Traversing river valleys, steppes, deserts, rain-fed forests, farmlands, and seacoasts, the early Israelites experienced all the contrasting ecological domains of the ancient Near East. As they grew from a nomadic clan to become a nation-state in Canaan, they interacted with indigenous societies of the region, absorbed selective elements of their cultures, and integrated them into a radically new culture of their own. Daniel Hillel reveals the interplay between the culture of the Israelites and the environments within which it evolved. More than just affecting their material existence, the region's ecology influenced their views of creation and the creator, their conception of humanity's role on Earth, their own distinctive identity and destiny, and their ethics.
In The Natural History of the Bible, Hillel shows how the eclectic experiences of the Israelites shaped their perception of the overarching unity governing nature's varied manifestations. Where other societies idolized disparate and capricious forces of nature, the Israelites discerned essential harmony and higher moral purpose. Inspired by visionary prophets, they looked to a singular, omnipresent, omnipotent force of nature mandating justice and compassion in human affairs. Monotheism was promoted as state policy and centralized in the Temple of Jerusalem. After it was destroyed and the people were exiled, a collection of scrolls distilling the nation's memories and spiritual quest served as the focus of faith in its stead.
A prominent environmental scientist who surveyed Israel's land and water resources and has worked on agricultural development projects throughout the region, Daniel Hillel is a uniquely qualified expert on the natural history of the lands of the Bible. Combining his scientific work with a passionate, life-long study of the Bible, Hillel offers new perspectives on biblical views of the environment and the origin of ethical monotheism as an outgrowth of the Israelites' internalized experiences.
Daniel Hillel is professor emeritus of environmental studies, University of Massachusetts, and senior research scientist, Center for Climate Systems Research, Columbia University. He is the author or editor of more than twenty books, including Negev: Land, Water, and Life in a Desert Enviornment; Out of the Earth: Civilization and the Life of the Soil; and Rivers of Eden: The Struggle for Water and the Quest for Peace in the Middle East. He is the 2012 World Food Prize Laureate.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments A Note on Translation Chronology Prologue 1. Environment and Culture 2. The Ecological Context 3. The First Riverine Domain 4. The Pastoral Domain 5. The Second Riverine Domain 6. The Desert Domain 7. The Rainfed Domain 8. The Maritime Domain 9. The Urban Domain 10. The Exile Domain 11. The Overarching Unity Epilogue Appendixes 1. On the Historical Validity of the Bible 2. Perceptions of Humanity's Role on God's Earth 3. Selected Passages Regarding the Seven Domains Notes Bibliography Index
What People are Saying About This
Mary Evelyn Tucker
Daniel Hillel's book is a masterful treatment of the interaction of nature, culture, and religion over several millennia in the Fertile Crescent. Hillel's scientific background and his close knowledge of the Hebrew Bible makes for fascinating reading. This is an indispensable book for anyone interested in the complex development of religious sensibilities in relation to landscape. Fresh, innovative, and unique—indeed, a tour de force!
Joan G. Ehrenfeld
Daniel Hillel's new book is a tour de force. He eloquently and seamlessly melds a passionate love of the Bible with meticulous and far-reaching scholarship in an astounding array of scientific, literary, and cultural disciplines. It will surely transform studies of the Bible, religion, and environmental history. Just as surely, it will touch the hearts of all who read it.
John Grim
A marvelous, masterful work and an authoritative journey by one of our most competent environmental scientists into the natural history of the Hebrew scriptures. This work occupies a special niche in the ever-deepening and expanding literature on Judaism and the natural world. The historical sweep of Hillel's analysis of the ecological domains of Torah and his careful citation of Biblical references make this book a critical addition to any library on religion and ecology.
Bill McKibben
This book will fascinate anyone interested in the history of human interactions with the Earth, and anyone interested in the development of religious thinking. It is that rarest of things, a book with something vast and new to say. What an achievement!
