Annotated List of Books for Israel Studies
Atlases
Satellite Bible Atlas
By William Schlegel
The successor to the venerable Student Map Manual, this new work is now the best field guide to biblical events in Israel. Every person traveling in Israel who wants to see the biblical history play out in front of them needs to have this atlas in their bag.
The New Moody Atlas of the Bible
By Barry J. Beitzel
The strength of this atlas is its scholarly text and its generally conservative stance. Some of the sections, such as that on climate, are the best among the atlases. The maps, though, are less detailed than what one would hope for, often presenting the whole country instead of close-up regional views. The second edition includes a code so that you can download the maps electronically.
Zondervan Atlas of the Bible
By Carl G. Rasmussen
This is a great atlas to read to get an introduction to the geography of the land. Though the maps are not as extensive or detailed as some atlases, the text is well-organized, well-written, and trustworthy. The first seventy pages are a geographical overview of the land, region by region. The remaining 130 pages is a historical overview of the lands of the Bible through the biblical periods.
The Sacred Bridge
By Anson F. Rainey and R. Steven Notley
This is the most in-depth atlas of the biblical world ever written. The detailed descriptions are supplemented with an abundance of beautiful maps and graphics created by Carta Jerusalem. This is also the least conservative of the atlases recommended here. It is also available in an abridged (and cheaper) version as Carta's New Century Handbook and Atlas of the Bible.
Geography
Holman Illustrated Guide to Biblical Geography
By Paul H. Wright
This is now the single best reference work on the geography of Israel and Jordan. Written by an expert who lived and taught in Israel for decades, this book explores each region from Judea to Galilee and through Transjordan, showing how one should “read the land” in order to better understand biblical history. Copiously illustrated.
Regions on the Run
By James M. Monson
Written by a long-time Israel field studies instructor, this manual was designed to prepare short-term students for on-site study. The maps are highly detailed and graphically engaging. The text is very helpful as an introduction or review, but it is also very dense, ideal for careful reading. It is part of a package that includes Regional Study Maps and Guide.
The Historical Geography of the Holy Land
By George A. Smith
Though originally written more than 100 years ago, Smith’s book is yet unsurpassed for its verbal description and insight into the character of the land. This work gives the reader a better feel for the land of Israel than anything short of being there in person. Even the frequent traveler will find himself seeing the land in new and bigger ways with this book as his guide.
Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels
By Barry Beitzel, editor
This is the first volume of a projected six in a series that explores the way that the land of the biblical world shaped the history of God's revelation. More than a dozen scholars, including several on the BiblePlaces team, wrote 48 essays. Much of the material here is original and fascinating.
Travel Guides
The New Christian Traveler's Guide to the Holy Land
By Charles Dyer and Gregory Hatteberg
This helpful guide primarily gives the most important biblical information about the most visited sites in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and Greece. The book also includes tips for travelers, a packing list, and a four-week schedule of Bible reading for preparing for a trip. This is especially recommended for first-time visitors to the biblical countries.
The Holy Land for Christian Travelers: An Illustrated Guide to Israel
By John A. Beck
This book provides an outstanding introduction to the land of Israel, as well as accurate descriptions of the most important sites. It is organized by region, beginning with Jerusalem and concluding with three chapters on Israel's central mountains.
The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide
By Jerome Murphy-O’Connor
This is rightly known as the classic touring book for the archaeologically minded. The author is a Catholic scholar who lives in Israel and has over the years developed an alphabetically arranged guide to the sites and the most significant archaeological remains at those sites. Not all sites are included, but the Jerusalem section is particularly good.
Biblical Turkey: A Guide to the Jewish and Christian Sites of Asia Minor
By Mark Wilson
This is easily the best guide to the sites that Paul visited and those that are mentioned in Revelation. The author has lived in Turkey many years and is constantly traveling, researching, and revising his work. If you are also visiting Greece, you'll want to pick up A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey, by Clyde E. Fant and Mitchell G. Reddish.
Old Testament Archaeology
The Archaeology of Ancient Israel
By Amnon Ben-Tor, ed.
With each chapter written by the scholar of that archaeological period, this is the single best survey work, even though it is now several decades old. The book is quite lengthy and as such, more difficult to read cover to cover. But for studying of a single period (for instance, the Iron II Age), there is nothing better.
Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible
By John D. Currid
A short introduction to field work by an evangelical, this is a helpful primer for someone looking to learn the basics without a survey of the archaeological periods. A book like this should be required for all before joining an archaeological excavation. For another option, see Currid's new The Case for Biblical Archaeology.
ESV Archaeology Study Bible
By John D. Currid and David Chapman, editors
Detailed notes guide the reader through the Old and New Testaments, supplemented by hundreds of maps and sidebars. The approach is generally conservative, and the latest discoveries are discussed. More than 200 photos from the BiblePlaces team are included. Another solid option is the NIV Archaeological Study Bible (Zondervan, 2006).
Archaeology and the Old Testament
By Alfred Hoerth
This resource walks the reader through Old Testament history, supplementing it where possible with archaeological material. This book is especially recommended for one less versed in biblical history and eager to gain some archaeological insights along the way.
Unearthing the Bible: 101 Archaeological Discoveries That Bring the Bible to Life
By Titus Kennedy
With 100 top discoveries, this book can dig much deeper than any "top 10" list. The selection is so extensive, in fact, that this proves to be a rewarding way to get a solid introduction to the many points of connection between archaeology and the Bible. It's also quite impressive that every discovery has at least one photo.
Archaeology of the Land of the Bible: 10,000 - 586 B.C.E.
By Amihai Mazar
The required text for my OT archaeology class, Mazar’s work is a good survey of the archaeological periods but is too technical for most American students not in Israel. Though currently the standard introductory text for the subject, this book is not well-illustrated. Mazar is a leading Israeli archaeologist and takes a mainstream approach to most issues.
Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East
By Eric M. Meyers
The second archaeological encyclopedia to purchase, after Stern. It has a different approach which means that there is a lot of information not included in Stern (such as important figures and topics as well as places outside of Israel), but its treatment of those issues tends to be more cursory.
The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, 4 vols
By Ephraim Stern
The most thorough summarization of archaeological excavations at sites throughout Israel, these volumes are indispensable for any kind of research concerning individual locations in Israel. Especially good is the lengthy article on Jerusalem. Volume 5 updates the set significantly. The first four volumes are also available in Logos format.
Archaeology Periodicals
Biblical Archaeology Review
The most popular magazine on the subject, BAR is mainstream in its approach and its article and photograph selection is excellent. At less than $25 for four issues a year, this is a bargain for staying up to date on the latest in archaeological research in Israel.
Near Eastern Archaeology
Once known as Biblical Archaeologist, this magazine has a much smaller readership and appeals more to the academic reader. Teachers and archaeology students will find this semi-popular magazine valuable.
Bible and Spade
This is the best archaeological magazine offering a conservative perspective. The four issues a year address a wide variety of issues of interest to the student and teacher of the Bible.
Jerusalem Archaeology
Discovering Jerusalem
By Nahman Avigad
Avigad’s popular description of his excavations in the Jewish Quarter is still an interesting and profitable read for learning about important finds from the Broad Wall to the Herodian Quarter. It is difficult to find.
The Carta Jerusalem Atlas
By Dan Bahat
This expensive book has the best maps available for the different periods of Jerusalem’s history. Unfortunately the text is marred by numerous mistakes.
Ancient Jerusalem Revealed: Archaeological Discoveries, 1998 - 2018
By Hillel Geva
The latest scholarly articles, most translated from Hebrew, describing major discoveries and excavations in Jerusalem. Important for anyone who wants the latest on the archaeology of Jerusalem.
May be cheaper at the Israel Exploration Society, even with foreign shipping charges.
The Jerusalem Archaeological Park
By Ronny Reich, Gideon Avni, and Tamar Winter
The most up-to-date work on an area of recent excavations in the city, this book is organized as “tours” around the City of David and southern Temple Mount excavations. It is both scholarly and popular, but its limited focus means it is not the first book to buy on Jerusalem.
Excavating the City of David: Where Jerusalem's History Began
By Ronny Reich
Ronny Reich and Eli Shukrun excavated in the ancient city of Jerusalem longer than anyone before, and in this book Reich guides the reader through their various discoveries, including those in the Warren's Shaft system and the Pool of Siloam. May be cheaper at the Israel Exploration Society website.
The Quest: Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem
By Leen Ritmeyer
The best book on the Temple Mount, period. Leen Ritmeyer's research began as an architect working in the excavations next to the Temple Mount in the 1970s, and this book reveals all kinds of discoveries and breakthroughs he has made in the decades since. This book is loaded with beautiful reconstruction diagrams and photos.
Jerusalem: An Archaeological Biography
By Hershel Shanks
For a popular, readable and well-illustrated history of Jerusalem, this is the book to get. Shanks wrote his first book on Jerusalem twenty years earlier and his love and knowledge for the city, combined with his superb editorial skills and access to the best photographs make this both essential and enjoyable. Unfortunately it is out of print and hard to find.
Jerusalem as Jesus Knew It
By John Wilkinson
This work contains more material relevant to the New Testament city than any other work and consequently is must reading for anyone intending to understand Jerusalem in Jesus’s day. Wilkinson includes much information that none of the above sources include.
New Testament Background
Living in the Time of Jesus of Nazareth
By Peter Connolly
I frequently recommend this as a "gift book" because of the colorful (and accurate) reconstruction drawings. It also has appeal because of its New Testament emphasis. Buy the book for the pictures, but the text is also informative though not evangelical. Available in the US with the title The Holy Land.
The Jewish War
By Josephus
Apart from Josephus’ writings, we would know almost nothing of the first Jewish revolt. The Jewish War is the most valuable of Josephus’ writings for detailing the political and religious scene in Judea from 150 B.C. to 70 A.D. His work should be required reading for all seminary students and the most readable translation is this Penguin edition by Williamson.
Archaeology and the New Testament
By John McRay
My textbook choice for a class on the subject, McRay’s treatment appeals to the student of Scripture in its focus and scope. Formerly a conservative professor at Wheaton, McRay covers Galilee, Jerusalem and the locations of Paul’s travels in a way careful enough to satisfy most beginning students. A study of this subject and a reading of this text should be required for all seminary students focusing on the NT.
History of Ancient Israel
Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel
By Eugene H. Merrill
There is not a better textbook on the history of ancient Israel. Merrill has spent a lifetime carefully studying the biblical text and the ancient Near Eastern discoveries and parallels. He gives due place to extrabiblical sources and his work is scholarly and respected, yet Merrill never shortchanges the historical accuracy of the Scriptures. The second edition adds interaction with recent skeptical approaches.
A Synoptic Harmony of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles
By James D. Newsome Jr
There are various harmonies available, but this is the best in placing the historical books in parallel columns so that the reader can easily discern the differences between the Samuel-Kings work and the Chronicler’s. This is a must-have text for any studying the records of the kings of Israel and Judah. Out of print for years, it is now available from Wipf & Stock.
A Biblical History of Israel
By Iain W. Provan, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman III
The first 150 pages of this book is a very careful and intelligent evaluation of the methods used in analyzing the Old Testament as a historical source. They demonstrate some major weaknesses in the approach that denies the historical accuracy of Scripture. This is must-reading for any student of the subject, conservative or liberal.
Ancient Israel
By Hershel Shanks
The second book to read on the subject (after Merrill). Graduate students in the course should be required to read this survey of Israel’s history from mainstream scholarship. Each chapter was written by a scholar and later revised by a different one. It is interesting to see the results of liberal scholarship in re-writing Israel’s history. The incorporation of archaeological discoveries into the text is a model for future histories.
The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings
By E. R. Thiele
Now over 50 years after its first edition, Thiele’s study of the chronology of the kings of Israel and Judah remains unchallenged and unparalleled. This book is for the sturdy of heart who is eager to understand the intricate methods of the ancient chronologists. All students of the Old Testament benefit from Thiele’s conclusions whether they read this or not.
Modern Israel
O Jerusalem
By Larry Collins and Dominique LaPierre
A fascinating account of the traumatic days of Jerusalem in the 1948 War of Independence. This compelling story is based on extensive research and interviews with hundreds of survivors.
Jerusalem in the Twentieth Century
By Martin Gilbert
Because Jerusalem is a microcosm for the whole Arab-Israeli conflict, this may be a good starter book. It will be of greater interest to the one who knows Jerusalem and its sites and streets well, but Gilbert’s collection of stories and quotes together with his own insightful analysis makes this an enjoyable and instructive read. It offers this over the classic O Jerusalem: it covers a broader range of history and thus may be more helpful to one new to the subject.
The Routledge Atlas of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
By Martin Gilbert
An excellent resource for understanding current events. Gilbert provides 225 maps that tell the story of the nation of Israel in the 20th and 21st centuries. Essential for anyone wanting to know how things got the way they are.
Historical Fiction
A Week in the Life of a Roman Centurion
By Gary M. Burge
This entertaining account of life in first-century Israel is filled with interesting insights into the world of the New Testament. Burge is a scholar, and yet his concern to get the facts right never slows down the story. Most of the other books in this series are also recommended.
The Source
By James A. Michener
Michener’s style is to take a place and tell its story through the ages. In this work, a fictional archaeological tell is the setting and the finds the excavators make in the dig become the basis for the author’s imaginative travel through time. Some shortcomings of this book are outweighed by the value of extended thinking about what life was like in the various archaeological periods. Michener’s work strongly advocates the ideas of the evolution of religion, but it is valuable to see how this is developed by an intelligent and creative writer.
A Rooster for Asklepios
By Christopher D. Stanley
As a scholar whose expertise is in the social and religious history of the Greco-Roman world, Stanley knows well the background of the New Testament world. The story always keeps moving, and yet at the same time, the author has an uncanny ability of sneaking in fascinating historical details on nearly every page. Highly recommended.
Exodus
By Leon Uris
This work of historical fiction reflects a great amount of historical research and detail and can certainly be commended as a good way to understand the birth of the modern state of Israel. Uris is one of my favorite authors as he combines historical accuracy with riveting storytelling. Exodus is the book to begin with; Mila 18 (story of the Warsaw Ghetto) and QBVII (the trial of an accused Nazi) are also worthwhile.
Judaica
To Be a Jew: A Guide to Jewish Observance in Contemporary Life
By H. H. L. Donin
Written by a rabbi for a Jewish audience, this is good for either reading or reference for understanding the basics of Jewish practice, including Sabbath, synagogue, dietary laws, holidays and the life cycle. Study of the subject is essential for anyone with contact with Jewish people, and this book is one of the best introductions.
This is My God
By Herman Wouk
An excellent introduction to Judaism by a popular Jewish novelist.
First Picks
Books that I would most recommend to read after a first visit to Israel:
- Leon Uris, Exodus.
- James Michener, The Source.
- Shanks, Jerusalem.
- Rasmussen, NIV Atlas.
- BAR and Bible and Spade.
Books you want to buy for handy reference about the land:
- Schlegel, Satellite Bible Atlas.
- Merrill, Kingdom of Priests.
- Smith, Historical Geography of the Holy Land.
- Murphy-O’Connor, The Holy Land.
- Ben-Tor, Archaeology of Ancient Israel.
- McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament.
- Donin, To Be a Jew.
Todd Bolen is Professor of Biblical Studies at The Master’s University. For many years, he taught at the university’s campus in Israel in the fields of biblical archaeology, geography, and history.
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Last updated: August 17, 2023
