Contents

Introduction

The Greatest Secret of the Bible

Chapter One

The Biblical Family

1. The True Nature of the Patriarchs

2. How Two Forefathers Became One

Chapter Two

In Egypt

1. The Hyksos

2. The Hebrews and the ‘King-Shepherds’

3. The Departure of the ‘House of Joseph’ from the Nile Delta in the 15^th Century BCE

Chapter Three

The Exodus of Hebrew Tribes at the Beginning of the 12^th Century BCE

1. When Did the Biblical Exodus Happen?

2. The Mission of Moses

3. The Strengthening of Egypt and the Split of the Tribes of Moses

Chapter Four

The Peoples of pre-Israelite Palestine

1. Western Semites

2. Indigenous pre-Semitic Population

3. Indo-Europeans

4. Hurrians

Chapter Five

The Conquest of Canaan in the Light of Biblical and Archaeological Data

1. The Limits of Biblical Archaeology

2. Three Stages of Real Conquest

3. Peaceful Coexistence Instead of Expulsion

4. Separate Wars of Joshua and Caleb

5. The Fate of the Tribe of Reuben

6. The Settlement on the Land

Chapter Six

The Age of the Judges

1. The Judges and their Gods

2. The Israelite Tribal Confederation

3. The Mystery of the Tribe of Dan

4. The Philistine Threat

Chapter Seven

The United Monarchy

1. The Rise of Saul and the Hegemony of the Israelites

2. Saul and David: Allies and Rivals

3. David’s Accession and the Transition of Power to the Judahites

4. The Struggle for the Ark of the Covenant between the Northern Levites and Southern Aaronites

5. The Extent of David’s Rule and the Discontent of the Hebrew Tribes: The Revolts of Absalom and Sheba

6. Solomon’s Palace Coup and the Change in Political Course

7. Contradictory Accounts about the Epoch of David and Solomon

Chapter Eight

The Divided Monarchy

1. The Secession of Northern Tribes

2. The Religious Break-up

Chapter Nine

Israel: Successor to the ‘House of Joseph’

1. The Historical and Ethnic Roots of the Northern Kingdom

2. The First Israelite Kings and their Policies

3. Under the Rule of the ‘House of Omri’

4. The Reign of Jehu’s Dynasty

5. The Assyrian Expansion and the Fall of Samaria

6. The Myth of the Disappearance of the Northern Tribes

Chapter Ten

Judah: Heir to the ‘House of Jacob’

1. Confrontation with Northern Kingdom. Incursions by Egyptian Armies

2. Alliance with Israel

3. The Growth in the Influence of the Aaronites and their Interference in Judahite Policymaking

Chapter Eleven

Judah as the Only Hebrew Kingdom

1. King Hezekiah: Religious Reforms and Uprising against Assyria

2. King Manasseh: Liberalization of Worship and Time of Peace

3. The Monotheistic Revolution of King Josiah

4. Between Egypt and Babylonia

5. The Siege of Jerusalem and the Downfall of Judah

6. The Babylonian Exile: its True Scope and Significance

7. The Governorship of Gedaliah: An Attempt at National Revival

8. The Escape to Egypt. A New Invasion by the Chaldeans and the Destruction of Ammon, Moab, and Edom

9. The Transformation of Judah during the First Temple Period

Chapter Twelve

The Levites and Aaronites – Keepers of Tradition and Memory

1. The Origins and Destinies of Two Priestly Groups

2. Yahwism and Canaanite Cults

Epilogue

The Emergence of Judean People

Selected Bibliography

Index