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The story of the people of Israel is related in the Pentateuch and the books of Joshua and Judges - if these are not historical accounts of the origin of Israel, what is the history? John J. Mc Dermott presents a detailed survey of the archaeological and textual evidence used to decide the question of the origins of Israel and compares how that evidence has been interpreted by several different scholars. Recent explanations of the beginnings of Israel are influenced by new methods in archaeology and biblical studies and the increased use of the social sciences. Although the evidence suggests a mixed background rather than a single model, the question of Israel's origin is still open and awaits new discoveries about the ancient world.
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