The Sanctuary of Bethel and the Configuration of Israelite Identity, 1st Edition

After Jerusalem, Bethel is the most frequently cited sanctuary in the Hebrew Bible. The book offers a detailed analysis of Bethel and its sanctuary from archaeological and biblical evidence. It reconstructs the history of Bethel and by analysing the presence of pro- and anti-Bethel propaganda, it argues that the latter, with its own pro-Jerusalem/Judah bias, has resulted in an unfair denigration of Bethel as an idolatrous place of worship. The study suggests that Bethel was a legitimate Yahwistic shrine and continued to be so even after the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians. Hence, Bethel in a real sense was the principal means of configuring Israelite identity.\nThe Sanctuary of Bethel and the Configuration of Israelite Identity 1st Edition is written by Jules Francis Gomes and published by De Gruyter. ISBNs for The Sanctuary of Bethel and the Configuration of Israelite Identity are 9783110925180, 3110925184 and the print ISBNs are 9783110189933, 3110189933.