An introduction to the literature of the Hebrew Bible in its Ancient Near Eastern cultural context. Students are exposed to the art, archaeology, literature, and histories of the great civilizations of the Ancient Near East and their impact on Israelite history and the formation of the Hebrew Bible. Emphasis is placed on the development and changes in Israelite theology in response to historical circumstances over the centuries that witnessed the Hebrew Bible’s composition, compilation, and canonization. Recommended: REL_ST 1500.