Course Descriptions

HIST 5/330 History of Ancient Israel - Credit Hours: 3

Semester normally offered: Fall

Course Description

An overview of the historical background of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. The focus is on the history of the land and the people of ancient Israel from their origin through the end of the Iron Age as seen within their Near Eastern environment. The course will use a combination of biblical, archaeological and historical data, emphasizing the distinct methodologies used in the study of each. 

Course Equivalencies

• History
• Bible
• Ancient Near Eastern Studies

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, the student should be familiar with:

• the basic methodologies for the study of ancient history;
• sources used in the study of the history of Ancient Israel;
• the outline of the history of the Middle East and Israel in the Bronze and Iron Ages; and
• methodological issues in using the Bible as an historical source.

Field Study

A one-day interactive field study focusing on areas of early Israel’s settlement such as Shiloh and Tel Qasile.