We have the 2nd second edition ( 519 pages). The fourth edition is 574 pages, accommodates some recent archeological developments and is available at: http://www.amazon.com/
John Bright was the Cyrus H. McCormick Professor of Hebrew and Interpretation of the Old Testament at Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, VA until his death in 1995. He is also the author of The Kingdom of God: The Biblical Concept and its Meaning for the Church.
Wikipedia offers this about Mr. (Prof.) Bright.
“John Bright (25 September 1908 – 26 March 1995)[1] was an American biblical scholar, the author of several important books including the influential A History of Israel (1959), currently in its fourth edition. He was closely associated with the American school of Biblical criticism pioneered by William F. Albright, which sought to marry archaeology to a defense of the reliability of the Bible, especially the earlier books of the Old Testament.
"Biography
“Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, John Bright was raised in the Presbyterian Church U.S., and attended Union Theological Seminary in Virginia where he earned his B.D. in 1931, followed by a Th.M. degree four years later. In the winter of 1931-32, Bright participated in an archaeological campaign at Tell Beit Mirsim, where he met the renowned William Foxwell Albright of Johns Hopkins University, who became his mentor. He also participated in a dig at Bethel in 1935. In the autumn of that year he studied under Albright at Johns Hopkins University but dropped out later due to insufficient funds to continue his studies, and took a position as the assistant pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Durham, North Carolina, which did not last long. He was able to resume his studies at Johns Hopkins while he was the pastor of Catonsville Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, and completed his doctoral degree in 1940. He then went back to Union Theological Seminary where he was appointed to the Cyrus H. McCormick Chair of Hebrew and Old Testament Interpretation, a position he held until his retirement in 1975.[2]
"Influence and legacy
“Bright's work A History of Israel for which he is most famous was published in 1959, with a second and third edition in 1972 and 1981. The second edition (1972) included new information from the Adad-nirari stela, published in 1968, and the Hebrew ostracon found at Mecad Hasavyahu (Yabneh-Yam), published in 1962.[3] His third edition (1981) included a thorough revision of the first four chapters. While including new data, Bright maintained his theological conviction that "the heart of Israel’s faith lies in its covenantal relationship with YHWH."[4]
“In an appendix to the fourth edition (2000) of Bright's work, William P. Brown outlined some of the changes in the field of historical research since the third edition. Brown notes:
"`It should be pointed out that the driving force behind John Bright’s scholarship was his desire to disseminate to the church and general public the fruits of biblical scholarship. In an interview held soon after the publication of the third edition of his textbook, Bright comments on identifying an `outstanding motif’ in his work: `those of us who have gone more deeply into the subject have a duty to communicate to the church in a usable form what we know—and to the general public if they are interested’’’ (Kendig B. Cully, “Interview with John Bright: Scholar of the Kingdom” [The Review of Books and Religion, 11/4 (1983), p.4]).[5]
"Published works
"• The Age of King David: A Study in the Institutional History of Israel (doctoral dissertation 1940) (Union Seminary Review, 53 [1942] pp.87-109).
• The Kingdom of God: The Biblical Concept and Its Meaning for the Church (New York/Nashville: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1953)
• Early Israel in Recent History Writing (Westminster 1956)
• Jeremiah: A Commentary (Anchor Bible 21: Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1965).
• The Authority of the Old Testament (Baker, 1975)
• Covenant and Promise: The Prophetic Understanding of the Future in Pre-Exilic Israel (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1976).
• A History of Israel: With an Introduction and Appendix by William P. Brown, 4th edition, Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000. (ISBN 0-664-22068-1) (Google books preview)
"References
"1. "Obituary: Dr. John Bright, 86, A Biblical Historian". The New York Times. 1 April, 1995. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
Dr. John Bright, 86, A Biblical Historian - New York Times Retrieved 2011-08-20
2. Introduction to John Bright's A History of Israel, by William P. Brown
3. History of Israel - Introduction PDF (385 KB) p.13 fn.25
4. History of Israel - Introduction PDF (385 KB) p.19
5. History of Israel - Appendix PDF (385 KB) p.483–484, fn.103
Here endeth Wikipedia.
Here beginneth the prelimary work on Mr. (Prof.) Bright's volume.
"The History of Israel" in the second edition is constructed on Six Parts sandwiched between a Prologue and varied appendices:
Prologue
• Part One: Antecedents and Beginning: Age of Patriarchs
• Part Two: Formative Period
• Part Three: Israel Under the Monarch: the Period of National Self-Determination
• Part Four: Monarchy (Cont’)—Crisis and Downfall
• Part Five: Tragedy and Beyond: Exilic and Postexilic Periods
• Part Six: Formative Period of Judaism
In an enlargement on the Six Parts, we bring this.
Prologue
(A) Before History: Foundations and Civilizations in the Ancient Orient
(B) Ancient Orient in the 3rd Millenium B.C.
Part One. Antecedents and Beginnings: Age of Patriarchs
1. The World of Israel’s Origins (2000-1550 B.C.)
2. Patriarchs: Narratives, Historical Settings, Ancestors
Part Two. Formative Period
3. Exodus and Conquest: Foundation of the People of Israel— Western Asia, Egyptian Dynasty, Amarna Period
4. Constitution and Faith of Early Israel—Faith, Constitution, and History of the Tribal League
Part Three. Israel Under the Monarcy: Period of Self-Determination5. From Tribal Confederacy to Dynastic State—Saul, David, and Solomon
6. Independent Kingdoms of Israel and Judah—Divided Monarchy (922 B.C.—to mid-eighth century)
Part Four. Monarchy (Cont’): Crisis and Downfall
7. Assyrian Conquest—Fall of Israel, Assyrian Advance, Hezekiah, Prophets
8. Kingdom of Judah: Last Century—End of Assyrian Dominance, Neo-Babylonian Empire, Prophets
Part Five. Tragedy and Behind: Exilic and Postexilic Periods
9. Exile and Restoration—Exile (587 B.C.-539 B.C.), Restoration
10. Jewish Community in the Fifth Century: Ezra-Nehemiah
Part Six: Formative Period of Judaism—Ezra to Maccabean Revolt, Persian Period, Hellenistic Period
Various Appendices and Maps
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