• The Modern Scholar

  • The History of Ancient Israel: From the Patriarchs Through the Romans
  • By: Professor Eric H. Cline
  • Narrated by: Eric H. Cline
  • Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (169 ratings)

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The Modern Scholar

By: Professor Eric H. Cline
Narrated by: Eric H. Cline
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Publisher's summary

Israel conjures up myriad associations for peoples of all cultures and religious backgrounds. Inextricably associated with the world's three most prominent religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), Israel is steeped in history and conflict, much of which is known through the tales of biblical figures such as Moses, David, Solomon, and, of course, Jesus Christ.But how much of the Bible can be relied upon as accurate history? And how much of the biblical record can be verified through archaeology? Esteemed professor, researcher, and author Eric H. Cline of The George Washington University addresses these and other questions in this fascinating series of lectures.
©2006 Eric H. Cline (P)2006 Recorded Books

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good But a Little Biased

Professor Cline makes this course interesting. He does come into this work assuming that some parts of the Old Testament are not true. This is an understandable viewpoint, but it might concern some faithful Jewish and Christian believers.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Religious Beliefs and History to Intertwine as One

I was really excited to hear this lecture because so often historians can easily discount the religions and religions can dismiss history. This book was a great middle view that covered the facts but didn't discount religious beliefs! It was great!

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • nj
  • 10-13-11

A great, yet brief survey of Ancient Jewish histor

This was a very accessible, and easy to follow lecture series. It is very nice that audible includes a link to download the course guide.

The author is knowledgeable. He presents a balanced story that neither wholeheartedly endorses, nor completely rejects any religious traditions. He simply relates what is verifiable, and what some of the major competing ideas are regarding specific events or persons.

He clearly establishes his criterion for accepting stories from ancient texts as historically verifiable. He wants to have three independent sources before he is comfortable with accepting something as an historical fact.

I wish there were more lectures. I will listen to these lectures multiple times. They are informative and interesting to any would-be scholar regardless of individual ideologies and beliefs.

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11 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

They Do Not Talk About The Book of Daniel

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The History of The Neo Babylonian Period.

Any additional comments?

Unfortunately They Do Not Talk About The Book of Daniel.

Here Is a List of Dates.

12,500 Before Common Era BC

The Message of Yahweh In The Stars Is Prophecy.

The River Nile Mirrored The Milky Way.

7000 Before Common Era BC

6000 Before Common Era BC

3000 Before Common Era BC

2623 Before Common Era BC

2142 Before Common Era BC (658 Years or 8 Years)

Halcyon Lines Up With The Great Pyramid of Egypt.

2134 Before Common Era (8 Years After Halcyon Lines Up With The Great Pyramid of Egypt)

Melchizedek (Shem) The High Priest of The Sethite Order of Yahweh Conquers The Old Kingdom of Egypt.

June 1, 1999 Before Common Era BC (Total Solar Eclipse)

October 4, 1997 Before Common Era (Total Solar Eclipse)

1936 Before Common Era BC

Joseph The Son of Israel Was Sold Into Egypt.

1853 Before Common Era BC

January 11, 1853 Before Common Era BC (Partial Solar Eclipse)

February 9, 1853 Before Common Era BC (Partial Solar Eclipse)

July 5, 1853 Before Common Era BC (Partial Solar Eclipse)

August 4, 1853 Before Common Era BC (Partial Solar Eclipse)

December 30, 1853 Before Common Era BC (Hybrid Solar Eclipse)

1720 Before Common Era BC (A Year In The Reconstituted Kingdom of Egypt That Was Reconstituted By Melchizedek [Shem]/A Year During The Time of The Reign of The Middle Kingdom of Egypt)

1659 Before Common Era BC (A Year During The Second Hyksos Reign of Egypt)

From 1595 Before Common Era BC To 1000 Before Common Era BC

Middle Babylonian Period.

1453 Before Common Era BC (400 Years After The Date of 1853 Before Common Era BC)

The Torah, Sachiel The Hall of Truth and Darkness 1453 Before Common Era BC.

Moses Lead The Children of Israel Out From Slavery Under Egyptian Rule To Find The Promise Land.

July 22, 1453 BC (Total Solar Eclipse)

1449 Before Common Era BC

November 4, 1449 Before Common Era BC (Total Solar Eclipse)

1445 Before Common Era BC

February 28, 1445 Before Common Era BC (Total Solar Eclipse)

August 23, 1445 Before Common Era BC (Annular Solar Eclipse)

1418 Before Common Era BC

Eremon, a High King of Ireland Ends His Reign.

Moses Dies and Satan and The Archangel Michael Wrestled With Satan Over The Body of Moses.

The Children of Israel Enter The Land of Canaan Under The Leadership of Joshua.

March 1, 1418 BC (Total Solar Eclipse)

August 25, 1418 BC (Annular Solar Eclipse)

1377 Before Common Era BC (One Is Alpha, Three, Seventy Seven)

December 18, 1377 BC (Total Solar Eclipse)
From 1230 Before Common Era BC To 1000 Before Common Era BC

Assyrian Control of Babylon.

From 1000 Before Common Era BC To 650 Before Common Era BC

Neo-Babylonian Period.

From 1000 Before Common Era BC To 960 Before Common Era BC

David Reigns In Jerusalem.

965 Before Common Era BC

Solomon Builds The Temple.

From 960 Before Common Era BC To 930 Before Common Era BC

Solomon Reigns In Jerusalem.

930 Before Common Era BC

The United Monarchy of Israel Splits Into The Northern Kingdom of The House of Israel and The Southern Kingdom of The House of Judah.

870 Before Common Era BC

621 Before Common Era BC

2 Chronicles 35:3 Is The Last Known Mention of The Ark of The Covenant (177 Years Before Nehemiah Is Given The Edict By Artaxerxes To Go and Rebuild Jerusalem).

June 9, 586 Before Common Era (Total Solar Eclipse)

December 3, 586 Before common Era (Annular Solar Eclipse)

************************************************************************
From 583 Before Common Era BC To 534 Before Common Era BC

Teia Tephi landed at Howth on the 18th. of June 583 B.C., and was greeted there and carried ashore by Eochaidh Mac Duach, the Ard ri (high king) of Ireland. She spent that night at Howth staying at the palace of Crimthann which was built on the Hill of Howth.

The next day Teia Tephi was taken to Cathair Crofinn (now known as The Hill of Tara), where she married Eochaidh, the high king of Ireland, and they gave their pledges of marriage over the Lia Fail Stone (Jacob's Pillar - The Stone of Destiny) that Teia Tephi had brought with her from Jerusalem. She then stood upon the Lia Fail Stone and was acknowledged queen of all Ireland and Eochaidh as Ard ri. Tephi and Eochaidh had four children, her firstborn son, Aedh, died as a teen-ager and was buried in the at Tara.

A special subterranean tomb was constructed beneath the Mound of The Hostages and Teia Tephi was buried in it, when she died, along with a number of extremely significant artifacts including David's Harp, which features as the Irish people's national emblem.

The battle of the second Moytura (meaning

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Informative and well made lectures

Prof. Cline is the guy when it comes to archeology being mixed with history! I enjoyed about these lectures is the style in which the information was presented.

Starting chronologically, Prof. begun with what history said about an era or an event then talked about where historical facts go or do not go in parallel with archeological findings. If you are looking for the most recent archeological findings, this is the book.

Finally, Mr. Cline is great storteller, so you will not get bored listening to these amazing lectures.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

History of Israel

Would you consider the audio edition of The Modern Scholar to be better than the print version?

I love the audio version. It is much easier to listen to while I am driving or working around the house. I always love printed material over audio material. There are benefits to both. On printed material I can write my notes. that is the major advantage to me.

What did you like best about this story?

I like the way the teacher went in chronological order and he keep the story succinct and easy to understand. He was not wordy or verbose.

What about the narrator’s performance did you like?

He spoke at a nice pace.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The Jewish revolts and the capture of the eagle standard.

Any additional comments?

This was a exhaustive study of the people of Israel from the bible to now. he included biblical information and historical faces and other helpful information. I highly recommend it!!!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A very good piece of work!

What did you love best about The Modern Scholar?

An excellent introduction to a very complex and long history. We learn the state of the latest diggings and archeological hypothesis and at the same time, we always keep in mind the biblical framework.

Ancient Israel is a fascinating civilization, with fascinating and incredibly influential history, which is rather extraordinary given the small size of the state and the very short lenght of its political autonomy (compared with Egypt or Rome).

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great lectures

Fantastic lectures, lots of references to the sources, love listening to the readings of original documents. Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Modern Scholar

The narrator is absolutely atrocious. If you want to listen to someone swallowing constantly, this is for you. Very distracting and honestly quite annoying. I will be careful not to purchase anything read by this person. Also quite negative in his conclusions.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Excellent course. Professor Cline is awesome. Shut the TV off, and learn something. I bought and read 1177 BC 3 times and also bought the audiobook which Cline does not narrate. Then I sought to find other books by him and heard his voice the first time with Intro to Biblical archaeology, which is a great short book, like 5-6 hours. Cline presents all views, both Biblical Maximists & Minimalists along with those who are grounded like he is, to understand possible bias when reading some interpretations of what the ditch diggers find. This audiobook was my logical next choice as a 3rd purchase of his work. Too bad the Modern Scholar website is gone.

I will seek to buy further books by this author including his LBA text book. And if you want my opinion, stop watching worthless celebrities on TV and learn something with the superstars of Academia and you don't have to spend tens of thousands in school as I did, and I refuse to do again.

I shut off the music while I work and play audiobooks. after reading code all day or editing/tv/doing graphics, all computer work, I found it hard to really dig into studies because I'm only doing research and not testing out of a course. My eyes need a rest.

Find the time to learn something new. Any major reading I do is in the morning prior to working and audio books allow me to continue research without having to read them multiple times. Cline has something specific I've been looking for creating characters.

Maybe that gives someone here an idea of how to work things into your schedule. I listen to Audible on multiple devices. Always download from the site for iTunes/media player FIRST then Kindle or you may have to call for them to reset the download type. So that bit of tech info is worth reading this long post :D If you have a problem audible will reset the download type to download on PC/Mac too.

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