The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest: Covenant, Retribution, and the Fate of the Canaanites

Previously he was professor of Old Testament at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for twenty years. Some of Walton's books include The Lost World of Adam and Eve, The Lost World of Scripture, The Lost World of Genesis One, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament, The Essential Bible Companion, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis and
But do the so-called holy war texts of the Old Testament portray a divinely inspired genocide? Did Israel slaughter Canaanites at God's command? Were they enforcing divine retribution on an unholy people? These texts shock. But have we rightly understood them?In The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, John Walton and J. While not attempting to provide all the answers, it offers surprising new insights and clears the ground for further understanding.. Harvey Walton take us on an archeological dig, excavating the layers of translation and interpretation that over time have encrusted these texts and our perceptions. Of all the problems the Old Testament poses for our modern age, this is the one we want to avoid in mixed company. Holy warfare is the festering wound on the conscience of Bible-believing Christians. What happens when we take new approaches, frame new questions? When we weigh again their language and rhetoric? Were the Canaanites punishe

While provocative at times, this book deserves careful consideration." (John W. Hilber, professor of Old Testament, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary) . "The conquest of Canaan is arguably the most intractable ethical problem in the Bible, and to date no solution has garnered a consensus. Deeply rooted in ancient Near Eastern mores and reconsideration of key biblical words and texts, the arguments challenge many commonly held ideas. These authors offer a genuinely fresh approach to mitigate the difficulties