Dean of the College of Humanities and Public Affairs and Professor of Religious Studies at Missouri State University, Victor H. Matthews is a specialist in Hebrew Bible and the social world of the ancient Near East, and has published seventeen books and dozens of articles. Among his research interests are ancient Near Eastern legal traditions, social scientific criticism, and gender studies in the ancient world.

• Series Introduction Chapter 1: Placing Ancient Israel in its Ancient Near Eastern ContextChapter 2: Israel's Earliest Historical Traditions- The Middle and Late Bronze PeriodChapter 3: Settlement and Competition in Iron Age I Canaan- An Archaeological, Political, and Social PerspectiveChapter 4: Transition from Iron I to Iron II- The Early MonarchyChapter 5: Super Power Politics in Iron II and the Role of Vassal States- From Jeroboam to Josiah Bibliography

All in all, this book provides a good introduction to study of the history of Israel and will prepare beginners to go on to more substantial treatments of various parts or all of this history...it will serve as a useful classroom guide and will be extremely helpful as a text in the hands of a good teacher.