Book

Magic in the Ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible

This Cambridge Element introduces the reader to the fascinating world of magical rituals performed in the ancient Near East and ancient Israel.

Author

Ilan Peled

Date

22 July 2026

Links

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Magic in the Ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible

This Cambridge Element is designed for a diverse audience of professionals, students, and general readers. It surveys the definitions and history of research on magic in the ancient world, delineates the chronological and geographical boundaries of the ancient Near East, and details the pertinent sources of information. The Element distinguishes between different types of magical rituals and identifies their aims, beneficiaries, performers, and procedures. It sheds fresh light on the mechanics of ritual performance in the ancient Near East and explicates the rationales that guided it.