Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions

Considered by many to be a modern classic, Ancient Israel offers a fascinating, full-scale reconstruction of the social and religious life of Israel in Old Testament times. Drawing principally on the text of the Old Testament itself, as well as from archaeological evidence and information gathered from the historical study of Israel's neighbors, de Vaux first provides an extensive introduction to the nomadic nature of life in ancient Israel and then traces in detail the developments of Israel's most important institutions--family, civil, military, and religious--and their influence on the nation's life and history.

(1903-1971) He was esteemed both as a biblical historianand as an archaeologist. Associated for many years with theDominican Biblical School in Jerusalem, he was director ofthe École Biblique from 1945 to 1965.