About this title: In Battles of the Bible the authors Chaim Herzog, former President of the State of Israel, and Mordechai Gichon, Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University, present a comprehensive work on the wars of ancient Israel. Both authors have seen extensive military service in much the same areas as featured in the biblical accounts. The Bible's military accounts, told in vivid detail, cover a vast period, from the invasion of Canaan by the Israelites under Joshua's command, through the conquest of the kingdom by David and Solomon and the split of the kingdom into Judah and Israel, to ...
read more
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Greenhill Books
Date Published: 1997-03
ISBN-13:9781853672668ISBN:1853672661
Description: Good. Ex-library copy w/ usual stamps and markings. Some shelf wear on cover, pages in good reading condition. Ships promptly in a padded mailer w/ delivery confirmation. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Greenhill Books
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9781853672668ISBN:1853672661
Description: Fine in very good dust jacket. Hardcover; Fine condition; name inside; PRINTED TEXT LOOKS UNREAD; light shelfwear; (shelf b75); 320 pages; "The authors present a comprehensive work on the wars of ancient Israel"; Includes Ilustrations; Maps; Index; read more
Edition: First edition. Illustrated.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House
Date Published: 1978
ISBN-13:9780394501314ISBN:0394501314
Description: Very good in very good dust jacket. Ex-library. Minimal library markings. Binding strong & tight, pages bright, clean. Text unmarked. No dog ears. Dj protected by mylar. 247 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. We ship 6 days a week. Canadian orders ship air letter post or global priority where available. read more
Description: Used: Good. Dust Jacket Included. Good stated first edition hardcover (Random House, 1978, 247 pages); library discard with usual library markings; good dust jacket in mylar protector; pages clean, tight, unmarked; binding sound and square; wear to mylar protector, with small hole in protector at bottom of spine; no holes in jacket, but a few small tears at corners; on its way to you the same or next day in bubblewrap; email confirmation; standard mail takes 4-14 days; priority mail takes 2-5 ... read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Greenhill Books/Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9781853672668ISBN:1853672661
Description: Very Good in Very Good jacket. 2nd edition, revised. Orig. pub. in 1978. 6.5" x 9.5" 320 pp. +32pp. b/w photos. Binding is extremely tight, interior is unmarked, page edges have a hint of smudging. The dustjacket has just a little shelf wear, spine ends are slightly bumped. "This new, thoroughly revised and re-illustrated edition of a highly regarded book takes into account current historical and archaeological research, as well as modern trends in biblical scholarship. " read more
Description: Herzog, Chaim & Mordechai Gichon., Random House, nd, c1978, 1st Edition, cloth w/gilt spine titles, name on ffep o/w vg (no dj), 247 pp w/index, chronological table & notes (eratta slip pasted in), B & W/photographic & other illus., Sm 4to, 'This book ha. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Book Club Associates
Date Published: 1978
Description: Good in Fair jacket. Hardback complete with dustcover, unclipped. Dustcover a bit worn and torn; internally text clean and binding tight; else All in good condition; read more
Description: ISBN 185397477X. Trade Paperback. Very Good Condition. Tight sound unmarked copy with minor rubs to edges and corners of covers. Reprint edition. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Greenhill Books, London, United Kingdom
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9781853672668ISBN:1853672661
Description: Near Fine in Fine jacket. Tight spine and very clean, only flaw is prev. owner's name on ep, otherwise like new, dj in protective mylar jacket, 320 pages, illustrated. read more
Description: Herzog, Chaim & Mordechi Gichon., Random House, nd, c1978, 1st Edition, cloth, name on ffep, remainder mark on bottom edge o/w fine w/very slightly chipped dj, 247 pp w/index, chronolgy & notes, B & W photographic & other illus., Sm 4to, 'A Modern Milita. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House, Incorporated, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1978
ISBN-13:9780394501314ISBN:0394501314
Description: Color and B & W Photos. Very Good in Good + jacket. 4to-over 9¾"-12" tall. Very Good/Good+, edge wear to covers, rubber stamp at bottom of text block, owner's inscription on ffep, otherwise nice, block tight, pages clean. The dust jacket has a large chip missing from top of spine, else VG. This is a detailed, military analysis of Old Testament conflicts, including maps and diagrams of troop movements. Includes some color photos of landscapes. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1978.
Description: 1st ed. "In Battles of the Bible, detailed maps and specially commissioned ground and aerial photography, together with illustrations of all relevant aspects of biblical life, combine with a lively account by two of Israel's most outstanding experts in military affairs to provide a fascinating reconstruction of the chain of military clashes that formed biblical history. " 25cms x 19cms. Pp.247, 36 maps, 70 b/w photos + 8 colour. Blue cloth, illustrated d/w chipped and torn. VG/G. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Stackpole, Mechanicsburg PA
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9781853672668ISBN:1853672661
Description: Very Good in Very Good jacket. 9 1/2. Hardcover. Minor edgewear. Very minor ink underlining. (Bible ref-white/maroon & black letters) "Battles of the Bible presents a comprehensive and illuminating account of the wars of ancient Israel. The Bible's military episodes, recounted here in vivid detail, cover a vast period, from the invasion of Canaan by the Israelites under Joshua's command, through the conquest of the kingdom by David and Solomon and the split of the kingdom into Judah and Israel, ... read more
Description: Very good. Book has appearance of only minimal use. All pages are undamaged with no significant creases or tears. With pride from Motor City. All books guaranteed. Best Service, Best Prices. read more
""Battles of the Bible" explains much that is taken for granted. Mordechai Gichon shows how the ancient Israelites used a mix of hilltops and fortresses create an easily defendable space that was difficult for invading armies to take by force.
Biblical Israel is what today we call "The West Bank," now heavily populated by Palestinian Arabs, while the Israelis of today populate the lowlands that was once home for the "Philistines." Gichon shows how ancient Israeli grand strategy avoided settlement in the lowlands for lack of defensible terrain, and also to skip the high cost of maintaining a navy to defend the coast. Armies of the day marched along the floors of valleys, thus making them vulnerable to attack by light forces perched on the hilltops. Fortresses added to biblical Israel's natural strength, as they had to be reduced by siege or masked by detachments to remove any possible threat to an invading army's line of communications. Hilltops and fortresses worked together as a defensive system that allowed Israel its own breathing space as foreign armies marched passed.
Gichon's chapters fleshed out the rather terse biblical verses that described ancient Israeli military prowess, using archaeological evidence and a sharp reading of terrain to deduce how the Hebrews managed to win. Having God on your side is good, but does not explain how to exploit the benefits of terrain and the weaknesses of your enemies. Gichon still relies on the Bible as a source, but looks to explain "the nuts and bolts" of military thinking and execution in his analysis. He leaves scripture to the Bible.
Chaim Herzog's contribution is limited to the Maccabee rebellion. I take him to task for the brevity of his share, not its substance. While providing a good explanation of how Judah fought, his writing can trend more towards hagiography as he describes the "soft factors" Judah brought to bear in his rebellion against the Seleucids. Political and religious factors should be accounted in any analysis of a guerilla conflict,for they provide the glue that holds a rebellion together. Judah had courage, yes, but does this outweigh his rote reliance on attack, no matter what the odds? In his last battle, Judah comes out the loser, and quite dead. It is hard to argue for virtue when examining a failure."
"The author shows the military wisdom behind the battles and strategies that are recorded in the Bible (without regard to the miracles that he discredits). Additionally, the intertestamental (or the Battle described in the Catholic Bible) are also written about."
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
