The course will introduce students to the Hebrew Bible ("Old Testament") in its ancient Near Eastern setting. Key concepts such as God, worship, the afterlife, and history, will be scrutinized through a careful reading of a selection of Biblical texts including the Creation and Garden of Eden narratives in Genesis, the laws of Deuteronomy, the prophecies of Isaiah, and the poetry of Psalms. Particular attention will be paid to questions of authorship--possible dating, social setting, and original audience; and to transformations that the texts underwent through a continuous process of transmission and interpretation.