Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?

By Dever, William G.
Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005, Paperback, 280 pp., ISBN: 0802844162, $18.00

Dever (Near Eastern archaeology, University of Arizona) explores controversies regarding the true nature of ancient Israel and presents the archaeological evidence for assessing the accuracy of biblical narratives.

He posits that the ancestors of the Israelite peoples were most likely Canaanites who, together with pastoral nomads and escaped Semitic slaves, forged a new monotheistic society. B&W photos, drawings, and maps of artifacts and sites are included.