How did ancient Israelites live? What did they eat, and what affected their health? How did the family function? To answer these and similar questions, Borowski describes the natural setting and the people who occupied the land as well as the rural and urban economic activities in which ancient Israelites engaged, especially as they related to the family and social-political structure. The book addresses cultural, social, and religious activities as well as art, music, and the place of writing in Israelite society. Drawing on textual and archaeological evidence and written in nontechnical language, this will be a standard text for undergraduate Hebrew Bible courses and of particular interest to scholars, graduate students, pastors, rabbis, and nonspecialists.