The three and a half centuries that began with the division of the Hebrew empire and extended to the Babylonian exile were in many ways the most important period in Israel’s history. It was during this epoch that the Israelites ceased to be a provincial people, limited in their outlook to the narrow horizon of Palestine. Events over which they had little control brought them into close contact with the great world powers of the day, thereby vastly broadening their faith—as well as their vision of history—and their relationship with the rest of the human race. It was a period marked by supreme political, social, and religious crises, which fundamentally transformed Israel’s religion and institutions. These crises called forth the great ethical prophets of the eighth and seventh centuries BC; their work and teachings made Israel’s experience during these trying years one of the most significant chapters in human history. Contents include:

The History of Northern Israel
The Assyrian Period of Judah’s History
The Last Half Century of Judah’s History