Egypt and Israel: The Never-Ending Story

The significant interrelations between Egypt and Canaan during the Late Bronze Age are well known and have been studied in depth by various scholars. In comparison, the close ties between Egypt and Israel during the Iron Age are far less so. However, despite the Egyptian withdrawal from Canaan at the end of the Late Bronze Age, intense contact between the two regions never ceased, although their documentation in the historical record is scarce. This article presents the different manifestations of Egypto-Israelite interrelations that can be observed in the archaeological record of ancient Israel. Such a presentation will provide a better understanding of the relations between the two regions during the formative time in ancient Israel's history.