T&T Clark Handbook of Food in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel
Book Description
This comprehensive handbook opens a fascinating window into the spiritual and cultural significance of food within ancient Hebrew traditions and biblical texts. Drawing from archaeological discoveries, environmental studies, and textual analysis, scholars illuminate how meals, feasting, and food production shaped the religious and social fabric of ancient Israel.
The volume explores food through multiple lenses, examining everything from climate conditions and trade networks that influenced ancient diets to the sophisticated technologies used for harvesting and food preparation. Readers discover how environmental factors and economic systems created the foundation for the food culture reflected in Hebrew scriptures.
Beyond the practical aspects, the handbook delves into the profound spiritual dimensions of eating and sharing meals. Contributors analyze how food functioned in religious festivals, sacred holidays, and biblical regulations, revealing the deep connections between nourishment and worship in ancient Hebrew culture. The text examines how biblical writers used food imagery and meal narratives to convey spiritual truths and community values.
Through careful study of Hebrew Bible passages, related ancient inscriptions, and archaeological artifacts, this scholarly work demonstrates how food served as both sustenance and symbol in ancient Israel. The interdisciplinary approach combines textual interpretation with historical and archaeological evidence, offering readers a rich understanding of how ancient peoples understood the sacred nature of sharing meals and celebrating abundance within their spiritual community.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~16 hours)
📄 Length: 560 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Social aspects
- ✓ Explore Jews
- ✓ Study Bible from spiritual perspective
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Bible, criticism, interpretation, etc.
- ✓ Explore Judaism
- ✓ Explore Dietary laws
- ✓ Explore Biblical studies & exegesis
