Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel

This book aims to give students an introduction to the religious and social world of ancient Israel. It consists of two parts. The first explores the major religious offices mentioned in the Old Testament, including prophets, priests, sages and kings. As well as considering what these key people said and did, the author traces the process someone might have gone through to become recognised as a prophet, priest or sage, and where you would have had to go in ancient Israel if you wanted to locate someone who held one of these offices. In the second part the focus is on the religious beliefs and practices of the "common" people as this was the group that made up the vast majority of ancient Israel's population.