The Natural History of the Bible

Traversing river valleys, steppes, deserts, rain-fed forests, farmlands, and seacoasts, the early Israelites experienced all the contrasting ecological domains of the ancient Near East. They interacted with indigenous societies of the region, absorbed selective elements of their cultures, and integrated them into a radically new culture of their own. More than just affecting their material existence, the region's ecology influenced the Israelites' views of creation and the creator, humanity's role on Earth, and their own distinctive identity and destiny. Combining his scientific work as an ecologist with a life-long study of the Bible, Daniel Hillel shows how the environmental experiences of the ancient Israelites shaped their perception of the overarching unity governing nature and led to the evolution of ethical monotheism.