Robert B. Coote

This work is an excellent and concise evaluation on the knowledge of the formation of Early Israel written in 1990. Prof. Coote presents the data of the time and seeks to find common ground in a field with much debate of interpretation.
Using the historical and archaeological evidence available, he places the formation of Israel within the context of a Palestinian tribal people existing between the larger empires of the day. Behavior should be like other peoples of the region in the same situations.
A short work, it essentially presents eight major points, one per chapter.
1. The Israelites when they first emerge into history were indigenous to Palestine. 2. They were politically dominated by Egypt until the early 12th century BC. 3. During Egyptian dominance settlement reatreated from frontier regions and population declined. 4. By about 1200 BC, Israel had become a strong tribal confederacy used and developed by Egypt to serve Egyptian interests as a buffer state against the Hittites. 5. Egyptian domination collapsed with the "Sea Peoples" or actually European invaders who replaced the ruling class in the lowlands. Hittite power also collapsed in the period. In this situation, various tribal Palestinian peoples, including Israel expanded back into the frontier regions especially the highlands. 7. Tribal Israel comes under the monarchy of Saul around 1000 BC, but the state is usurped by a local warlord, David. David used European (Philistine) mercenaries and at times was their instrument. Scripture begins to be written. 8. The formation of Israel from indigenous peoples through tribal confederacy to kingdom followed a typical pattern of fdevelopment influenced by Palestinian dynamics… (altro)