Though somewhat dated (c. 1959), this is very nearly the perfect book for exploring ANE influences and connections to the origins of the Old Testament. In fact, it is an excellent review of the issues raised in dozens of books, both much larger and quite concise, whether dated or newer.

Kitchen joins the issue in the first chapter, after a remarkably succinct review of several pertinent realities, when he states,

"The proper implications of these and many similar facts are that large parts of the Pentateuch really did originate in the second millennium BC, that Samuel really could (and probably did) issue the warnings recorded in 1 Samuel 8, and that the connection between Solomon's reign and the first few chapters of Proverbs (cf. Pr. 1:1-7) is something more than just the idle fancy of some late scribe; and so on. At least, this is the rational approach that would obtain if this were any part of Ancient Near Eastern literature, history and culture other than the Old Testament."

By the time the reader has gone through this engaging book (howbeit, almost amazingly brief), taking account of the dozens upon dozens of carefully detailed footnotes (Man! Does Kitchen have superb recall of his argument and how his sources support it, or what?), he/she is well-equipped to find refuge -- or perhaps, immense frustration -- in the conservative argument.

My favorite chapters are at the beginning of the book, chapters 2-3, on Early, and Later Hebrew Chronology; and the very excellent final, chapter 9, Near Eastern Light on the Biblical Text. The Index of Biblical References and Index of Subjects are helpful, well-done, and complete.

At this point in this review,, I originally wrote, "I would have preferred a separate Bibliography, but the footnotes are so complete and well-documented, I judge it is a moot point." And then, I realized, there is a lot to be said for not having to track the notes to the Bibliography, since they are, for all practical purposes, individual components of an annotated bibliography; I suppose on second thought, I'll have to acknowledge I'm ambivalent about a separate bibliography, and perhaps even, biased against it.

This one is a keeper, and if you are inclined to the more liberal, ostensibly "modern" view, you'll still need this one in your library, if only for the affirmative arguments of the conservative position. There's always someone to argue the liberal negative, but the liberal affirmative is much less likely to prevail in the face of this and several newer works of the same sort.. ( )

NO OF PAGES: 191 SUB CAT I: Middle Eastern Culture SUB CAT II: Tanach SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: During the last hundred years considerable growth has taken place both in Ancient Near Eastern research and in the study of the Old Testament. But despite the fact that geographically, historically, and culturally the Ancient Near East is the world of the Old Testament and the Old Testament is a vital part of Ancient Near Eastern literature, these two branches of study and research have developed almost entirely independently. In this book K. A. Kitchen, Lecturer in the School of Oriental Studies at Liverpool University, shows the immense value of allowing Near Eastern studies to shed light on some of the historical problems of the Old Testament. The vital factor which emerges from such comparative study is that, if the principles found valid in dealing with other literature are applied to the Old Testament, the results agree with the structure of the Old Testament as it stands rather than with its reconstruction at the hands of nineteenth-century scholars and their successors down to the present day. To illustrate his thesis Mr. Kitchen takes some specific problems of current Old Testament scholarship, such as the chronology of the patriarchal age, the exodus and the Israelite invasion of Canaan.NOTES: Donated by Tim Hegg. SUBTITLE: