Ancient Israelite Religion: Essays in Honor of Frank Moore Cross (review)

Hebrew Studies 31 (1990) 213 Reviews no reader can know Qoheleth's relation to the views expressed in these quotations-perhaps in the end it will appear to be impossible to do without the hypothesis. Nevertheless, Michel often offers an original interpretation of difficult texts and deserves careful reading and examination by all future interpreters of Qoheleth. Antoon Schoors Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium ANCIENT ISRAELITE RELIGION: ESSAYS IN HONOR OF FRANK MOORE CROSS. Patrick D. Miller, Jr., Paul D. Hanson, and S. Dean McBride, eds. pp. xxv + 672. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1987. Cloth. The Colloquium for Biblical Research, founded in 1963 by seven of Cross's students, assumed the sponsorship of this volume to honor Frank Moore Cross, and several of its members are contributors. One of them, W. E. Lemke, prepared a short biographical sketch (pp. xi-xiii) stressing the three areas of Cross's research: Hebrew and Northwest Semitic epigraphy and paleography, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the religion of Israel. This last area was chosen as the topic for this Festschrift. Most existing treatments of the religion of Israel are the work of a single author and are based mainly upon the biblical literature. This book is the work of some of the most competent scholars in the field and covers extra-biblical and archaeological material in addition to the biblical literature. The best way to illustrate the richness of this book is to list the contributors and the titles of their studies. Part 1: Sources and Contexts-(I) W. W. Hallo, ''The Origins of the Sacrificial Cult: New Evidence from Mesopotamia and Israel" (pp. 3-13); (2) T. Jacobsen, "The Graven Image" (pp. 15-32); (3) A. Malamat, "A Forerunner of Biblical Prophecy: The Mari Documents" (pp. 33-52); (4) P. D. Miller, Jr., "Aspects of the Religion of Ugarit" (pp. 53-66); (5) J. C. Greenfield, "Aspects of Aramean Religion" (pp. 67-78); (6) B. Peckham, "Phoenicia and the Religion of Israel: The Epigraphic Evidence" (pp. 79-99); (7) I. Naveh, "Proto-Canaanite, Archaic Greek, and the Script of the Aramaic Text on the Tell Fakbariyah Statue" (pp. 101113 ); (8) M. D. Coogan, "Canaanite Origins and Lineage: Reflections on Hebrew Studies 31 (1990) 214 Reviews the Religion of Ancient Israel" (pp. 115-124); (9) J. A. Hackett. "Religious Traditions in Israelite Transjordan" (pp. 125-136); (10) P. K. McCarter, Jr., "Aspects of the Religion of the Israelite Monarchy: Biblical and Epigraphic Data" (pp. 137-155); (11) J. H. Tigay, "Israelite Religion: The Onomastic and Epigraphic Evidence" (pp. 157-194); (12) N. Avigad, "The Contribution of Hebrew Seals to an Understanding of Israelite Religion and Society" (pp. 195-208); (13) W. G. Dever, "The Contribution of Archaeology to the Study of Canaanite and Early Israelite Religion" (pp. 209247 ); (14) J. S. Holladay, Jr., "Religion in Israel and Judah Under the Monarchy: An Explicitly Archaeological Approach" (pp. 249-299). Part 2: History and Character-(15) M. Weinfeld, "The Tribal League at Sinai" (pp. 303-314); (16) D. N. Freedman, "'Who Is Like Thee Among the Gods?' The Religion of Early Israel" (pp. 315-335); (17) G. E. Mendenhall, "The Nature and Purpose of the Abraham Narratives" (pp. 337-356); (18) C. Meyers, "David as Temple Builder" (pp. 357-376); (19) J. J. M. Roberts, "In Defense of the Monarchy: The Contribution of Israelite Kingship to Biblical Theology" (pp. 377-396); (20) P. Bird, "The Place of Women in the Israelite Cultus" (pp. 397-419); (21) H. Ringgren, "The Marriage Motif in Israelite Religion" (pp. 421-428); (22) R. A. Oden, Jr., "The Place of Covenant in the Religion of Israel" (pp. 429-447); (23) R. E. Murphy, "Religious Dimensions of Israelite Wisdom" (pp. 449458 ); (24) N. Lohfink, "The Cult Reform of Josiah of Judah: 2 Kings 2223 as a Source for the History of Israelite Religion" (pp. 459-475); (25) K. Baltzer, "Liberation from Debt Slavery After the Exile in Second Isaiah and Nehemiah" (pp. 477-484); (26) P. D. Hanson, "Israelite Religion in the Early Postexilic Period" (pp. 485-508); (27) E. M. Meyers, "The Persian Period and the Judean Restoration: From Zerubbabel to Nehemiah" (pp. 509-521); (28) J. G. Janzen, "The Place of the Book...