Prophets and Markets

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction: Prior to the Eight Century

   1. Introduction: Prior to the Eight Century

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 1-9

3. The Israelite Economy in the Eighth and Seventh Centuries B.C.E.

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 11-11

      PDF

   2. Specialized Production: Industry and Agriculture

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 13-27

   3. Adaptations to Spreading Markets: Brands, Management, and Warehouses

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 29-40

   4. Transport: Routes, Costs, and Monopoly Power

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 41-56

   5. The Economies of Israel’s Neighbors

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 57-64

   6. The Market for Factors of Production: Commercial Loans, Slavery, and Land Consolidation

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 65-81

   7. Living Standards: Consumer Durables

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 83-89

   8. Living Standards: Diet

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 91-100

   9. Living Standards: Luxury Consumption

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 101-110

   10. Living Standards: Income Distribution

       • Morris Silver

       Pages 111-119

4. The Call for Social Justice: Priests, Prophets, Proverbs, and Psalms

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 121-121

      PDF

   2. The Prophets as Social Reformers

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 123-138

   3. The Political Potency of the Prophets

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 139-142

   4. Prophetic Symbols and Ambitions

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 143-168

   5. The Joint Ministry of Priests and Prophets

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 169-176

   6. Songs and Words of Social Justice

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 177-187

5. The Implementation of Social Reform

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 189-189

      PDF

   2. Three Cultural Revolutions

      • Morris Silver

      Pages 191-211

5 by predations of the sea peoples. However, the weakening of Mycenean seapower, the destruction of the Hittite kingdom, and finally, the limitation on Philistine strength resulting from the alliance between David and the king of Tyre in the eleventh century, combined to open up "for the Phoenicians, in the first quarter of the first millennium B. C. E. vast overseas trading areas" (Oded 1979a, p. 228). By the end of the eleventh century, pottery from Cyprus, after a long absence could once again be found in Israelite-occupied sites (Albright 1960, p. 47). The expansion of the sea trade in the Mediterranean in which, judging by the song of Deborah (Judg. 5), the northern tribes of Asher and Dan (?) (see figure 1-2) would have parti­ cipated, was accompanied by the inauguration of camel caravans trans­ porting the goods of southern Arabia to and through Israel (see Bulliet 1975, especially p. 36). Military victories over the Philistines and Syrians, receipts of tribute, and the collection of tolls from the control of trade routes together with the general revival of trade all contributed to Israel's growing wealth. Indeed, the David-Solomon period (most of the tenth century) is often portrayed as the peak of Israelite economic development. In fact there is precious little extra­ biblical evidence supporting this portrayal. For example, in spite of the reported activity of David and Solomon's scribes, only one example of 6 "Hebrew" writing from this period, the Gezer Calendar, has been found.

• Expansion
• economic development
• economic growth
• income distribution
• political economy

• City College of the City University of New York, USA

  Morris Silver

Policies and ethics