In how far do the traditions in historical writing reflect "history in the Hebrew Bible"? This momentarily hot-debated question is the central issue of the current volume, in which the author takes a firm stand against the sceptical approach to the unity and historicity of biblical traditions. Part One of the book opens with a systematic examination of twenty-seven lists of the original inhabitants of the Promised Land who were doomed to be dispossessed by the Israelites. Two essays are devoted to a historical investigation into the political leaders sopet and nagid. In the following special attention is given to formulae denoting dynastic change, royal succession and to the expression 'people of the land and house of Ahab'. Part Two deals with the historical interpretation of the narrative of Solomon's succession to David's throne. The author concludes the work with two comparative studies on biblical historiography and inscriptions from Y'dy-Sam'al and Assyria.

Tomoo Ishida, Ph.D. (1975) in History of the Jewish People, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is Professor Emeritus of the University of Tsukuba. He is author of The Royal Dynasties in Ancient Israel (Walter de Gruyter, 1977) and editor of Studies in the Period of David and Solomon and Other Essays (Yamakawa Shuppansha/Eisenbrauns, 1982).