Lives of Ordinary People in Ancient Israel: Where Archaeology and the Bible Intersect

In this book William Dever addresses the question that must guide every good historian of ancient Israel: What was life really like in those days? He presents his answers in a book that is far from a run-of-the-mill "history of Israel." Writing as an expert archaeologist who is also a secular humanist, Dever relies on archaeological data, over and above the Hebrew Bible, for primary source material. He focuses on the lives of ordinary people in the eighth century B.C.E. - not kings, priests, or prophets - people who left behind rich troves of archaeological information but who are practically invisible in "typical" histories of ancient Israel. Illustrated by photos, maps, charts, site plans, and specially commissioned drawings, Dever's work brings vividly to life a world too long buried beneath dusty texts and stony landscapes.