Professor William M. Schniedewind chairs the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and is a Professor of Biblical Studies at UCLA. He has been a fellow at the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem as well as a Visiting Scholar at the Hebrew University. He received his PhD in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies in 1992 at Brandeis University. He is most recently the author of Society and the Promise to David, published in 1999.

'For general readers interested in ancient history and religion, for Jews and Christians who study the Bible and its backgrounds, and for scholars who study the relationship between orality and literacy, this book will be both tremendously helpful and very enjoyable … it has the potential to reshape the study of Hebrew Bible for years to come.' Benjamin D. Sommer, author of A Prophet Reads Scripture

• 1. How the Bible became a book; 2. The numinous power of writing; 3. Writing and the state; 4. Writing in the early Israelite State; 5. Hezekiah and the spread of writing; 6. Josiah and the text revolution; 7. How the Torah became a text; 8. Writing in exile; 9. Scripture in the shadow of the temple; 10. Epilogue; 11. Further reading.

Professor William M. Schniedewind chairs the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and is a Professor of Biblical Studies at UCLA. He has been a fellow at the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem as well as a Visiting Scholar at the Hebrew University. He received his PhD in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies in 1992 at Brandeis University. He is most recently the author of Society and the Promise to David, published in 1999.

'For general readers interested in ancient history and religion, for Jews and Christians who study the Bible and its backgrounds, and for scholars who study the relationship between orality and literacy, this book will be both tremendously helpful and very enjoyable … it has the potential to reshape the study of Hebrew Bible for years to come.' Benjamin D. Sommer, author of A Prophet Reads Scripture

• 1. How the Bible became a book; 2. The numinous power of writing; 3. Writing and the state; 4. Writing in the early Israelite State; 5. Hezekiah and the spread of writing; 6. Josiah and the text revolution; 7. How the Torah became a text; 8. Writing in exile; 9. Scripture in the shadow of the temple; 10. Epilogue; 11. Further reading.

Professor William M. Schniedewind chairs the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and is a Professor of Biblical Studies at UCLA. He has been a fellow at the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem as well as a Visiting Scholar at the Hebrew University. He received his PhD in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies in 1992 at Brandeis University. He is most recently the author of Society and the Promise to David, published in 1999.

'For general readers interested in ancient history and religion, for Jews and Christians who study the Bible and its backgrounds, and for scholars who study the relationship between orality and literacy, this book will be both tremendously helpful and very enjoyable … it has the potential to reshape the study of Hebrew Bible for years to come.' Benjamin D. Sommer, author of A Prophet Reads Scripture

• 1. How the Bible became a book; 2. The numinous power of writing; 3. Writing and the state; 4. Writing in the early Israelite State; 5. Hezekiah and the spread of writing; 6. Josiah and the text revolution; 7. How the Torah became a text; 8. Writing in exile; 9. Scripture in the shadow of the temple; 10. Epilogue; 11. Further reading.