Digging Through the Bible: Modern Archaeology and the Ancient Bible

by Richard A. Freund director, Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, University of Hartfo

Overview

Many of our religious beliefs are based upon faith alone, but archaeology gives us the opportunity to find evidence about what really happened in the past-evidence that can have a dramatic impact on what we believe and how we understand the Bible today. Archaeologist and rabbi Richard Freund takes readers through many of his own excavations in the Holy Land, searching for information about key biblical characters and events.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742546455
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	12/16/2009
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

Chronology of Events Introduction Chapter 1 The Search for Sinai: Archaeological Reflections on Moses, the Exodus, and the Revelation at Mount Sinai Chapter 2 Searching for Kings David and Solomon and the Ancient City of Jerusalem Chapter 3 Searching for Jesus in Galilee and Babylonia Chapter 4 Searching Her-Stories: Women in Ancient Israel Chapter 5 Searching for Synagogues: A Lost Synagogue Ritual Recovered by Archaeology Chapter 6 Searching for the Mysterious Teacher of Righteousness at Qumran and in the Dead Sea Scrolls Chapter 7 Seeking Mary: The Mother of Jesus and the Well and Bathhouse of Nazareth Chapter 8 The Search for Bar Kokhba: One Biblical Character Who Was Found Appendix: Exploring an Archeological Site Acknowledgements Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

A fascinating, riveting excavation through layers of history (and quite literally, earth and humankind) that will be of tremendous interest to both scholars and a general readers. Richard Freund is remarkable at casting a fresh eye on texts and artifacts that seem to be well known, but deserve more careful scrutiny.

Michael Berkowitz

Richard Freund has produced a very readable and stimulating book that addresses a number of vexing biblical issues. Thanks to his direct involvement in excavations in Israel, he is able to offer new firsthand data to bolster the case he makes.

James K. Hoffmeier

For those who enjoy the study of biblical archaeology but don't claim to be experts, this will be a rewarding read. Freund is an informed and interesting narrator.

The Bible Today

Digging through the Bible does something that no other book on archaeology and the Bible does. It brings the reader in a pedagogical as well as in a very updated and well-learned way from the Hebrew Bible through the New Testament, touching on most of the major contemporary controversies about Jerusalem, the Exodus, Jesus, and Qumran.

Adolf Roitman

Richard Freund's Digging Through the Bible is a personal account of excavating the most important sites of the Bible, and it is spellbinding. A provocative and fascinating account of the major controversies of the Bible, Judaism, and Christianity.

Rabbi Jeffrey L. Rubenstein

Freund offers an erdutite, clearly written study of the biblical Old and New Testaments, as well as inscriptional and literary evidence that relates to them.. .. Recommended.

Choice Reviews

After providing a 46-page 'crash course' in biblical archaeology, Freund, professor of Jewish history at the University of Hartford and author of Secrets of the Cave of Letters: A Dead Sea Mystery (2004), uses archaeological finding to draw conclusions about key biblical characters and events.

New Testament Abstracts

Richard Freund’s extensive knowledge of the literary and archaeological sources, as well as his insights and ability to make connections, make this a must-read for any student of the Bible. His work at numerous excavations in Israel and his experience as a professor and Rabbi make him uniquely qualified to write this lively book, which is comprehensible to both lay reader and scholar alike.

Elizabeth McNamer

In fairly simple terms, [Freund] explains the different sides of each question and presents the available evidence. He describes the methodologies of biblical literary criticism and of biblical archaeology.. .. It is a good introduction to the problems of 'believing' the Bible in a post-modern, scientificized world.

Jewish Book World

Freund offers an erdutite, clearly written study of the biblical Old and New Testaments, as well as inscriptional and literary evidence that relates to them.. .. Recommended.

October 2009 Choice Reviews

Freund offers an erdutite, clearly written study of the biblical Old and New Testaments, as well as inscriptional and literary evidence that relates to them. . . . Recommended.

October 2009 CHOICE

In fairly simple terms, [Freund] explains the different sides of each question and presents the available evidence. He describes the methodologies of biblical literary criticism and of biblical archaeology. . . . It is a good introduction to the problems of 'believing' the Bible in a post-modern, scientificized world.

November 2009 Jewish Book World

For those who enjoy the study of biblical archaeology but don't claim to be experts, this will be a rewarding read. Freund is an informed and interesting narrator.

July/August 2009 The Bible Today

Freund offers an erdutite, clearly written study of the biblical Old and New Testaments, as well as inscriptional and literary evidence that relates to them. . . . Recommended.

October 2009 Choice

Digging through the Bible does something that no other book on archaeology and the Bible does. It brings the reader in a pedagogical as well as in a very updated and well-learned way from the Hebrew Bible through the New Testament, touching on most of the major contemporary controversies about Jerusalem, the Exodus, Jesus, and Qumran.

Adolfo Roitman

Freund offers an erdutite, clearly written study of the biblical Old and New Testaments, as well as inscriptional and literary evidence that relates to them.. .. Recommended.

Choice

Richard Freund's Digging Through the Bible is a personal account of excavating the most important sites of the Bible, and it is spellbinding. A provocative and fascinating account of the major controversies of the Bible, Judaism, and Christianity.--Rabbi Jeffrey L. Rubenstein, New York University

Richard Freund has produced a very readable and stimulating book that addresses a number of vexing biblical issues. Thanks to his direct involvement in excavations in Israel, he is able to offer new firsthand data to bolster the case he makes.--James K. Hoffmeier, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

A fascinating, riveting excavation through layers of history (and quite literally, earth and humankind) that will be of tremendous interest to both scholars and a general readers. Richard Freund is remarkable at casting a fresh eye on texts and artifacts that seem to be well known, but deserve more careful scrutiny.--Michael Berkowitz, University College London

From the Publisher