The Comparative Use of Ancient Near Eastern Texts in the Study of the Hebrew Bible

This present research is intended as a synthesis of the current state of research in the comparative study of ancient Near Eastern texts and the Hebrew Bible. This will involve a discussion of new texts that have been discovered, as well as the many reevaluations of texts found in previous decades. Beginning with a brief study of the nature of comparative research, this study will then survey textual material from each of the traditional ancient Near Eastern regions: Syria-Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, and Syria-Canaan, emphasizing documents that come from the sixth century BCE or earlier. One can conclude that new ancient Near Eastern discoveries continue to supply important material for furthering our historical understanding of the Hebrew Bible.