Israel and Empire: A Postcolonial History of Israel and Early Judaism

Description

Israel and Empire introduces students to the history, literature, and theology of the Hebrew Bible and texts of early Judaism, enabling them to read these texts through the lens of postcolonial interpretation. This approach should allow students to recognize not only how cultural and socio-political forces shaped ancient Israel and the worldviews of the early Jews but also the impact of imperialism on modern readings of the Bible. Perdue and Carter cover a broad sweep of history, from 1300 BCE to 72 CE, including the late Bronze age, Egyptian imperialism, Israel's entrance into Canaan, the Davidic-Solomonic Empire, the Assyrian Empire, the Babylonian Empire, the Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, the Maccabean Empire, and Roman rule. Additionally the authors show how earlier examples of imperialism in the Ancient Near East provide a window through which to see the forces and effects of imperialism in modern history. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Abbreviations Preface Introduction: Empires, Colonies, and Postcolonial Interpretation I. Sources of Social Power II. The Power of Discourse III. The Discourse of Resistance 1 -- Major Considerations in the Analysis of Imperial Rule and Postcolonial Criticism I. What Is Postcolonialism Criticism? Postcolonial Historiography and Biblical Interpretation II. The Subaltern and Economic Exploitation III. Racism in the Ideology and Practice of Imperialism IV. Orientalism: The Subverting of Western Stereotypes of the East V. The Location of Culture VI. Can the Subaltern Speak? VII. Postcolonial Historiography VIII. The Imperial Metanarrative IX. Colonial Resistance X. The Diaspora 2 -- The Assyrian Empire, the Conquest of Israel, and the Colonization of Judah I. Historical Introduction II. The Metanarrative of the Assyrian Empire III. Israel/Judah and the Assyrian Empire: The Example of Hosea IV. The Colonization of Judah and Assyrian Domination 3 -- Judah under the Neo-Babylonian Empire I. Historical Introduction II. The Babylonian Metanarrative of Empire III. Jewish Communities during the Exile IV. The Prophetic Resistance to the Empires: Jeremiah and Second Isaiah 4 -- The Persian Empire and the Colony of Judah I. Historical Introduction II. Persian Culture and the Imperial Metanarrative III. Judah as a Persian Colony IV. Conclusion: Unity and Diversity in Judaism in the Persian Empire 5 -- Judea/Israel under the Greek Empires I. Alexander the Macedonian (336–323), his Conquests, and Successors (Diadochi) II. Ptolemaic Rule and Judea/Israel III. Seleucid Rule of Judea/Israel 200–175 BCE IV. Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 BCE) V. Post-164 BCE Rededication of the Temple and Independence 6 -- Judea/Israel under the Roman Empire I. Historical Introduction II. The Metanarrative of the Roman Empire III. Rome and Judea: Roman Religious Acts and Imperial Cult Observance IV. Imperial and Provincial Rule V. Economics VI. Judean/Israelite Religion VII. Material Culture VIII. Decolonizing the Mind IX. Conclusion Bibliography Index of References Index of Authors