Old Testament Backgrounds [HIST101]
Goals and Requirements
Spring 2014
Preston Sprinkle
805.208.0649 (m) / 805.581.1233 (w) / preston@eternitybiblecollege.com
Course Description (from catalog)
“In an effort to expose the student to the broader world of the Old Testament, this history course
will trace the story of the Israelite nation, as it touches the surrounding contemporary peoples.
Special emphasis will be given to geographical and archaeological issues, manners and customs,
and other writings and inscriptions. The goal of this course is to understand the political
interaction of God's people within the context of its Near Eastern neighbors (i.e. Egyptians,
Syrians, Assyrians, and Babylonians). The time span covered will be from the Patriarchal Age to
the fall of the kingdom of Judah.”
This course will be different from most of the other Bible-type courses offered here at EBC. This
class has been formed specifically to give a dedicated block of time on the materials within OT
studies that would most likely never be adequately covered in an expository class of a biblical
book. As mentioned in the title of the class, we will deal with background material, that is,
material that is pertinent and relevant to know and understand the big picture of the OT world. At
EBC we teach literal, grammatical, historical hermeneutics. This class is intended to give
appropriate weight to the historical aspect. The goal is to enable the student to understand the OT
in its historical context.
It is possible for the focus on background material to take our gaze away from our central focus of
studying the Scriptures. However, rather than shifting our focus, the study of background material
instead should improve our focus on the study of the scriptures themselves. It should be as if you
needed glasses for years and didn’t realize how blurry your vision was until you received your
first set of glasses. Suddenly everything comes into sharp focus! Or like you were looking at the
OT in Black and White and suddenly began to see it in color. As a side note, study of the original
languages has a similar effect.
This course takes its shape as history, but it is not just isolated history in a vacuum. Rather this is
a history of times and cultures related to the nation that God called His own. We will introduce
many topics that are fields in their own rights (e.g. archaeology or geography). Thus the goal of
this course is not to specialize on any one field of study, but rather the goal is to broaden the
student’s understanding of the issues related to Old Testament study. This class will merely open
your eyes to glimpse the possibilities and whet your appetite for further study! My goal is that you
will see the riches that can be found in the text itself by dedicating time to studying the
background to the text.
Old Testament Backgrounds (HIST101) Preston Sprinkle
Eternity Bible College Spring 2014
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Learning Objectives
This class has the following objectives:
A. To embrace the benefits and beware the limitations of background studies.
B. To learn how to integrate background studies with the study of the OT text.
C. To lay a foundation for further study of the OT.
D. To master the general geography of Israel so that you develop
1. a geographical picture of the history of Israel,
2. an ability to see the biblical events unfolding as you read, and
3. a fresh perspective on the impact of geography on the events of history.
E. To assemble a basic knowledge of
1. OT chronology
2. Archaeology
3. History
F. To introduce the history and culture of the nations of Egypt and Mesopotamia, as an
introduction to the benefit of understanding the nations surrounding Israel.
G. To admire the God of the story and the God of the backgrounds.
H. To implant a deep desire to visit Israel (so you’ll be willing to work and save the $4,000 to
go on a study trip!)
Reading List / Texts
1. Required Texts
Rasmussen, Carl G. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible: Revised Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,
2010. (Referred to as “ZAOB” on the Course Schedule)
Hoerth, Alfred J. Archaeology & the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998. (Referred to
as “Hoerth” on the Course Schedule)
Monson, James M. Regions on the Run / Set of 7 Maps / Regional Study Guide. Rockford, IL: Biblical
Backgrounds, Inc.
NOTE: The Regions on the Run and Maps will be available for purchase at the EBC office for the
price of $25. The Regional Study Guide Version 5.1 can be downloaded as a PDF:
http://www.bibback.com/downloads.html
2. Individual Chapters & Articles
As assigned on the course schedule.
Old Testament Backgrounds (HIST101) Preston Sprinkle
Eternity Bible College Spring 2014
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Schedule
This class will meet on Tuesdays from 1pm-2:50pm. The class schedule with topics, due dates, etc.
is on the final page of this syllabus.
Assignments
This is a 2-credit class, so the average workload should be about 5 hours per week (2.5 hours per
credit). I have attempted to keep it in this range, although some weeks will be higher and others
lower. It will be especially important to space out the work on semester-long projects so you
aren’t left at the end of the semester cramming to get them done. I am a procrastinator, so I
understand this temptation. Please do what I say, not what I do.
A. READING
DUE: Various (see Course Schedule)
You will be reading carefully most of ZAOB, topics from Hoerth, sections from Regions on the
Run / Regional Study Guide, and a few additional articles as assigned. Note that you are to read
ZAOB carefully and thoughtfully. Your quiz questions will come from ZAOB (see below). The
reading assignment will designate an amount of time to use to read a section of Hoerth. You do
not have to finish the section; you can skim sections, read carefully on others, etc. You just
need to spend the allotted time in the book.
NOTE: You will report all weekly readings on your weekly quizzes. You will receive 100% for
100% of the reading, 70% for 70-99% and 0% for less than 70% of the reading completed.
There is not a lot of reading so there is no excuse to not get 100%.
B. WEEKLY QUIZZES
DUE: Weekly before class
The quizzes are meant to help you learn the material from the reading. Here is the way the
Quizzes work:
 The quiz will be given at 1:00pm and collected at 1:10pm.
 The Quiz is open-book. However, the time is limited to 10 minutes for 10 questions so
don’t be expecting to look everything up.
 You must do the entire reading assignment before you take the quiz. You must read
carefully and thoughtfully.
 Quizzes cannot be made up for any reason. I will drop the 2 lowest quiz grades.
Old Testament Backgrounds (HIST101) Preston Sprinkle
Eternity Bible College Spring 2014
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C. GET TO KNOW SOMEONE DIFFERENT
DUE: 5/13
You are to find an opportunity to get to know someone from the Arab / Middle-Eastern world.
Find a native Lebanese, Syrian, Iraqi, Jordanese, Egyptian, Persian, Israeli, Saudi, etc. and get to
know them. I have a series of topics that I’d like you to discuss with them and then you will
write a report of their answers. Ultimately I would like you to get invited to their home for a
traditional meal; a celebration of some sort (religious, wedding, birthday) would be ideal but is
not required.
The assignment is for you to dialogue about their land, culture, history, and religion. Don’t
be afraid to be upfront about your faith in this context. In fact, they will respect you more if
you are honest and upfront. Keep in mind these are shame / honor cultures so be cautious to
not be offensive. When you go to their home, it goes a long way to know a few things about
their culture before arriving (should you bring a gift? What kind? Do you keep your shoes on?
etc.).
You will write a 4 page report that will include:
 A summary of your discussion. Be sure to include information about their land, culture,
history, and religion.
 If you attended a mosque, synagogue, church, or went to someone’s home, describe how
you felt, what you smelled, what you heard, tasted, etc.
 This will be presented in a well-written 4 page (double-spaced) paper.
You may do this in groups, but no more than 3 people in one group.
D. MAP PROJECTS
DUE: (various - see Course Schedule)
The Map Projects will be assigned by Sections of the Regional Study Guide. You will do the
entire exercise for that Section, which involves reading, marking the maps, etc. You will be
assessed on this on your weekly quizzes.
E. SHORT PAPERS
DUE: as noted below (see Course Schedule)
There will be three (3) short papers:
1. Archaeology Piece – You will be assigned one archaeological find that you must
research. You should tell the history of the find and why it is important for Biblical
studies. 3 pages. Due: 3/4
2. Ancient City – You will research an ancient city and produce a 2-part paper. The first
part (2 pages) will provide pertinent historical details (importance of the location, major
battles, etc.). The second part (4 pages minimum) will be an imagined first-hand account
Old Testament Backgrounds (HIST101) Preston Sprinkle
Eternity Bible College Spring 2014
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of someone living in that city at some important juncture (at war, king died, etc.) that will
include information gleaned from part 1. 6 pages minimum. Due: 3/25
3. Ancient Religion – You will research the religious practices of an ANE civilization and
produce a 2-part paper. The first part will give details of the religious observances, gods,
cosmology, etc. (2 pages). The second part will be an imagined first-hand account of
someone experiencing the worship in this religion (4 pages). 6 pages minimum. Due:
4/29
Format:
 No Title Page
 Page count as specified above for each paper (not counting Bibliography)
 Double-spaced
 EBC Format (see Style Guide if you are not sure!)
 Sources – at least 3 sources besides the Bible. These must be shown on a Works Cited
page, appropriately formatted.
 NOTE: If you do not follow the EBC format for these papers, your grade will suffer
significantly. Follow the structure and no one gets hurt…
F. FINAL EXAM
DATE: 5/13
The final exam will be comprehensive. That is, it will cover material discussed in class during
the lectures. I will give further detail as the exam approaches.
G. Book review of Lynn Austin, God’s and Kings (Bethany House, 2005) (EXTRA CREDIT)
DUE: 5/13
Read this book in its entirety and write a 2-3 page review. The review will consist of 1) a
summary of the story, 2) highlight features that stood out, aspects of the book that helped you
understand the world of the Old Testament better, and 3) any critical comments.
Attendance and Grading
1. Attendance: I do not have a formal attendance policy, but if you miss class it is your
responsibility to pick up any handouts, know any assignments, and to turn your work in on
the due date, regardless of absences. No quizzes can be made up
2. Late work: Work turned in after the due date will be worth 50% for up to 7 days and 0%
after.
3. Grading:
o Reading (20%)
o Weekly Quizzes (20%)
Old Testament Backgrounds (HIST101) Preston Sprinkle
Eternity Bible College Spring 2014
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o
o
o
o
o
Get to Know Someone Different (10%)
Map Projects (15%)
Short Papers (15%)
Final (20%)
Review of Gods and Kings (up to 5% bonus)
Old Testament Backgrounds (HIST101) Preston Sprinkle
Eternity Bible College Spring 2014
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Selected Bibliography (Not Required)
Caution: I do not agree with everything in these books, and in fact have not read all of them in
their entirety. I have relied on several other people that I trust to develop this list. That being
said, you should read these books with caution and discernment (as you should read all books!).
These books are considered reliable by people I trust for good reason, so don’t be overly skeptical,
just cautious.
A. Archaeology
Currid, John. Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1999.
Hoerth, Alfred J. Archaeology and the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998.
Hoerth, Alfred J., and John McRay. Bible Archaeology. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2005.
Mazar, Amihai. Archaeology of the Land of the Bible. Anchor Bible Reference Library. New York:
Doubleday, 1993.
B. Chronology
Thiele, Edwin T. The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic & Professional, 1994.
Walton, John H. Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1994.
C. Geography
Aharoni, Yohanan. The Land of the Bible: A Historical Geography. Trans. and ed. by A. F. Rainey.
Rev. ed. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1979.
Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The MacMillan Bible Atlas. 3rd rev. ed. Revised by
Anson F. Rainey and Ze’ev Safrai. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1993.
Bahat, Dan. The Illustrated Atlas of Jerusalem. Carta the Israel Map & Pub Co Ltd, 1996.
Currid, John D., and David P. Barrett. Crossway ESV Bible Atlas. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010.
Rasmussen, Carl G. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010.
D. Manners, Customs, & Culture
Gower, Ralph. The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times. Revised and updated edition.
Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2005.
King, Philip J., and Lawrence E. Stager. Life in Biblical Israel. Louisville, KY: Westminster John
Knox Press, 2001.
Matthews, Victor M. Manners and Customs in the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible
Times. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.
E. Religion, Literature, and Peoples
Hess, Richard S. Israelite Religions: An Archaeological and Biblical Survey. Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 2007.
Hoerth, A. J., G. L. Mattingly, and E. M. Yamauchi, eds. Peoples of the Old Testament World. Grand
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Rapids: Baker Books, 1994.
Walton, John H. Ancient Israelite Literature in Its Cultural Context: A Survey of Parallels Between
Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Texts. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1989.
Walton, John H. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual
World of the Hebrew Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.
F. History of Israel & OT Surveys
Bright, John. A History of Israel. 4th ed. Louisville, KY: Westminster and John Knox Press, 2000.
Hill, Andrew E., and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2009.
Kaiser, Walter C., Jr. A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars. Nashville:
Broadman & Holman, 1998.
Longman, Tremper, III, and Raymond B. Dillard. An Introduction to the Old Testament. 3rd ed.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006.
Merrill, Eugene H. Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids:
Baker Academic, 2008.
Merrill, Eugene H. An Historical Survey of the Old Testament. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 1992.
G. Online Resources
Ancient Sandals – www.ancientsandals.com
BiblePlaces – www.bibleplaces.com – Todd Bolen
Bible History Online – www.bible-history.com
Bible Mapper – www.biblemapper.com – David Barrett
Biblical Backgrounds – www.bibback.com – James Monson
ScrollTag Maps – www.scrolltag.com/maps – Joshua Grauman
H. Misc
Walton, John H., ed. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary. 5 vols. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2009.
Bolen, Todd. Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. 10 vols. CDs. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic &
Professional, 2004 (see www.bibleplaces.com).
Pritchard, James. Ancient Near Eastern Texts.
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Eternity Bible College Spring 2014
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Week
1
Date
1/28/14
Topic
Introduction
Assignment
None
2
2/4/14
Geography Overview
3
2/11/14
Geography
R: ZAOB (33-45)
M: Map Assignment (Sect. II)
4
2/18/14
Geography
R: ZAOB (45-54)
M: Map Assignment (Sect. III)
5
2/25/14
Geography
6
3/4/14
Archaeology
R: ZAOB (54-79)
M: Map Assignment (Sect. IV)
R: Hoerth Chapter 1 (13-30)
R: ZAOB (254-262)
M: Map Assignment (Sect. V)
R: ZAOB (11-33)
M: Map Assignment (Sect. I except Event 4)
P: Short Paper #1 (Archaeology) Due
7
8
9
3/11/14
History & Background - Pre-Patriarchal /
Patriarchs and Egyptian Sojourn
3/18/14
History & Background - Exodus and Conquest
3/25/14
History & Background - Settlement and
Transition
R: ZAOB (82-99)
R: ZAOB Timeline (266-67)
R: Hoerth Chapters 2-7 (31-164) - Skim for 1 Hour
M: Map Assignment (Sect. VI)
R: ZAOB (100-112)
R: Timeline
R: Hoerth Chapters 8-10 (165-222) - Skim for 1 Hour
M: Map Assignment (Sect. VII)
R: ZAOB (113-137)
R: Timeline
R: Hoerth Chapters 11-12 (223-257) - Skim for 1 Hour
P: Short Paper #2 (City) Due
10
4/1/14
History & Background - United Monarchy /
Jerusalem
R: ZAOB (138-149) / (240-253)
R: Timeline
R: Hoerth Chapters 13-14 (258-295) - Skim for 1 Hour
11
4/8/14
History & Background - Divided Kingdom and
Judah Alone
12
4/15/14
SPRING BREAK
R: ZAOB (150-171)
R: Timeline
R: Hoerth Chapters 15-17 (296-367) - Skim for 1 Hour
NO ASSIGNMENTS
13
4/22/14
History & Background - Assyrian Empire
14
4/29/14
History & Background - Babylonian Empire
R: ZAOB (172-179)
R: Additional Reading on Assyrians
R: Timeline
R: Hoerth Chapter 18 (368-387) - Skim for 1 Hour
R: Additional Reading on Babylonians
P: Short Paper #3 (Religion) Due
15
5/6/14
History & Background - Persian Empire
16
5/13/14
Final
R: Additional Reading on Persians
P: Get to Know Someone assignment Due
P: Extra-credit book review (Gods and Kings) Due
Old Testament Backgrounds (HIST101) Preston Sprinkle
Eternity Bible College Spring 2014
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