The editors have organized a long-term research program on Israel and the Production and Reception of Authoritative Books in the Persian and Hellenistic Periods at the Annual Meeting of the European Association of Biblical Studies. The first announced topic of enquiry was the construction of prophecy and prophetic books during the Persian period, for which dedicated sessions were held at the EABS meetings in 2006 and 2007. The present volume includes revised versions of the presentations made by Rainer Albertz, Ehud Ben Zvi, Philip R. Davies, Diana Edelman, Erhard S. Gerstenberger, Ernst Axel Knauf, Thomas C. R?mer, and Rannfrid I. Thelle. The general image that emerges from the volume is that of biblical prophecy as a written phenomenon, though perhaps open to selected public readings. The relationship between prophetic and other authoritative written texts (e.g., the Book of Kings, the Deuteronomistic History) is explored, as well as the general social and ideological setting in which the prophetic books emerged. The volume deals with the construction of images of prophets of the past and relates them to the general construction of the past in Yehud. It includes both general, methodological and comparative contributions and studies on particular issues/books (e.g., Deutero-Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos and Jonah).

Darius J. King of Porsia, claims to have accomplished many deeds in the early years of his reign, but was one of them the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem? The editor who added the date to the books of Haggai and Zexhariah thought so, and the author or Ezra 1-6 then relied on his dates when writing his account of the rebuilding process. The genealogical information contained in the book of Nehemiah, however, suggests otherwise; it indicates that Zerubbabel and Nehemiah were either contemporaries, or a generation apart in age, not some 65 years apart. Thus, either Zerubabbel and the temple rebuilding needs to be moved to the reigh of Artaxeres I, or Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the city walls needs to be moved to the reign of Darius I. In this ground-breaking volume, the argument is made that the temple was built during the reign of Artaxerxes I. The editor of Haggai and Zechariah mistakenly set the event under Darius I because he was influenced by both a desire to show the fulfillment of inherited prophecy and by Darius' widely circulated autobiography of his rise to power. In light of the settlement patterns in Yehud during the persian period, it is proposed that Artaxerxed 1 instituted a master plan to incorporate Yehod into the persian road, postal, and military systems. The rebuilding of the temple was a minor part of the larger plan that provided soldiers stationaed in the fortress in Jerusalem and civilians living in the new provincial seat with a place to worship their native god while also providing a place to store taxes and monies collected on behalf of the Persian administration.

Darius I, King of Persia, claims to have accomplished many deeds in the early years of his reign, but was one of them the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem? The editor who added the date to the books of Haggai and Zechariah thought so, and the author of Ezra 1-6 then relied on his dates when writing his account of the rebuilding process. The genealogical information contained in the book of Nehemiah, however, suggests otherwise; it indicates that Zerubbabel and Nehemiah were either contemporaries, or a generation apart in age, not some 65 years apart. Thus, either Zerubabbel and the temple rebuilding needs to be moved to the reign of Artaxerxes I, or Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the city walls needs to be moved to the reign of Darius I. built during the reign of Artaxerxes I. The editor of Haggai and Zechariah mistakenly set the event under Darius I because he was influenced by both a desire to show the fulfillment of inherited prophecy and by Darius' widely circulated autobiography of his rise to power. In light of the settlement patterns in Yehud during the Persian period, it is proposed that Artaxerxes I instituted a master plan to incorporate Yehud into the Persian road, postal, and military systems. The rebuilding of the temple was a minor part of the larger plan that provided soldiers stationed in the fortress in Jerusalem and civilians living in the new provincial seat with a place to worship their native god while also providing a place to store taxes and monies collected on behalf of the Persian administration.

The editors have organized a long-term research program on Israel and the Production and Reception of Authoritative Books in the Persian and Hellenistic Periods at the Annual Meeting of the European Association of Biblical Studies. The first announced topic of enquiry was the construction of prophecy and prophetic books during the Persian period, for which dedicated sessions were held at the EABS meetings in 2006 and 2007. The present volume includes revised versions of the presentations made by Rainer Albertz, Ehud Ben Zvi, Philip R. Davies, Diana Edelman, Erhard S. Gerstenberger, Ernst Axel Knauf, Thomas C. R?mer, and Rannfrid I. Thelle. The general image that emerges from the volume is that of biblical prophecy as a written phenomenon, though perhaps open to selected public readings. The relationship between prophetic and other authoritative written texts (e.g., the Book of Kings, the Deuteronomistic History) is explored, as well as the general social and ideological setting in which the prophetic books emerged. The volume deals with the construction of images of prophets of the past and relates them to the general construction of the past in Yehud. It includes both general, methodological and comparative contributions and studies on particular issues/books (e.g., Deutero-Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos and Jonah).

This volume sheds light on how particular constructions of the 'Other' contributed to an ongoing process of defining what 'Israel' or an 'Israelite' was, or was supposed to be in literature taken to be authoritative in the late Persian and Early Hellenistic periods. It asks, who is an insider and who an outsider? Are boundaries permeable? Are there different ideas expressed within individual books? What about constructions of the (partial) 'Other' from inside, e.g., women, people whose body did not fit social constructions of normalness? It includes chapters dealing with theoretical issues and case studies, and addresses similar issues from the perspective of groups in the late Second Temple period so as to shed light on processes of continuity and discontinuity on these matters. Preliminary forms of five of the contributions were presented in Thessaloniki in 2011 in the research programme, 'Production and Reception of Authoritative Books in the Persian and Hellenistic Period,' at the Annual Meeting of European Association of Biblical Studies (EABS).

Lester Grabbe is probably the most distinguished, and certainly the most prolific of historians of ancient Judaism, the author of several standard treatments and the founder of the European Seminar on Historical methodology. He has continued to set the bar for Hebrew Bible scholarship.In this collection some thirty of his distinguished colleagues and friends offer their reflections on the practice and theory of history writing, on the current controversies and topics of major interest. This collection provides an opportunity for scholars of high caliber to consider groundbreaking ideas in light of Grabbe's scholarship and influence. This festschrift offers the reader a unique volume of essays to explore and consider the far-reaching influence of Grabbe on the field of Biblical studies as a whole.

Lester Grabbe is probably the most distinguished, and certainly the most prolific of historians of ancient Judaism, the author of several standard treatments and the founder of the European Seminar on Historical methodology. He has continued to set the bar for Hebrew Bible scholarship. In this collection some thirty of his distinguished colleagues and friends offer their reflections on the practice and theory of history writing, on the current controversies and topics of major interest. This collection provides an opportunity for scholars of high caliber to consider groundbreaking ideas in light of Grabbe's scholarship and influence. This festschrift offers the reader a unique volume of essays to explore and consider the far-reaching influence of Grabbe on the field of Biblical studies as a whole.

A sustained close reading of 1 Samuel 8 to 2 Samuel 1 from the perspective of the intended ancient audience. A conscious effort is made here to read and understand the text 'through the eyes of an ancient Israelite', to the extent that the world-view and idioms of late seventh-century Judah can be reconstructed. The study reveals a coherent, carefully developed narrative of Saul's career as the first king of Israel. >

Six scholars explore the nature of history and historical reconstruction and the place of history within biblical studies. The uncritical use of both text and artifact that continues to dominate histories of Israel and Judah testifies to the need for a wider grassroots awareness of the basic issues involved in doing history as a biblical scholar. A growing number of scholars are questioning the theoretical underpinnings of the main 'schools' of research and are calling for an approach that makes a more critical evaluation of both textual and artifactual material before using it in historical reconstruction. These essays were first presented at the annual SBL/ASOR meeting in 1989 in a symposium entitled 'The Role of History and Archaeology in Biblical Studies'.>

This volume sheds light on how particular constructions of the 'Other' contributed to an ongoing process of defining what 'Israel' or an 'Israelite' was, or was supposed to be in literature taken to be authoritative in the late Persian and Early Hellenistic periods. It asks, who is an insider and who an outsider? Are boundaries permeable? Are there different ideas expressed within individual books? What about constructions of the (partial) 'Other' from inside, e.g., women, people whose body did not fit social constructions of normalness? It includes chapters dealing with theoretical issues and case studies, and addresses similar issues from the perspective of groups in the late Second Temple period so as to shed light on processes of continuity and discontinuity on these matters. Preliminary forms of five of the contributions were presented in Thessaloniki in 2011 in the research programme, 'Production and Reception of Authoritative Books in the Persian and Hellenistic Period,' at the Annual Meeting of European Association of Biblical Studies (EABS).