This book is fascinating and I'm having trouble putting it down. It ties together ancient history of Israel and all the neighboring lands. It helps you understand the Old and New Testaments at a much deeper level. It's like visiting the Holy Land, but seeing all the civilizations underground that haven't even been excavated yet, or understanding all the layers of the Megiddo tel ruins. It is so well written and concise, gathering the histories of many historians like Herodotus and putting them all together into an extremely helpful narrative style, with appreciated short chapters. Buying a second copy for a friend. Anyone who loves history would like this book, as well as any serious student of the Bible. Pay attention to the year it was written (1963) so some of the modern references in the preface may sound weird.