COURSE DESCRIPTION

A survey is undertaken of a wide range of materials and issues related to the background of the Old and New Testaments, including: archaeology, historical geography, religion, manners and customs, economics, social concerns, and the literature of the ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world. The course is designed to help students bridge the temporal and cultural gaps between contemporary society and the historical eras of the Bible.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The student should be able to:

1. Describe the basic geographical features of the Ancient Near East.

2. Describe in detail the geographical features of Palestine.

3. Trace the major elements of biblical history including the patriarchal period, the conquest and settlement of Palestine, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the Babylonian exile, the post-exilic period, and the New Testament era.

4. Place on maps geographical elements and major settlements throughout biblical history.

5. Discuss the cultural background of Old Testament literature, especially with regard to literary connections between Israel and other Ancient Near Eastern cultures.

6. Identify and describe the neighbors of ancient Israel and Judah, including points of historical and cultural contacts.

7. Describe the basic historical, geographical, and cultural background of Jesus’ ministry and early Christianity.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Attendance and class participation based on daily assignments (see policies below).
Readings from Bible & textbooks as assigned in schedule below. Reading will be assessed by a question on the final exam. The student should also reveiew Dr. Pitts’ class notes for each class period.
Exams—A map exam, a midterm exam, and a final exam will be given. Questions on the midterm will include matching, multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer, and discussion. The final exam will be partially take home, but will also include map work related to the New Testament era. Note the dates of these exams on the schedule below.
Research paper—8-10 pp—According to Turabian format, utilizing at least 6 sources outside of Scripture and textbook. Utilize books, journal articles, and Internet research (where applicable, & not exclusively) to facilitate a well-rounded paper.

è Option 1: Choose one of the cultures/nations/peoples listed below. The paper should include:

i. General introduction;

ii. Brief description of the history of the group/nation;

iii. Brief discussion the culture/religion of the group; and

iv. Discussion of the contacts between the Hebrews/Israel/Judah/Judea and the group/nation, including wars, diplomacy, literature, and religion.

--Topics:

Egyptians Canaanites Ugarit

Philistines Phoenicians Greeks

Arameans (Syrians) Hittites Romans

#Moabites Persians Qumran Sect

#Ammonites Assyrians *Midianites,

#Edomites Babylonians *Amalekites,

*Nabateans

#These could be done together. *These will be harder to find

(esp. Midianites & Amalekites)

è Option 2: Research the history of identification of one of the following sites in Israel:

Megiddo Tel Halif Debir Sharuhen Emmaus

Beersheba Tel el-Hesi Ai & Bethel Gerar Cana of Galilee

Ebenezer Gath Ekron Ziklag Gilgal

The following elements should be researched in order to complete the project:

--Suggested Biblical City Identification(s) (in the case of site known by Tel name)

--Suggested Tel Identification(s) (in the case of site known by city name)

--Biblical Data

--Historical Data (non-biblical records)

--Geographical and Topographical Data

--Archaeological Data

Internet Resources—The student may use some online resources, but limit the Internet to ¼ or less of the total sources. The student must include author, article title, and website in notes and bibliography. Be wary of online resources. If the material seems too fantastic to be true, it probably is not true. When in doubt, check it out carefully.

--The student should note the following guidelines for critical writing:

--Avoid 1^st or 2^nd person references (“I,” “we,” or “you”).

--Avoid contractions (i.e. “can’t” or “don’t”).

--Avoid passive voice construction (i.e. The student should write “God chose Joshua” rather than “Joshua was chosen by God.”).

--Be sure that tenses always agree (i.e. Do not write in one place that “Brisco argues . . .” and at another place “Brisco argued . . .”).

--In almost all cases, sub-headings (and a Table of Contents) make the paper better organized and easier to read. Be sure to number pages.

GRADING SYSTEM

Final grades will be calculating according to the following system.

Reading & Participation 10%

Map Exam 20%

Midterm Exam 25%

Term Paper 20%

Final Exam 25%

POLICIES

1. Attendance is required at scheduled classes. Two or three excused absences will not affect the student’s grade, but more than this will affect the student’s class participation grade.

Work is expected on the due date. Late work will receive a letter grade reduction until it is one week late. Without prior arrangement with the professor, after one week, the assignment will not be accepted and a zero will be entered as the grade for the assignment.
In accordance with HGST policies, students should refrain from bringing cell phones and pagers to class unless they are turned off. These devices are serious disruptions in class.
The student does not need to place papers in folders or binders. A paper clip or staple is much easier to use and makes the paper easier to grade.

GRADING SCALE

A = 94-100%

B = 86-93%

C = 78-85%

D = 70-77%

TEXTBOOKS

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

Brisco, Thomas C. Holman Bible Atlas. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publisher, 1998. (HBA)

Matthews, Victor H., and Don C. Benjamin. Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near East. Rev. ed. New York: Paulist Press, 1997. (OTP)

English Bible (Preferably NIV, NRSV, or NASB)

Dr. Pitts’ Class Notes—These can be downloaded at http://users.ev1.net/~cpitts, following the “Biblical Backgrounds” link to “Lecture Notes.” Any student who does not have Internet access can retrieve the notes in the HGST library for a cost of 5 cents per page. The student should review these notes for each assigned class period.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Sept. 5

è Class Introduction & Orientation

Sept. 7

è Introduction to the Ancient Near East (=ANE) HBA 2-11

(Be able to locate on maps 1-6 the features in Map List #1--for a few of the sites the student may need to consult other maps).

Sept. 12

è Natural Regions of Palestine HBA 12-24

(Be able to locate the features/regions in Map List 2--primarily on map 7).

è Life in Ancient Palestine HBA 25-31

Sept. 13

è Archaeology and Biblical Studies

Sept. 19

è Pre-patriarchal Period HBA 33-44, Gen. 1-11, OTP 9-40

Sept. 21

è Patriarchal Period HBA 45-51, Gen. 12-50, OTP 46-51

Sept. 26

è Egypt HBA 52-62, Ex. 1-11

è Escape from Egypt HBA 63-74, Ex. 12-20, OTP 86-90

Sept. 28

è OT Laws and ANE Ex. 21-23, Lev. 17-26, OTP 97-98, 101-109

Oct. 3

è Wilderness Journey Num. 1,9-26,31-35

(Note various routes of exodus and possible locations for Mt. Sinai.)

è Conquest & Settlement 1 HBA 75-83; Josh. 2-21, 24, OTP 124-126

Oct. 5

è **No Class**

Oct. 10

è Conquest & Settlement 2 HBA 83-89, OTP 137-140

Oct. 12

è Conquest & Settlement 3 HBA 89-101, Jud. 2-19, 1 Sam. 3-14, 21-23,

27-31

Oct. 17 **Map Exam**

(The exam will include ANE map, Palestine features & regions map, & OT Sites map)

Oct. 19

è Kingdom of David and Solomon HBA 102-114; 2 Sam.5-12, 1 K. 1-2, 5-11

Oct. 24

è Kingdoms of Israel & Judah 1 HBA 115-125, 1 K. 12-16:20, OTP157-159

Oct. 26

è Kingdoms of Israel & Judah 2 HBA 125-134; 1 K. 16:21-2 K. 1, 3, 6-10,

OTP 166-171

Oct. 31

è Kingdoms of Israel & Judah 3 HBA 134-141; 2 K. 11-17; OTP 172-176

(During the kingdom sections, note on maps cities from list below.)

Nov. 2 **Mid-Term Exam**

Nov. 7

è Judah Alone 1 HBA 142-150; 2 K. 18-22, OTP 177-179

Nov. 9

è Judah Alone 2 HBA 150-157; 2 K. 23-25, OTP 180-190

Nov. 14

è The Babylonian Exile HBA 158-163; Jer. 39-43

è Persia and the Return from Exile HBA 164-173; Ezra 1-8, Neh. 1-7, Haggai,

OTP 193-195

Nov. 16 ***No Class***

Nov. 21

è The Hellenistic Period 1 HBA 174-182

Nov. 23 ***No Class***

Nov. 28

è The Hellenistic Period 2 HBA 182-189

è The Romans & Herod the Great HBA 190-206

Nov. 30

è The World of Jesus HBA 207-215

Dec. 5

è Jesus’ Life & Ministry HBA 216-235; Matt. 1-28, Luke 19-24

Dec. 7

è The Early Church HBA 236-276; Acts 1-28

Dec. 14 **Term Papers Due**

**FINAL Exam Due**

**Final Map Exam** (Intertestamental & New Testament periods Maps)

Map Locations--

For Map Exam:

LIST 1—ANE Map:

Cities, Regions/Countries Geographical Features

Thebes Egypt Tyre Tigris River

Memphis Babylonia Nuzi Euphrates River

Ebla Assyria Babylon Orontes River

Mari Cyprus Sumer Zagros Mts.

Haran Canaan Hittites Taurus Mts.

Ugarit Phoenicia Akkad Nile River

Damascus Sinai Persia Habor River

Ur Carchemish Hattusas Ararat Mts.

Sidon Elam Avaris Mt. Seir

Arabia Nineveh Aram-Naharaim Arabah

Urartu (Ararat) Cyprus Sinai Wilderness Shur Wilderness

LIST 2--Palestine Features & Regions Map:

Hill Country (Judah) Galilee Golan Heights

Hill Country (Samaria) Bashan Gilead

Sharon Plain Arabah Mt. Ebal

Wilderness of Judah Plain of Philistia (Coastal)

Shephelah (of Judah) Jezreel Valley (Esdraelon) Great Sea

Dead Sea Sea of Chinnereth Mount Hermon

Mt. Carmel Mt. Tabor Hill of Moreh

Mt. Gilboa Wadi el’arish Gerar Brook

Yarkon River Yarmuk River Jordan River

Arnon River Jabbok River Wadi Zered

Sorek River Nahal Besor Kishon River

Elah Valley (Nahal) Ammon Edom

King's Highway Way to Beth-Horon Mt. Gerizim

Moab Wadi Far'ah

Way of the Land of the Philistines = Way of the Sea = Via Maris

LIST 3—Old Testament Period Palestine:

Dan(=Laish) Dibon Ashkelon Hazor

Shiloh Gaza Achzib Aphek (E of Galilee)

Ekron Acco Ai Aphek (E of Joppa)

Taanach Gibeon Timnah Dothan

Jerusalem Gezer Tirzah Mizpah

Azekah Shechem Gibeah Beth Shemesh

Beth Shean Joppa Arad Succoth

Megiddo Beersheba Ibleam Qedesh (Kedesh)

Jezreel Dor Yoqneam (Jokneam) Rabbath-Ammon

Samaria Hebron Bethlehem Bozrah

Ezion-geber Tekoa Kiriat-jearim Michmash

Aroer Mareshah Heshbon Dibon

Ashdod Gath En Gedi Lachish

Zoar Bethel Yarmuth(Jarmuth) Debir

Jericho

For Final Exam:

Intertestamental and New Testament Period Palestine

Capernaum Machaerus Tiberias

Jamnia Scythopolis(Beth Shean) Mt. Gerizim

Tyre Magdala Chorazin

Ptolemais (Acco) Jericho Philadelphia (=Rabbath-Ammon)

Sepphoris Azotus (Ashdod) Kh. Qumran

Ascalon (Ashkelon) En Gedi Aelia Capitolina (=Jerusalem)

Gadara Bethlehem Herodium

Jerusalem Joppa Antipatris

Neapolis Nazareth Sychar

Gerasa Bethsaida Hyrcania

Masada Sebaste (Samaria) Caesarea Philippi (Banias)

Caesarea Maritima Bethany Emmaus

New Testament/Mediterranean World Map

Regions Cities

Italy Alexandria Cyrene Paphos

Cyrenaica Fair Havens Tarsus Antioch (Syria, Orontes)

Cilicia Ephesus Smyrna Philadelphia

Galatia Sardis Pergamum Thyatira

Achaia Salamis Colossae Laodicea

Macedonia Philippi Iconium Thessalonika

Cappadocia Corinth Miletus Berea

Malta Syracuse Troas Rome

Crete Athens Carthage Antioch (Pisidia)

Africa Petra Damascus

Aegyptica=Egypt

Sicily

Syria

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PERIODS IN PALESTINE

?????-10,000 Paleolithic - Mesolithic

10,000-8500 Mesolithic - Natufian (?)

c.8500-4300 Neolithic

4300-3300 Chalcolithic

3300-2300 Early Bronze

{2300-2000} Intermediate Bronze (EBIV/MBIA)}

2300-1550 Middle Bronze

1550-1200 Late Bronze

1200-1000 Iron I

1000-586 Iron II

586-332 Persian (Iron III)

332-63 (37) Hellenistic/Hasmonean

63(37) BC-70AD Herodian (Roman I)

70-324 Roman

324-640 Byzantine

640-1099 Early Arab/Moslem

1099-1291 Crusader

1291-1917 Late Moslem / Arab (Mamlukes - Turkish)

1917-1948 British Mandate

1948-PRESENT State of Israel (& Palestine)