Theory and Method in Biblical and Cuneiform Law: Revision, Interpolation and Development

Research output: Book/ReportBook

Abstract

This seminal work, first published by Sheffield Academic Press in the JSOT Supplement Series, remains in demand among scholars of biblical and cuneiform law, as well as among all those interested in the Pentateuchal traditions. The essays in the collection focus on two crucial topics that have been too much neglected in recent debate on the formation of the Pentateuch: (1) biblical law, and the development of Israelite legal institutions, and (2) the significance of ancient Near Eastern law as a model for the composition and editorial history of the Pentateuch. To correct the imbalance, the contributors to this volume investigate whether the biblical and cuneiform legal corpora underwent a process of literary revision and interpolation. If so, what is the evidence for it, and how did such revision take place? If not, how are the textual phenomena to be explained?

The contributors are: Raymond Westbrook, Bernard M. Levinson, Samuel Greengus, Martin Buss, Sophie Lafont, Victor H. Matthews, William Morrow, Dale Patrick and Eckart Otto.
The volume will be of interest to students and specialists in biblical law, pentateuchal studies, and comparative legal history.

REVIEWS
Carolyn Jo Pressler, Religious Studies Review – December 12, 2022
A remarkable window on current scholarly debate among leading specialists … essential reading.

Norbert Lohfink, Zeitschrift für altorientalische und biblische Rechtsgeschichte – December 12, 2022
An extraordinarily instructive cross-section through current discussion.

Hector Avalos, Hebrew Studies – December 12, 2022
An important collection of essays which should be read by all those interested in current issues in biblical and cuneiform law.

Ferdinand Etienne Deist, Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages. – December 12, 2022
The title of the book says it all… The articles … make independent contributions to our knowledge of ancient Near Eastern law and provide the academic community with an important source of information.

Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationSheffield, UK
PublisherSheffield Phoenix
Number of pages212
ISBN (Print)978-1-905048-61-8
StatePublished - 2006

Bibliographical note

Levinson, Bernard M. Theory and Method in Biblical and Cuneiform Law: Revision, Interpolation and Development. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament: Supplement Series, vol. 181. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1994. Pp. 207. Introduction, pp. 9–14. Republished: Classic Reprints series, Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2006.

Keywords

  • Biblical law
  • Cuneiform Law
  • Raymond Westbrook
  • Laws of Hammurabi
  • Hittite Laws
  • Synchronic and Diachronic Method
  • Old Testmanet/ Hebrew Bible
  • Developmnet
  • Methodology
  • Covenant Code
  • Exodus
  • Deuteronomy
  • Interpolation
  • Source Criticism
  • Legal History
  • Slave laws
  • Manumission laws

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