Menashe Har-El

NCLA Review - Menashe Har-El is emeritus professor of Biblical Archaeology at Tel Aviv University, a researcher of the ancient geography and history of Israel and the Middle East, and formerly a lecturer at the teachers’ seminaries of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University. His scholarly credentials are strong and he has published 13 books related to the land of Israel. It is therefore disappointing that this book lacks some of the features that would make it truly useful. The book is organized in three sections: Geography of the Bible, Understanding the Old Testament, and Understanding the New Testament. In many ways it is much like a Bible atlas and would be used by anyone with a similar type of question. The maps included have several different formats and levels of quality. Some maps are rather fuzzy and not as easy to read as would be desirable. There are some interesting lists and charts – such as a Chronology, a list of Peoples and Lands of the Ancient Near East, etc. but the lack of any index to the book’s content is a serious flaw. For most libraries, a proper Bible atlas, such as the Zondervan Atlas of the Bible also reviewed in this issue, will serve needs better. Rating: 2 —KLF… (meer)