveals that large populations in the Middle East, like Lebanese, Kurds and Armenians, share this marker. There are also Europeans, like Hungarians and the southern and central Italian people, that carry this genetic signature.

The last chapter provides a summary of the latest findings from molecular genetics as they relate to Biblical genealogy. The conclusion is that DNA research has verified both the oral and the scriptural tradition. It concludes with an illuminating section on the spiritual heirs of Abraham and his biological heirs through Jacob, to whom the land was given as an inheritance forever.

The Appendix includes three scientific studies; from Nature: Y-Chromosomes Of Jewish Priests (1997), and Origins Of Old Testament Priests (1998). The article from the Proceedings Of The Natural Academy Of Sciences of the USA (2000) is titled Jews And Middle Eastern Non-Jewish Populations Share a Common Pool of Y-Chromosome Biallelic Haplotypes.

There are illustrations, maps, charts and tables throughout the text and the book concludes with bibliographic notes arranged by chapter. I highly recommend this well-written and beautifully crafted work to all those who cherish our Judeo-Christian tradition. Not only does it reveal close correspondences between scripture and science, but also provides other insights with significant implications for the future. DNA & Tradition is a work of major importance.

A wonderful work, also a refutation of the review by Arthur Koestler .......2006-08-27

The following is both a review of the book as well as a counter to the review called "Based on the wrong starting point by Arthur Koestler (Spain)." Please don't take my comments as a personal attack on Arthur Koestler it is simply a refutation about his comments on the book DNA and Tradition: The Genetic Link to the Ancient Hebrews.

To start off, the review called "Based on the wrong starting point" does not have the facts of the book right. The reviewer Arthor Koestler wrote, "According to the author, the book is constructed around a scientific comparison of the genetical properties of sefardita and askhenazim Jews. But accordingly to the book, the samples were obtained from anatolian sefarditas, theoretically expelled from Spain in 1492."

This statement is completely incorrect. DNA and Tradition: The Genetic Link to the Ancient Hebrews is based on genetic testing of Yemenite Jews, Iraqi Jews, Syrian Jews, Libyan Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Moroccan Jews, Spanish Jews, Indian Jews, Ashkenazi Jews, the Lemba, the Samaritans and a number of non-Jewish middle eastern ethnic groups. If one reads page 29 of DNA and Tradition it states that the, "findings were that Jewish men from communities in the Near East: Iran/Iraq, Kurds, Yemenites and Roman Jews, as well as Ashkenazim/European Jews - all have very similar, almost identical genetic profiles!" Page 30 of DNA and Tradition provides further detail on the specific communities and their histories.

The reviewer Arthur Koestler also does not seem to know that the term "Sephardic" is often applied, though incorrectly, to all Jews who are not Ashkenazi. This is mostly in the non-Jewish world, but sometimes it is the case in Israel. The reason is because many Sephardi Jews, African Jews, and Middle Eastern Jewish share some of the same traditions. At one time there was only one Chief Rabbi in Israel and he was always Sephardi (from the Middle East mostly) until the division of the Rabbinate into Chief Sephardi Rabbi and Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi. Also, Sephardi Jews always had contact with the Jews of North Africa and Iraq long before the Khazars ever converted. Yemenite Jews are recognized as being different from both Sephardim and Mizrakhim (Middle Eastern Jews) mainly because they have different Jewish traditions. Yet, there are times when compared to Ashkenazim that all Sephardim, Mizrakhim, and Yemenites are called Sephardi.

Furthermore the review called "Based on the wrong starting point" states, "If this hipotesis is correct, then the jews expelled from Spain in 1492, can be wrongly catalogued as true "sefarditas", as they could be mainly composed of poor, khazarian jews newcomers, that were forced to return as near as possible to their original land -anatolia- when the conversion process was executed."

This assertion is again wrong and DNA and Tradition covers the possible influence of the Khazars. It was found that there were similar DNA between Levites from the Middle East and North Africa, but when it came to Ashkenazi Levites they found more differences. One of the theories that the book talks about is that that many of the Khazars who converted to Judaism were priests in their former religion. After converting to Judaism it is believed that they claimed to be Levites in the Eastern European communities they joined due to their past as priests in their former religion. This only affected the Levites and not the Kohanim in Eastern Europe since the Kohanim all over the world have strict rules on whom they can marry, and often check backgrounds before getting married. Check pages 85 and 95 of DNA and Tradition. Levites don't have all of the rules placed on the Kohanim thus it is understandable that the Levites may have more differences. Also, the Kohanim and Levites who converted during the Inquisition often were not allowed to be Kohanim anymore once their genealogy was questionable so the idea that Kohanim and Levites with questionable background made their way into Sephardi communities is false especially since most Sephardim are real strict on bloodlines and such. This is why many of the forced converts to Catholicism upon return to Judaism in some cases formed their own communities, and were only later augmented by other Jewish communities.

Also, there were no Khazars in most of North Africa and there are a number of Jewish communities in North Africa who were known to be there long before the Khazars converted to Judaism. Several groups of Northern African Jews are know to have been Africa at or around 586 BCE and even the Muslims of North Africa know this. Also, a number of Spanish Jews had already left Spain before the Inquisition and never had contacts with the Khazars. There is also the fact that there are three distinct Moroccan Jewish groups and only one of them was made up of Spanish and Portuguese Jews who stayed separate from the other groups. There were no Khazars in Yemen, Ethiopia, South East Africa or India so the Khazar excuse does not hold up in trying to bring down this book.

Further the writer of the review "Based on the wrong starting point" states, "I don't see in the book any comparison -by example- between current spaniards and palestinian DNA haplotypes, to see the most than probable coincidences, then if the author wants to shut down forever the khazarian origin theory, this genetical study must be accomplished."

Yet, on page 187 there is a DNA report which shows the comparison between Jewish DNA and Palestinian DNA. On page 187 of DNA and Tradition there is a study called Jewish and Middle Eastern Non-Jewish Populations Share a Common Pool of Y-chromosome Biallelic Haplotypes performed by PNAS the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. In this study the DNA of Yemenite Jews, Iraqi Jews, Syrian Jews, Libyan Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Moroccan Jews, Spanish Jews, Ashkenazi Jews, Samaritans, the Lemba, and Palestinians was compared and found to be similar. Based on this statement I am not sure the reviewer Arthur Koestler even read the book DNA and Tradition.

The book DNA and Tradition: The Genetic Link to the Ancient Hebrews is a really good book with a dearth of information on how the testing was performed and the fact that the testing was performed by more than one medical group, and on a number of Jewish and non-Jewish communities shows the balance in the scholarship. Rabbi Yaakov Kleiman did a wonderful job of backing up the research and giving lots of sources from different backgrounds.

From Epic to Canon: History and Literature in Ancient Israel

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A Distinguished Scholar Weighs in Again
Generally Insightful and Accessible, With Some Reservations

From Epic to Canon: History and Literature in Ancient Israel
Frank Moore Cross
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Jewish Life | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0801865336

Book Description

In From Epic to Canon, Frank Moore Cross discusses specific issues that illuminate central questions about the Hebrew Bible and those who created and preserved it. He challenges the persistent attempt to read Protestant theological polemic against law into ancient Israel. Cross uncovers the continuities between the institutions of kinship and of covenant, which he describes as "extended kinship." He examines the social structures of ancient Israel and reveals that beneath its later social and cultural accretions, the concept of covenant -- as opposed to codified law -- was a vital part of Israel's earliest institutions. He then draws parallels between the expression of kinship and covenant among the Israelites and that practiced by other ancient societies, as well as in primitive societies.

Customer Reviews:

A Distinguished Scholar Weighs in Again.......2004-03-01

For this book Frank Cross has gathered together a series of
essays which tell the story of what became the Canon for ancient Israel. The original intent, says the author, "was to fill inter-stices (gaps) in my earlier study _Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic_. Though many of the essays have appeared in other scholarly literature, several appear in this book for the first time.

Early Israel was a tribal league developed due to internal pressures such as the blood feud and exteranl pressures such as the highly organized armies of neigh-boring powers. Too there was a certain amount of kinship which was tied togther by religious unity. Cross calls this "kinship-in-law." This is important because covenants were mutual; covenants with one-sided obligation were a later idea. It was this league which produced Hebrew epic.

The beginning of Israelite literature is the transition from poetry to epic (which is defined on page 29). Contrary to the claims of some scholars, Cross maintains that "folk memory" is longer than two generations. Bards, using various formulae, could keep the culture of a people clear although historical fact, as we now know it, was never the main concern. So the culture of ancient Israel was passed from poetry to epic. This can be seen in Song of Deborah and its accompanying narrative passages in Judges. The partitioning of the material as it passed into epic has been divided into the sources J, E, D, and P. Cross focuses upon the Tetrateuch because it escaped any systematic editing by D.

Now as to the matter between text and history, Cross proposes a study of the tribe of Reuben. This culminates in the conclusion that the Apiru were a client class. Personal names found in the Execration texts, New Kingdom texts, and in the Haynes Papyrus show the pattern "client of El" and so forth. Cross believes that the connection between "apiru" and "ibri" should be af-firmed. Though he does not mention it, he has an unlikely ally here in Niels Peter Lemche who affirms the same conclusion in his Anchor Bible Dictionary article.

Thus far I have summarized only the first 70 pages of Cross's book. By the time he is done Cross has progressed to showing the relationship between the stabilization of the text with the canonization of the text in the late/post Qumran period. Those who know the issues of this book will want to consider Cross. A distinguished scholar has weighed in again.

Generally Insightful and Accessible, With Some Reservations.......2002-02-07

This book is a worthy and very interesting successor to "Canaanite Myth And Hebrew Epic", exploring a number of issues relating to the history of Israel that were not addressed in the earlier work. Essays cover the relation of kinship to covenant, traditional narrative, the dubious fortunes of Reuben, the old gods of the ancient near east, OT descriptions of the tabernacle tent and temple in context, highly technical essays on Hebrew verse, two essays on the post-exilic restoration with an emphasis on the rift between Samaria and Jerusalem, two essays on the fixation and stabilization of the canonical text, and kind of an afterthought essay on pottery sherds and alphabets.

For me, the most interesting articles were the 'olden gods' essay, which places a number of themes present in the Bible firmly in the context of Canaanite mythology, and the the Samaria essay, which brings a lot of insight to the "Samaritan Problem". Just about as compelling are the essays dealing with the canonization of the Biblical texts, which brings the Dead Sea Scrolls and other contemporary evidence in to clarify the conerns and procedures. The most difficult and arcane (and beyond my interest) were the essays dealing with Hebrew verse.

My reservations stem from what seem to me to be omissions in the argument. Cross regularly makes the statement "there is no reason to doubt" one thing or another which is by no means proven, either in this work or any other that I know of, regarding practices and institutions of the "tribal league" and the "empire". He alludes to the existence of tribal leagues and their distinct religious forms from the Bronze Age to the modern era without much discussion of evidence. He also attests that at Ugarit patriarchal and specifically urban forms co-existed. This is interesting and I would like to know more about it. If the tribal and urban practices mingled throughout history, this does not give us "no reason to doubt" the historical accuracy of a Biblical account in which patriarchal religion and politics totally gives way to some national type of religion, nor does it help secure the dating of patriarchal narratives, or the dating of the conversion to Yahwism of Canaanite mythic themes. Cross's assertion of an orally transmitted prose epic seems unlikely, and no evidence is presented here to change my mind.

My reservations do not decrease the value of this book, however. In fact, they increase it, because of the issues raised. Overall, a must read.

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