Every year, Professor Maxwell Miller, a distinguished archaeologist and Old Testament scholar, conducts a selected group on a tour of Israel and Jordan. This guidebook was originally prepared for their private use and has gone through several editions in that form. It is designed primarily for first-time visitors and provides a survey of the geography and history of Palestine, supported with maps, archaeological plans and chronological outlines; there are also a large number of photographs. While the emphasis is on biblical times and places, it takes into account the whole sweep of Middle Eastern history including, for example, the Crusades and the events leading to the current Arab-Israeli conflict. There are three parts. Part I is a general orientation, providing historical and geographical information. Part II focusses on the actual place which tourists normally visit - or should visit - in the Holy Land and gives information about each site, including simplified road maps, site plans and excerpts from ancient documents. Part III is packed with details - a compact and valuable reference work.
The guide is essential reading for those fortunate enough to visit the Holy Land; and those unable to can still learn a good deal from a reading in armchair or classroom. J. Maxwell Miller is Associate Professor of Old Testament in the Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta.