Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times

Rating:
Summary: Broad scope
Review: Seeing the reviews for this work as they appear, it seems that a few remarks are in order. While Redford has certainly gathered a broad amount of data, and attempted to harmonize it, yet it must be understood by the reader that his work is far from being "authoritative" or "objective" -- and certainly it is not supported by Ancient Near Eastern Scholarshp. This work, although a good compendium of data, has been recognized from its inception as fraught with errors. In the past decade (at the very least), several (*quite* valid) objections have been raised, by Egyptologists and Ancient Near Eastern specialists alike (including dissentions by a former student of his, James K. Hoffmeier), to many of his general methodological approaches to interpreting ancient history. Specific objections to this work have followed, naturally.

Since there is far from enough space to write a comprehensive review of his work here, the (serious!) student of Ancient Orient should consult the following reviews: (1) K. A. Kitchen, Biblical Archaeology Review, 19, no.1:6,8; (2) Stephen E. Thompson, BASOR (Bulletin of the American Oriental Schools of Research) vol. 294 (May 1994), pp.102ff ("The greatest weakness of this book is undoubtedly the carelessness with which it was produced"); and (3) Rainey, Anson F. "Remarks on D. Redford's Eg., Can., and Isr. in Anc. Times." BASOR vol. 295 (Aug. 1994), pp.81-85 ("There is no doubt that Redford's book will be consulted by many teachers of bible, biblical history (!), and ancient Near Eastern history. Most of those teachers will probably not be professionally trained to pass critical judgment on Redford's interpretations; and since his is virtually the only such monograph in English on the market, it will doubtless be taken as the most up-to-date 'authority.' Therefore, this reviewer feels an obligation to raise certain points and to protest Redford's overconfident assertions with regard to [these points].").

Rating:
Summary: Broad, Even-Handed, and Very Useful
Review: This is an incredibly comprhensive account of ancient Egypt and its Asian neighbors. It may contain more detail than some readers may want at first reading, but since then, I have found the specifics useful in clarifying other material that I am reading. Mr. Redford takes an even-handed approach with his materials and considers various viewpoints. Archaeological findings are cited, many ancient texts are quoted and some, but not many, photographs are present, and welcome. There are some typo's in my edition (EYGPT and the like).

Rating:
Summary: Illuminates Ancient History
Review: Whenever one puts Egypt and Israel in the same sentence, the stories of Joseph and Moses springs to mind, at least to Christians such as myself. This book shows that there is a lot more to it than this. Starting from 5000 years ago, the book traces in great detail the history of Egypt for 3000 years, and particularly its relation with its Asian neighbors in the lands of Canaan and beyond. In here we get to learn about the Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hittites, and Assyrians, as well as Egypt's African neighbors such as the Kushites and the Libyans. The book is extremely well-researched, drawing upon a vast wealth of archeological findings and recently discovered ancient texts and tablets, as well as the various sources of recorded history. The book is exceptional in terms of acknowledging in detail all the possible competing theories and explanations before thoroughly proving the author's theories beyond doubt through impeccable logic. The notes alone fill almost a hundred pages! But volume is far from being a dry history text. The writing is exceptional, almost bringing the ancient pharaohs and ordinary people to life in its realistic and thorough description of life in those ancient times.

The core of the book concentrates on the relationship between Egypt and the land of Canaan or southern Syria. Thus the book analyses the Hyksos invasion in detail and introduces us to the countless wars and treaties between Egypt and its Asian neighbors. Of particular interest in this book is the rise of the Hebrews, nomadic tribes from Southern Jordan who later became known as the Israelites. This book illustrates how their history has become misrepresented over the years, sometimes by well-meaning but unscholarly "Biblical scholars" who take the word of the Bible literally. Thus this book goes a long way towards establishing a history based on scientific analysis of facts, rather than purely on spiritual beliefs. Though long and tedious at times, it is a rewarding read that provides many of the answers to the most intriguing questions: Was Joseph a historical figure, and if so, is there any evidence? How did the Egyptians view their relationships with Asia? Are there any Egyptian records of the story of Moses? Why does Egypt not play a significant role during the reign of say, King David? These are all basic and fundamental questions that are of interest to all Christians, Jews, and Moslems, and the answers can all be found in this book.