Aaron Chalmers' Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel gives students a unique introduction to the religious and social world of ancient Israel. Part one explores the major religious offices mentioned in the Old Testament, including prophets, priests, sages and kings. Additionally, it considers the function and place of prophets, priests and sages and the process required in Israel to hold one of these sacred offices. Part two focuses on beliefs and practices of the common people--the group that made up the majority of ancient Israel's population.

Features

• A fresh up-to-date and peerless introduction to a central topic in biblical studies
• Useful as a companion
• Written with the needs of students in mind
• Over forty illustrations

Aaron Chalmers gives students a unique introduction to the religious and social world of ancient Israel. The first part explores the major religious offices mentioned in the Old Testament, including prophets, priests, sages and kings. As well as considering what these key people said and did, the author traces the process through which one became recognized as a prophet, priest or sage, and where each of these offices were located in ancient Israel. The second part of the book focuses on the beliefs and practices of the common people--the group that made up the majority of ancient Israel’s population.

Aaron Chalmers is senior lecturer in biblical studies at Tabor Adelaide--a multidenominational, evangelical college located in Adelaide, Australia.

What did people such as priests and prophets do in Israel? How were they chosen and trained? How did ordinary people's relationship with God work out? This volume is a fine user-friendly guide to what we can learn about such questions from the Bible, from archaeology and from current scholarly theory.
-John Goldingay

In Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel, Aaron Chambers offers an insightful and engaging study of Israelite religion. His attention to "groundedness" supports his analyses of the Hebrew Bible and his integration of relevant near eastern texts. Chalmer's book is enriched by his judicious use of critically important material from Israel's rich archaeological heritage. The many illustrations, useful panels and more are valuable additions to this well-argued book, which answers critical questions both about what we know and about how we know it.
-Beth Alpert Nakhai

Comprehensive but not overwhelming, scholarly but presented in an accessible way, Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel should prove a valuable textbook. While it does not pretend to cover everything about Israel's faith and practice, what is there is central to that and gets to the heart of the matter.
-Patrick Miller

Aaron Chalmer's book...helpfully enables the student to understand how the various leaders in Israel related to the world in which they worked, and brings out a number of aspects of this that are not easily found elsewhere.
-Gordon McConville

Chalmer's has provided students with a solid first-step for navigating the complexities of the religion of ancient Israel. His sensitive distinctions between state religion and family religion evidence his awareness of the current conversations and will be particularly helpful for those desiring to read the Old Testament in more informed ways.
-John Walton

"In Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel, Aaron Chalmers offers an insightful and engaging study of Israelite religion. His attention to 'groundedness' supports his insightful analysis of the Hebrew Bible and his integration of relevant Near Eastern texts. Chalmers’s book is enriched by his judicious use of critically important material from Israel’s rich archaeological heritage. The many illustrations, useful sidebars and more are valuable additions to this well-argued book, which answers critical questions both about what we know and about how we know it. Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel will satisfy students, faculty and lay readers alike."

"What did people such as priests and prophets do in Israel? How were they chosen and trained? How did ordinary people's relationship with God work out? This volume is a fine user-friendly guide to what we can learn about such questions from the Bible, from archeology and from current scholarly theory."

"Chalmers has provided students with a solid first step for navigating the complexities of the religion of ancient Israel. His sensitive distinctions between state religion (involving the experts) and family religion (as practiced by the common people) evidence his awareness of the current conversations and will be particularly helpful for those desiring to read the Old Testament in more informed ways."

"Aaron Chalmers's book . . . helpfully enables the student to understand how the various leaders in Israel related to the world in which they worked, and brings out a number of aspects of this that are not easily found elsewhere."

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