An interesting survey of research conducted on the Tel Dan Inscription from its discovery in 1993 till around 2004; the author does a good job of laying out the different debates and perspectives on, for example, the date of the text, the originator of the text, the question of how to understand the perplexing word “bytdwd” (“House of David”?), and the inscription’s relevance for ancient Israelite history. The author tries his best to remain objective in the discussion, but he frequently shows his hand and clearly states his own thoughts throughout the book (for instance, he seems to have a bone to pick with the “minimalist” school). Still, he does a thorough job of laying out all of the main voices in the debate, allowing for each scholar to have a say in the matter (even though he usually gets in the last word). A book like this can only do so much, and in the decade and a half since the book’s publication much more has been said on the topic that would need to be included in an updated edition; but I found it to be a helpful entryway into the ongoing debate(s) about one of the most important archaeological finds in recent history.