Frontmatter Pages i-xx Table of contents Pages vii-viii I. The Great Monarchy: Biblical and Archaeological Perspectives on David and Solomon A Great United Monarchy? Archaeological and Historical Perspectives Finkelstein, Israel Pages 1-28 Archaeology and the Biblical Narrative: The Case of the United Monarchy Mazar, Amihai Pages 29-58 Solomon and the United Monarchy: Some Textual Evidence Blum, Erhard Pages 59-78 Elders or Youngsters? Critical Remarks on 1 Kings 12 Rof\ue9, Alexander Pages 79-90 'What Share Do We Have in David...?' \u2013 Ben Sira's Perspectives on 1 Kings 12 Witte, Markus Pages 91-118 II. The Cult Centralization in Its Near Eastern Context: Perspectives on Hezekiah and Josiah The Idea of Cultic Centralization and Its Supposed Ancient Near Eastern Analogies Kratz, Reinhard G. Pages 119-144 Cult Centralization in the Ancient Near East? Conceptions of the Ideal Capital in the Ancient Near East Schaudig, Hanspeter Pages 145-168 Perspectives on Southern Israel's Cult Centralization: Arad and Beer-scheba Herzog, Ze'ev Pages 169-200 Why the Cult Reforms in Judah Probably Did not Happen Pakkala, Juha Pages 201-236 III. The Ancient City: Perspectives on the Political and Cultural Interrelations at Beth Shean Tel Beth-Shean: History and Archaeology Mazar, Amihai Pages 237-272 Nysa-Scythopolis: Ethnicity and Religion Mazor, Gabriel Pages 273-300 Beth Shean/Scythopolis in Late Antiquity: Cult and Culture, Continuity and Change Heyden, Katharina Pages 301-338 IV. The One and The Only: Perspectives on the Development of a Divine Concept God and His People: The Concept of Kingship and Cult in the Ancient Near East Spieckermann, Hermann Pages 339-356 YHWH in the Northern and Southern Kingdom K\uf6ckert, Matthias Pages 357-394 From Many Gods to the One God: The Archaeological Evidence Stern, Ephraim Pages 395-404 Monotheism and Angelology in Daniel Segal, Michael Pages 405-420 Justice, the King and the Gods: Polytheism and Emerging Monotheism in the Ancient World Auffarth, Christoph Pages 421-454 Backmatter Pages 455-463 Frontmatter Pages i-xx Table of contents Pages vii-viii I. The Great Monarchy: Biblical and Archaeological Perspectives on David and Solomon A Great United Monarchy? Archaeological and Historical Perspectives Finkelstein, Israel Pages 1-28 Archaeology and the Biblical Narrative: The Case of the United Monarchy Mazar, Amihai Pages 29-58 Solomon and the United Monarchy: Some Textual Evidence Blum, Erhard Pages 59-78 Elders or Youngsters? Critical Remarks on 1 Kings 12 Rof\ue9, Alexander Pages 79-90 'What Share Do We Have in David...?' \u2013 Ben Sira's Perspectives on 1 Kings 12 Witte, Markus Pages 91-118 II. The Cult Centralization in Its Near Eastern Context: Perspectives on Hezekiah and Josiah The Idea of Cultic Centralization and Its Supposed Ancient Near Eastern Analogies Kratz, Reinhard G. Pages 119-144 Cult Centralization in the Ancient Near East? Conceptions of the Ideal Capital in the Ancient Near East Schaudig, Hanspeter Pages 145-168 Perspectives on Southern Israel's Cult Centralization: Arad and Beer-scheba Herzog, Ze'ev Pages 169-200 Why the Cult Reforms in Judah Probably Did not Happen Pakkala, Juha Pages 201-236 III. The Ancient City: Perspectives on the Political and Cultural Interrelations at Beth Shean Tel Beth-Shean: History and Archaeology Mazar, Amihai Pages 237-272 Nysa-Scythopolis: Ethnicity and Religion Mazor, Gabriel Pages 273-300 Beth Shean/Scythopolis in Late Antiquity: Cult and Culture, Continuity and Change Heyden, Katharina Pages 301-338 IV. The One and The Only: Perspectives on the Development of a Divine Concept God and His People: The Concept of Kingship and Cult in the Ancient Near East Spieckermann, Hermann Pages 339-356 YHWH in the Northern and Southern Kingdom K\uf6ckert, Matthias Pages 357-394 From Many Gods to the One God: The Archaeological Evidence Stern, Ephraim Pages 395-404 Monotheism and Angelology in Daniel Segal, Michael Pages 405-420 Justice, the King and the Gods: Polytheism and Emerging Monotheism in the Ancient World Auffarth, Christoph Pages 421-454 Backmatter Pages 455-46