Battles of the Bible: A Military History of Ancient Israel [Hardcover]

Chaim Herzog (Author), Mordechai Gichon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 2006

A revised edition of a study of the wars of ancient Israel, which ranges from the invasion of Canaan by the Israelites under Joshua's command to the Maccabees' successful rebellion against Seleucid domination, updated to take account of new research, with new maps and plans throughout.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Battles Of The Bible presents a comprehensive survey of the wars of ancient Israel. The Bible's military accounts (told in vivid detail) cover a vast period, from the invasion of Canaan by the Israelites under Joshua's command, through the conquest of the kingdom by David and Solomon, and the split of the kingdom into Judah and Israel, to the Maccabees' successful rebellion against Seleucid domination. The reliability of these accounts is supported by their technical accuracy and by descriptions of topographic conditions peculiar to specific battlefields. They bear comparison with military campaigns well after the biblical era, and provide strategic and tactical lessons of value even today. Battles Of The Bible is a fascinating and valuable work, not only for its exacting scrutiny of biblical accounts, but also for its insight into their wider and continuing relevance. Battles Of The Bible is an importance contribution to Old Testament studies, biblical archaeology, and military history. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Chaim Herzog, a former president of Israel, was also the author of The Arab-Israeli Wars and an expert on the history of the Holy Land. Mordechai Gichon is a military historian and has held major academic positions at Tel Aviv University. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble (February 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760776261
• ISBN-13: 978-0760776261
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top-notch, tightly written, with lots of maps & graphics, July 12, 1998

By 

Thomas J. Brucia "Tom B" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Battles of the Bible (Hardcover)

This is a top notch book about military science and history. It shows how the Israelites penetrated into the Middle Eastern landbridge, displaced the Caananites from the highlands, expanded their power into the vallies (where the chariot was king), and extended their power over satellite states (and periodically lost control over them). -- A wealth of tactical maps and diagrams (38), drawings (45), and photographs (53) make all the difference! A chronological table is another helpful aid. What this book does NOT have are regional and theater level maps. [I used Rogerson's Atlas of the Bible, a miserable Time-Life book saved only by excellent maps to see the larger picture. Any good historical map with a 1 mile = 1 inch or similar scale would work, too!]. --- Readers should be aware that 238 of the 271 pages of text (88%) are the work of Mordechai Gichon; 33 pages (12%) are attributed to Chaim Herzog. --- Extensive crossreferences to the English language Christian Bible (e.g. Judg. 7:4-7) allow one to read more extensively about certain epochs. I used the New International Version, and had little difficulties following the politics, tactical maneuvering, and logistical issues of different campaigns. -- This volume is also well written: clear; concise; without ideological or religious jargon; and neither pretenious nor 'academic'. A good book. For those who like military history, and enjoy a lot of detail, this is a great read!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have, January 12, 2003

By 

Philip B. Yochim (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Battles Of The Bible (Greenhill Military Paperback S.) (Paperback)

For any serious scholar of the Bible, Middle East, or military history, this book is a must-have! It hits the trifecta of excellent research, modern relevence, and an exciting read. While the authors tend to be a bit skeptical of divine influence, they still illustrate how the Bible remains a truthful historical account.

The authors take the reader on a detailed look of the history of the ancient Israelites from the days following the Exodus to the gripping accounts of the war of the Maccabees. They regularly use not only the Bible, but extra historical accounts to make their case in detail. It becomes all the more interesting when they demonstrate how other armies used similar tactics in the same area, be they Israelites, Arabs, Crusaders, Turks, or the British.

Again, I highly recommend this book for wishing to learn a more complete picture of the wonderful book, the Bible.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Worthy Account and a Good Perspective, April 16, 2007

By 

Ehav Eliyahu Ever (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Battles Of The Bible (Greenhill Military Paperback S.) (Paperback)

Even though I am still reading through this book, I really have appreciated its worth. One of the things I respect about this book is its perspective. Instead of assuming that the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and the extra-biblical accounts aren't correct the authors take the texts as they are and analyze them from a modern military view. This adds a nice way of seeing the genius in the Biblical combatants. The idea that more than military power a knowledge of the land of Israel helped in the defeat of at times armies of greater numbers. There are a number of topographical maps that shows the regions of combat mentioned in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and how a good understanding of the locals helps in winning the wars or loosing the wars. It also has pictures of weapons used and also the landscape. Because this is a book written from a military view, there may be some people who will have a hard time reading it all the way through. Yet, if you are interesting in taking the Biblical accounts and understanding the wars this is a good book to read.