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THE EMERGENCE OF ISRAEL IN THE TWELFTH AND ELEVENTH CENTURIES B.C.E.
Society of Biblical Literature
Biblical Encyclopedia Leo G. Perdue, Series Editor
An English Translation of Biblische Enzyklopadie Walter Dietrich and Wolfgang Stegemann, Editors
Volume 2
The Emergence of Israel in the Twelfth and Eleventh Centuries B.C.E.
THE EMERGENCE OF ISRAEL IN THE TWELFTH AND ELEVENTH CENTURIES B.C.E.
by
Volkmar Fritz
Translated by James W. Barker
Society of Biblical Literature Atlanta
THE EMERGENCE OF ISRAEL IN THE TWELFTH AND ELEVENTH CENTURIES B.C.E.
Copyright © 2011 by the Society of Biblical Literature
A translation of Die Entstehung Israels im 12. und 11. Jahrhundert v. Chr. (1996), published under license from © W. Kohlhammer GmbH Stuttgart. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by means of any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to the Rights and Permissions Office, Society of Biblical Literature, 825 Houston Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30329 USA.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Fritz, Volkmar. [Entstehung Israels im 12. und 11. Jahrhundert v. Chr. English] The emergence of Israel in the 12th and 11th centuries BCE / by Volkmar ; translated by James W. Barker. p.cm. — (Society of Biblical Literature biblical encyclopedia series ; no. 2) Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN: 978-1-58983-262-6 (paper binding : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-58983-633-4 (electronic format) 1. Jews—History—To 1200 B.C. 2. Bible. O.T.—History of Biblical events. 3. Judaism—History. I. Title.
222'.2095—dc23 2011042797 DS121.F7513 2012
19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 I1 54321 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free, recycled paper conforming to ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R1997) and ISO 9706:1994 standards for paper permanence.
Dedicated to the memory of Aharon Kempinski, colleague and friend
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CONTENTS
Abbreviations .........eeeecssescescesecssescescesseseeseesceacesesseeseecceeccscsesseeseeseessessessesseeseeseee Xd Timetables .........ccccescsssssssscssscsscescsscescssesseeseessessessessessessseseeessssessessessesetsssesssssesseseee XV.
Map: Palestine in the Iron Age oo... eecssesecesseceecessesceseeeceeeeeeceeeseeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeXVIL Acknowledgments for Figures 00.0... sesssescesseeseceececeeceeesceeceeseeseeeeceeseetseeeeees XVILT
I. The Biblical Portrait of the Era... eee ceesesseeseeseeeseesessessesessesssesseeeeee I LL. Representation ....... ee eeeecssseeecsseceeeseeeessseceesseesesseceessseeessseeeeesseeesseeeeesseeeee L
[I.1.1. Sojourn in the Eastern Transjordan (Num 21-36)... eee 2 I.1.2. Moses Farewell Speech (Deut 1-34) oo. ceeeeceeseeseeseeeseeeeteees O
1.1.3. Taking the Western Transjordan (Josh 1-24)... eee 4 I.1.4. The Period of the Judges Judg 1-21) wee ceecteeteeeeeeeteeeeee T.2. QUeSTIONS .... eee eeeeceeseeeeseceessececsscesseecessceesseceesseeesseeessnesesseeeeseeesssesesseeesseeeeseeeO
[.2.1. Sojourn in the Eastern Transjordan (Num 21-36).................12 [.2.1.1. The Supplements (Num 25-31 and 33-36) uc cceseeeeeeeeeeee LS [.2.1.2. The Balaam Oracles (Num 22-24) voici eeecccsssscesssessssseeeeee LO
[.2.1.3. Taking the Eastern Transjordan (Num 21 and 32)..................18 I.2.1.4. Repetition of the Trip from Horeb to the Jordan (Deut 1-3) ..23
[.2.2. Taking the Western Transjordan (Josh 1-24)... eeeeeeee 20 [.2.2.1. Conquest of the Land (Josh 1-24) wo... eeseseeteeeeeeeeeteeeeeeee 20
[.2.2.2. Allocation of the Land (Josh 13-19) we eeeeccsssreessssseere DL [.2.2.3. Joshuas Farewell Speech (Josh 24)... ccscsssssssesteeeeeeeeeeeeeseeee DO
I.2.3. Judges and Deliverers Judg 1-21)... eeseeeseeeeseeeteeteeeenees DD [.2.3.1. History of the Deliverers (Judg 3-16)... eeeteeteeeteeteeteene OT [.2.3.2. The Appendices (Judg 17-21)... eeeeeeseeeeeeeeeeseeeteeteeeeeeee OL [.2.3.3. The Prologue Judg 1:2) occ ssseseesseseeeeeeeeeeeeeeseeeseeeseeseeeeees O4 1.2.4. The Tribal Sayings oe. escessscesceeeeceeeesceseeeeeesseeaseeseeseeneeneees OO T.2.5. Syntheses oe eeccsesssceeceseeseeececceceeeeeceeesceseeeeeeesceaseeseesseeseeeseeeseees Ol
II. Historical Reconstruction of the EpOch ou... csssssesseeeeestesseeeeeeeeses 7 IT.1. Chronological Framework ..0... ce eecscscesesseeceecesceeeeeceeeaeecceecscesceaeeneeeseeeeees OZ
Vill CONTENTS IJ.2. Canaan at the End of the Late Bronze Age ....... eee eeesesseseeceeceseeteeeeseesees ZO
1.2.1. The Collapse of the Canaanite City-States 00... eeeeteeneeee 72 T1.2.2. The Carmaanites.......ccccccccccsscsscsccsccsecseeseesecseeseeseeeeseseseeseesseeseesee 20
11.2.3. Israel and the Merneptah Stele ...... ee eeeseeteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee OO
II.3. The Resettlement of the Land in the Early Iron Age (1200-1000) .......82 IT.3.1. Settlement ReQions....... ee ceescscceceeeeesceeceseeseesceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees OO 11.3.2. Settlement FOr .0... eee eeeeesceceeceeceeeeaseecsceeseesscesceeeeaeeeeeeeeeees OD
11.3.3. Economic System and Social Structure... eeeeeeseeeeeeeee LO3 11.3.4. Material Culture on. ecscsscsceseeseeseesesseesessessessessessseseeeeeees LOD 11.3.5. Alphabetic Script 0... ccc cessesseeeceeseeeeeeeeeseeseeeseeseeeeeeseeeteeteeeee LLS IT.4. The Land Acquisition... ccccessesscscecceccseessssscsesseeseessescesseeseeseessecseeseeee LLZ
1.4.1. Land Acquisition Theories ...........cccecsesseseeteeteeeeeeeeeeteeteeeee L2O TT.4.2. The Ha piru...ceeeccccsescsscscescessesescesseneecceceseeseeeeseeseeaseeseesseeeseesseeeee L2O
11.4.3. Nomads in the Second Half of the Second Millennium .......130 11.4.4. The New Settlement Form and the Origin of Its Inhabitants... eeecesececcecescessescesceseeseeeceeeeeeeaeeeseeseeseeseeeeeeeeee LOD
II.5. The Life of the Tribes in the Cultivated Land... ee eeeeteeteeteeee LO 11.5.1. The System of the Tribes... cessesseeeceteeeeeceeeeseeeseeeteeeeeee LOD 1.5.2. Yalhwelh Wat.......cccccccsssssscesseseccecececcecceeseeeeeceseeeeeeseesseeseeesseeeeeee LAD
11.5.3. The Tribes’ Habitations ........ ee eeesescescseeeceseeeeeeseeeeeseeeeeeeeee LAT IT.6. The Religion of Yahweh occ essseessscseeececeseesseceseeseeeeeeseeeseeseeesseeeetees LOT 11.6.1. The Name of Yahweh ou... ccccscsscsscscessesessecssssessessessessesseseesee LOD
11.6.2. Local Deities... ccscssssceseesecseesecseeecseeeeeeseeesseeeseeeeeseeeeseeees 106
11.6.3. The God of the Ancestors.......ccsescseseeseeseeteeseeeeeseeeeeeeeeeeee ZO 11.6.4. Culltic Artifacts... ccscssssccsccecceccecceceseeseeseeseesessessseeeesseeeeeeeree LZ O 1T.6.4.1. The Ark... eccccccscsseessesscsseesscssesssessesseesssssesssessssssesssesssessseee LZ O 1T.6.4.2. The Teraphim ....... ccc ccccccsscsssssessesseeeseeseeseescesceeceeceesescsessesseeseee 7D
I1.6.4.3. The Oracle by Casting Lots occ cesseescessececeeecteeeeeeteeseeeee LZ TT.6.5. Culltic Sites... cecceseeceeceececescescesceseeseessseeeeeeasseeeeseaseeseeeeeeeeee LIQ IL.7. The Philistimes........ cc escsscseseesceseesceseeccsecsecsecsecsecssessesessesseseseeseeseeseeees LOD
IL.7.1. Name and Origin... cccscesseeeeceececeeeeeceeseeeseeseeeeseeseeeseeeee LOO 11.7.2. Settlement History 0... ceeeseeeeceseeeeeeseeseeeeeeseceseeeeeeseeeeeees LOO I1.7.3. Material Culture 0... essessesseseecesceeseeseeceeseeceeseeseesseeeeeees LOO TT.7.3.1. ArchitectUre occ ecescsscesesccsccscesececeesseeseeseeseeseeeseseeseeseeseeeeees LOO
TT.7.3.3. Burial...c.cccccccesceccecceccscescesseeeceseesesseseceecesseeseeseesescsessessesseeseeseee LOL
IL.7.3.4. POtterya.. eee esccseeceseeceseecssesssescsseeessescssscssesessessssesesssessesesseees LOD
CONTENTS 1X TT.7.3.5. Metallurgy 0... esesescessecseccseccesceeseccsceeseesscescesseaseeesseaseeseeeeeeee LOD
11.7.4. History and Significance... eesesssceseeseeeseececeeseeseeeseeeeeeseeeeee 196 IL.8. Neighboring Peoples... eessseeseeseceeeeseesecesceaseseececesseesseeaseeeeseeeseeeeee LOZ IT.8.1. PhOeNICIANS .................eeeeeessssssssssscssesssccccccccccccccccccccccccccececcccceeeeee lL 9S T1.8.2. ALramme@an.......... ccc eeecscccsscccssccccssccccsscccsscccessccessscccsscccessccessccesesseee LOYD
11.8.3. AMMONITES 2.0... eecccesscccsscccsscccsssccassccccsscccsscccsssccssscessseeee DQ TI.8.4. Moabites .............ccccccssssssssssssscssssssssecccccccccscscsccccccccccccccccceccseceeeees 202 TT.8.5. EECOmite .................cscssssssssssssssscecsececscecccccccccccccccccccecccsccesssssseeseees DOD TT.8.6. Midianites...................csssssssssssssssesecececccccecsccccccccccccceccccccecececeeaaeeee QOD
11.8.7. Amalekites................cccccccsssssessscssssssssscsscsecsccccccccccccccccccecessseseseees DU7
Il]. The Literature of the Era.iecccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccsccscsscsssssssssssseseseee DUO
TIT.1. Hymns Of praise... eeescssceescseceeccescscccccescescesceseseesaeeaceaesaseaseeseeseeeeeeee 2 LO TID.2. Riddles ...........cccccccsssssssssssssssssscseccccccececcccceccccccccccccccecccsccsssssssssssssssstessseseeeee DLO
TIL.3. Fables..............ccccccssssssssssssscscsssscccccccccecceccecccccccccccccccseccccesscssssscsssssstssssssesees DOO
III.4. The Role of Oral Tradition ..........ccccccccccccccccccccsscccccccccccccccccsccccesssscscssssssees 204
III.5. On the Concept of the Legend... eescesseseeeeececeeseeeeeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeee DOD
IV. The Theological Significance of the Epoch oo... eeeeseeteeteeeeeeeeeeee D4L Index of Place Names..u.........ccccccccscsesssssccccccccccccccccccccccccccecccccccsccacsccccsssssssssseseeeee 47
Index of Modern Authofs........ccccccccccccccccccccccccscccccccccccccccccccccccsccssssscssssssssssseseseee 249 Index of Biblical References .............c.ccccccccceeecsecceccccccccccccccccccccccccssssssssssstsssssseees DDD
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ABBREVIATIONS
AA Archdologischer Anzeiger AA Agyptologische Abhandlungen
AASF Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae AASOR Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research
AAT Agypten und Altes Testament
AB Anchor Bible
ABLAK Aufsdatze zur Biblischen Landes- und Altertumskunde
ADAJ Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan ADPV Abhandlungen des Deutschen Palastinavereins
AJA American Journal of Archaeology AJBI Annual of the Japanese Biblical Institute
AnBib Analecta Biblica ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. Edited by James B. Pritchard. 3rd ed. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Universitiy Press, 1969.
AOAT Alter Orient und Altes Testament
AOS American Oriental Series ASOR American Schools of Oriental Research ASTI Annual of the Swedish Theological Institute ATANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments
ATD Das Alte Testament Deutsch
BA Biblical Archaeologist BASOR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
BBB Bonner Biblische Beitrage BETL Bibliotheca ephemeridum theologicarum lovaniensium
Bib Biblica
BK Biblischer Kommentar BN Biblische Notizen BTAVO Beihefte zum Tiibinger Atlas des Vorderen Orients BWANT Beitrage zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament BWAT Beitrage zur Wissenschaft vom Alten Testament
BZ Biblische Zeitschrift
_xi-
Xil ABBREVIATIONS BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
CahRB Cahiers de la Revue biblique CBOT Coniectanea Biblica, Old Testament Series CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly
EvT Evangelische Theologie
FB Forschung zur Bibel
FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments
HAL Ludwig Koehler, Walter Baumgartner, and J. J. Stamm. Hebrdisches und Aramdisches Lexikon zum Alten Testament. New ed. Leiden: Brill, 1967-1995.
HAT Handbuch zum Alten Testament HSM Harvard Semitic Monographs HTR Harvard Theological Review HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual
IEJ Israel Exploration Journal IWW Internationale Wochenschrift fiir Wissenschaft, Kunst und Technik
JBL Journal of BiblicaL Literature Jdl Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archdologischen Instituts JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies JPOS Journal of the Palestine Oriental Society JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series
JSS Journal of Semitic Studies JTS Journal of Theological Studies
KS Kleine Schriften zur Geschichte des Volkes Israel LA Lexikon der Agyptologie. Edited by Wolfgang Helck, Eberhard Otto, and Wolfhart Westendorf. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1972.
MAOG Mitteilungen der Altorientalischen Gesellschaft MDOG Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft
MThSt Marburger Theologische Studien MUS] Meélanges de [Université Saint-Joseph NEAEHL The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land. Edited by Ephraim Stern. 4 vols. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society and Carta, 1993.
OA Oriens Antiquus
OBO Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis OLA Orientalia lovaniensia analecta
OTL Old Testament Library
ABBREVIATIONS X11 OTS Oudtestamentische Studien PEFA Palestine Exploration Fund Annual PEFQS Palestine Exploration Fund Quarterly Statement PEQ Palestine Exploration Quarterly
PJ Palastina-Jahrbuch
QDAP Quarterly of the Department of Antiquities of Palestine
RB Revue biblique
RIA Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archdologie. Edited by Erich Ebeling et al. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1928-.
SAVK Schweizerisches Archiv fur Volkskunde SBLDS Society of Biblical Literarture Dissertation Series SBLMS Society of Biblical Literature Monograph Series
SBS Stuttgarter Bibelstudien SBT Studies in Biblical Theology SEA Svensk exegetisk arsbok SHAJ Studies in the History and Archaeology of Jordan SJOT Scandanavian Journal of the Old Testament
SMA Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology
SS Studii Semitici, Rome
SSN Studia semitica neerlandica
ST Studia Theologica
STANT Studien zum Alten und Neuen Testament TB Theologische Biicherei: Neudrucke und Berichte aus dem 20. Jahrhundert
TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. Edited by G. Johannes Botterweck, Helmer Ringgren, and Heinz-Josef Fabry. Translated by John T. Willis, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and D. E. Green. 15 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974-.
ThSt Theologische Studien ThWAT Theologisches Worterbuch zum Alten Testament. Edited by G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 1970-.
TLZ Theologische Literaturzeitung TRE Theologische Realenzyklopddie. Edited by Gerhard Krause and Gerhard Miller. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1977-.
TRu Theologische Rundschau TTZ Trierer theologische Zeitschrift TUAT Texte aus der Umwelt des Alten Testaments. Edited by Otto Kaiser. 3 vols. Giitersloh: Mohn, 1982-1997.
TynBul Tyndale Bulletin
TZ Theologische Zeitschrift
X1V ABBREVIATIONS UF Ugarit-Forschungen VT Vetus Testamentum VTSup Supplements to Vetus Testamentum WMANT Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament
WO Die Welt des Orients
WVDOG Wissenschaftliche Verdffentlichungen der Deutschen Orientgesellschaft
ZAW Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft ZDMG Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenlandischen Gesellschaft ZDPV Zeitschrift des deutschen Paldstinas-Vereins
TIMETABLES
Nearly all the sketches of ancient Near Eastern chronology differ from one another, even the ones in the individual volumes of the Biblical Encyclopedia series. The dates in this volume take the following timetables as a basis. ERAS OF BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Neolithic 8000-4000 Chalcolithic 4000-3150
Early Bronze I 3150-2950 Early Bronze II 2950-2650 Early Bronze III 2650-2350 Early Bronze IV 2350-2150 Middle Bronze I 2150-1950 Middle Bronze II A 1950-1750 Middle Bronze II B 1750-1550
Late Bonze I 1550-1400 Late Bonze II 1400-1200
Iron I 1200-1000 Iron IIA 1000-900 Iron IIB 900-700 Iron II C 700-587
Iron III 587-332
CHRONOLOGY OF EGYPTIAN HISTORY
Predynastic Kings ca. 3000-2950 -XV-
XVvl TIMETABLES Early Dynastic Period
Ist Dynasty ca. 2970-2950 2nd Dynasty ca. 2770-2640
Archaic Period ca. 2640-2155
3rd Dynasty ca. 2640-2570 4th Dynasty ca. 2575-2465 5th Dynasty ca. 2465-2325 6th Dynasty ca. 2325-2155
7th Dynasty ca. 2155
8th Dynasty ca. 2155-2134 First Intermediate Period 2134-1991 9th-11th Dynasties
Middle Kingdom 1991-ca. 1650
12th Dynasty 1991-1785
13th Dynasty ca. 1785-1650 14th Dynasty ca. 1715-1650 Second Intermediate Period (Hyksos) ca. 1650-1551 15th-17th Dynasties
New Kingdom 1552-1070 (1540-1070) 18th Dynasty 1551-1306 (1540-1295) 19th Dynasty 1306-1186 (1295-1188)
20th Dynasty 1186-1070
Late Period
21st Dynasty 1070-945 22nd Dynasty 945-722 23rd Dynasty 808-715 24th Dynasty 725-712 25th Dynasty 712-664 26th Dynasty 664-525
Persian Rule 525-404
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