Do you know anyone named Debbie? Josh? David? Everyone recognizes those names from the Bible, but how much do we really know about the characters from one of the greatest works of literature ever written? The Hebrew Bible is an anthology of thirty-nine texts. While most people are familiar with the Genesis stories and the Exodus narrative, the books that chronicle the Israelites after they arrive in the promised land are often far less familiar and infrequently read. Yet they contain a captivating array of complex characters faced with social, ethical, and spiritual dilemmas.
This is an unconventional guidebook. Rather than point you toward recognizable landmarks, it leads you in the footsteps of fascinating literary characters. In Israel little remains of monumental buildings and cities from the time of the Hebrew Bible, but the landscape is virtually unaltered.
The stories in this guidebook come from the biblical books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Ezra, and Nehemiah. In contrast to the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), which we read cyclically in the Jewish tradition every year, the books that follow chronologically are often ignored, apart from selected readings as the haftarot. These nine biblical books form the outline of this guidebook because all their action takes place in the land of Israel, and almost all the locations mentioned in the narrative have been identified.
Did the events of the Bible really happen? The development of biblical scholarship as an academic discipline has enabled us to dig deeply into the text in search of linguistic clues, cultural patterns, and nuance. The modern science of archaeology has enriched our knowledge of the biblical period immensely—sometimes correlating, sometimes illuminating, and sometimes challenging the historical authenticity of the stories.
Yet despite the wealth of knowledge accrued in the modern age, the Bible still remains something of an enigma. It is written in an ancient Hebrew dialect no longer spoken. Letters and words are missing throughout the Hebrew text. The interpretation of a word can change the meaning of an entire sentence. The abbreviated storytelling style can be puzzling. All this means that the text is interpretable by anyone who chooses to read it.
But oddly enough, many Jews don’t read the Bible. Classic Jewish scholarship concentrates on the Talmud, the rabbinic literature that interprets the biblical laws. Zionism reserves a place of honor for the Bible in the Israeli educational curriculum, but nonreligious Jews educated in the diaspora rarely crack the good book’s spine in a methodical, studious fashion. I am a classic example. My Jewish upbringing was buttressed by membership in a Conservative synagogue, bat mitzvah, Camp Ramah, and the Zionist youth movement Young Judaea. The Jewish bookshelf in my home included tomes such as The Joys of Yiddish, My Life by Golda Meir, and The War against the Jews by Lucy Dawidowicz. The Bible wasn’t anywhere on the shelf—it wasn’t even on the radar.
The impetus for my Bible studies was embarrassment. Close to 70 percent of the tourists who visit Israel are Christians—bread and butter for Jewish tour guides. Early on in my guiding career, I found myself standing before groups of evangelical Christians who knew the Hebrew Bible inside and out. Most had read the Bible in its entirety several times, many were members of church Bible study groups, many could recite text passages by heart, and they all wanted to visit the places where the events of the Bible had transpired. In order to get up to speed (and not look like an idiot), I spent hours poring over texts and marking up my travel-sized Bible. Ultimately I was able to whip out passages on site and refer to people and places with ease. Eventually I began reading these stories with Jewish groups too, who always clamored for more
However, I soon felt I was shortchanging people by simply reading the stories and not commenting on them. In order to expound I had to study the texts methodically, a challenge I embraced eagerly as a BA in English literature and an MA in creative writing. Jerusalem is probably the easiest place in the world to find a Bible teacher, so I got myself a rabbi, and together we began to read, comment, analyze, and deconstruct the historical books whose events took place in the land of Israel. I was intrigued by the complexity of the characters, the ethical dilemmas they often faced, and the uncanny parallels between them and many contemporary leaders. Early in the study process I already knew that I wanted to share what I had learned by writing a book.
Ultimately, I chose twenty compelling stories from the post-Torah books that frame the events and the geography of ancient Israel from the conquest of the promised land until the return from exile. I have approached the Bible first and foremost as a work of literature, and not from a faith perspective. The commentary on the stories reflects my fascination, wonder, and frustration as I attempt to find meaning and relevance in this often perplexing tome. My subjective understanding, however, comes from a place of deep love and respect for the Bible and for Israel.
My role as tour guide is not spiritual; it’s up to the pastors and rabbis to provide guidance and commentary on issues of faith. When I read a Bible story on site, my task is to provide the context and make the story come alive using history, archaeology, modern scholarship, and literary analysis. In my commentary I have relied heavily on the academic literature written by modern Bible scholars in an attempt to find the middle ground between those who read the Bible as an uncontested factual document and those who read it as a dubious historical account. However, I have also drawn frequently from midrash, the rabbinic folk literature, to help illuminate the texts. These commentaries range from the colorful to the outlandish, and while not historically based they have been used for centuries to teach the Bible and have deeply influenced our traditional understanding of biblical narratives.
So where do we start? The Bible attempts to portray an ancient historical reality. However, a wealth of evidence from textual analysis, extrabiblical sources, and archaeology indicate that it is not an objective historical document. In fact, it is unabashedly subjective, compiled by writers and editors spanning centuries of revision who had a clear message to impart. They interpreted the events described through the prism of their theological worldview, which, in its simplest form, was based on the idea that the people of Israel signed a covenant with God and were bound to abide by it.
From a literary point of view, this is a perfect set-up for imminent conflict, the heart of any good story. The authors, however, were determined to tell it on their terms. One of the most intriguing challenges in reading the Bible is attempting to figure out what the writers haven’t told us. Readers have been trying to crack this nut for centuries, and anyone can give it a shot, regardless of religion, spiritual inclination, or experience.
This guidebook sets out to accomplish two goals:
The first is to put you in the landscape where it is told the action transpired. Reading a Bible story on location imbues it with a new dimension, and this book leads you to the sites where the stories unfolded, most of which are off the beaten track. In the appendix you will find detailed instructions for walking or driving to all the sites visited in this book. Sites located in rural areas can be found either by setting your GPS to the key location words or by using a map. Sites in and around the Old City of Jerusalem are more easily reached by taxi, public transportation, or on foot. Shade is often hard to find, so be sure to set out equipped with hats and water. Remember that reading out loud takes far longer than reading silently. Allow yourself plenty of time on site if you plan to share the commentary out loud with others. You may wish to familiarize yourself with a story by reading it the night before your visit.
Israel is brimming with exciting sites that span the timeline. In the sections titled “Make It a Day,” you will find suggestions for additional locations of historical, cultural, and geographic interest in the vicinities of the Bible sites.
The second goal is actually attainable from the comfort of your living-room couch, without ever visiting Israel. While each of the twenty stories discussed in the guidebook stands on its own and may be read independently of one another, together they trace the chronology and the narrative arc of the biblical action. This trajectory begins with the Israelites’ arrival in the land (following the exodus from Egypt and the forty years of wandering) and continues over more than six hundred years, until the Babylonian destruction of the temple and the eventual return of the exiles to the land. By reading the guidebook from beginning to end, one chapter at a time, a rich, complex picture of the post-Torah biblical period and its most prominent characters and events emerges.
Each chapter is preceded by a short historical introduction that explains the context of the events, so even if it’s the first Bible story you’ve ever read you will grasp the bigger picture. The backstory is followed by the text. These stories were meant to be told orally, so don’t be ashamed to read them out loud. People won’t think you’re loony—they’ll probably come closer because they’ll want to hear the story too (and they might even offer a few comments of their own). The text is followed by a short commentary that attempts to decipher what’s between the lines of the narrative and to suggest food for thought. (References to biblical and extrabiblical sources are noted in the text; see the key to abbreviations at the beginning of the book.)
Behind this adventure is an attempt to rediscover perhaps the most influential work of literature ever written. Once a story becomes accessible, its layers of relevance begin to reveal themselves.
Many years of experience in guiding have convinced me that stories are gifts. While information is often quickly forgotten, tales of human endeavor reach and rest in a deeper place in the mind. When you lace up your walking shoes, decipher the map, and settle onto the cool rocks in the shade of tree to read a story, it becomes yours forever.