An examination of Ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible through the lens of Postcolonial interpretation and Empire Studies.

This is an examination of Ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible through the lens of Postcolonial interpretation and Empire Studies. "Israel and Empire" introduces students to the history, literature, and theology of the Hebrew Bible and texts of early Judaism, enabling them to read these texts through the lens of postcolonial interpretation. This approach should allow students to recognize not only how cultural and socio-political forces shaped ancient Israel and the worldviews of the early Jews but also the impact of imperialism on modern readings of the Bible. Perdue and Niang cover a broad sweep of history, from 1300 BCE to 72 CE, including the late Bronze age, Egyptian imperialism, Israel's entrance into Canaan, the Davidic-Solomonic Empire, the Assyrian Empire, the Babylonian Empire, the Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, the Maccabean Empire, and Roman rule. Additionally the authors show how earlier examples of imperialism in the Ancient Near East provide a window through which to see the forces and effects of imperialism in modern history.

"This volume serves as a useful guide to the discipline ... for readers who want to know more about what postcolonialism is and how it might be applied to study of the Bible ... This will be a good introduction to the subject for students and scholars for whom the subject is new." - Theology, 118.3

"[This] text is strong in the amount of data the authors assemble and digest." - The Heythrop Journal

"Anyone who is interested in the debate about empires and colonies and the problems associated with them should read this book and reflect on the menacing impact of colonialism. Written by two significant practitioners in biblical studies, this volume for the first time scrutinizes all the biblical empires under one cover. Paying close attention to detail, the authors handle the complex textual and especially postcolonial theoretical issues with responsibility, authority and care. The result is a deceptively sharp and striking volume. This book rightfully calls us to review our ideas and reframe our deepest questions about colonialism, decolonization and neo-colonialism." - R.S.Sugirtharajah, University of Birmingham, UK

"This book from Perdue and Carter is akin to a university textbook, designed more for students and researchers. It has the advantage of taking often scattered information and using it to offer an overview of the confrontation between Israel and the empires of antiquity." - Revue des Études Anciennes [Bloomsbury Translation]