How have the societies and events of the past affected the shape of the world as we know it today? How can we use archaeological data to help us understand the peoples and culture of the Ancient Near East? Can archaeological studies help us to understand the Bible, and if so, how? These are just some of the questions discussed in this fascinating journey around the archaeological remains of the Ancient Near East. James K. Hoffmeier provides the reader with a review of Bible history and examines the role of archaeology in understanding the Biblical text. Beginning with Genesis, this intriguing survey follows the Bible narrative right through to the early churches of Revelation. The book is divided into three sections—two of which cover the Old Testament and one to the New Testament—and is interspersed with stories from the author's own experience as an archaeologist, which bring the thrill of archaeological discovery vividly to life. Beautifully illustrated with photographs, charts, maps, diagrams, and illustrations of sites, this striking overview is for anyone interested in learning  more about the societies and events of the Ancient Near East and how they affect our understanding of the Bible.

This book is a very nicely presented introduction to biblical archaeology (and very well priced). In less than 200 pages, with many full-colour photographs and a number of maps, the author surveys the archaeology relevant to both Old and New Testament.

Hoffmeier is at pains to be show that archaeology does not so much "prove" the Bible as "improve" our understanding of its background. He treats both the discoveries and the scriptures with great respect and writes clearly to give any interested reader a good introduction to the current state of play (the book was published in 2008 by Lion). He is realistic about the gaps in our archaeological understanding and discusses points at which archaeologists disagree.

I'm no expert on archaeology, and so I found much here that is new to me and helpful to know - any Bible reader would gain from this book.