Daily Life in Biblical Times

Archaeology and Biblical Studies #5

by Oded Borowski

How did ancient Israelites live? What did they eat, and what affected their health? How did the family function? To answer these and similar questions, Borowski describes the natural setting and the people who occupied the land as well as the rural and urban economic activities in which ancient Israelites engaged, especially as they related to the family and social-political structure. The book addresses cultural, social, and religious activities as well as art, music, and the place of writing in Israelite society. Drawing on textual and archaeological evidence and written in nontechnical language, this will be a standard text for undergraduate Hebrew Bible courses and of particular interest to scholars, graduate students, pastors, rabbis, and nonspecialists.

Genres: History, Biblical Studies, Religion, Ancient History, Nonfiction, Archaeology, Judaism

148 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003

Reviews

[Bogi Takács]

This was an OK read... A relatively quick overview of life in Ancient Israel. A bit dry; one can always add memorable and unexpected details to any historical topic, I've found :D It could have used an editor - sentences repeated verbatim or close to verbatim, and the phrasing was also sometimes clunky.

A slight omission: There was nothing about sports, games or child's play; I'm sure there's at least a bit of material culture related to children's toys etc. that could have been discussed. Or if there's truly nothing, that can be mentioned too.

It had a nice "one day in the life" chapter at the end, presenting a rural family. It made me think that urban life must have been very different from rural life, even though the latter was more common. But next up I've already gotten "The City in Ancient Israel" by Volkmar Fritz from my uni library, which will hopefully tell me all about that topic, and it also has an everyday life chapter. So I should be covered.

Source of the book: University of Kansas, Watson Library

[Peter Holford · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting overview of life in ancient Israel, focusing on the 'Israelite period', roughly 1200 BC to the fall of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC (encompassing the monarchical period). A particular focus on village life (66% of all Israelites lived in villages) and the centrality of the family to life, religion, agriculture and commerce. Emergence of cities. Warfare, the arts, writing, health etc. The Bible is used as a primary source, but there is a particular focus on archaeological evidence and what is known about the cultures and practices of surrounding nations. This is primarily the perspectives of an archaeologist.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read about what daily life was like for the common people during biblical times. I appreciated the insights from the author and it really brings a lot of life into the stories of the Bible. I found myself underlining everything because it helped me grasp so much of what I have studied in the scriptures.

[Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was and still am interested in the topic. However, Borowski's writing is so painfully amateurish that I just couldn't get through the second chapter. I've picked up the book on a few separate occasions, earnestly hoping that I had been overly critical during past readings or that the manuscript would find some sort of footing. Sadly, I have been uniformly disappointed. The writing reminds me of something that might have been put together for a undergraduate project, only longer. I will look for other sources on this topic and suggest others do the same.

[Jeremiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a simple yet rich and fact-filled description of everything from living arrangements to art and writing. Borowski even adds a bit of a story at the end to tie it all together. Short and sweet. Recommended for those who want some background on Biblical Israel.

[Jordan Hoyt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful historical lens to help understand the backdrop of the OT texts. What was it like in the ancient near east as a nomadic tribesman in the federation of clans that became known as Israel? Read this book and find out.