An Introduction to Biblical Law

by William S. Morrow

Overview

Informed, accessible textbook on law collections in the Pentateuch

In this book William Morrow surveys four major law collections in Exodus–Deuteronomy and shows how they each enabled the people of Israel to create and sustain a community of faith.

Treating biblical law as dynamic systems of thought facilitating ancient Israel's efforts at self-definition, Morrow describes four different social contexts that gave rise to biblical law: (1) Israel at the holy mountain (the Ten Commandments); (2) Israel in the village assembly (Exodus 20:22–23:19); (3) Israel in the courts of the Lord (priestly and holiness rules in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers); and (4) Israel in the city (Deuteronomy).

Including forthright discussion of such controversial subjects as slavery, revenge, gender inequality, religious intolerance, and contradictions between bodies of biblical law, Morrow's study will help students and other serious readers make sense out of texts in the Pentateuch that are often seen as obscure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467447089
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	05/12/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	286
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

William S. Morrow is professor of Hebrew and Hebrew Scriptures at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. His previous books include Protest against God: The Eclipse of a Biblical Tradition.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ix

Preface xii

Abbreviations xiv

I Thinking About Biblical Law

1 Introduction: Water from Sinai 3

2 The Laws in Scripture: Dates and Origins 14

3 Biblical Law: Mosaic or a Mosaic? 23

4 Approaches to the Law: Text and Context 33

II Israel at the Holy Mountain

5 The Ten Commandments: Introduction 47

6 The Second Commandment: Revealing the Nature of God 59

Further reading: The Decalogue 69

III Israel in the Village Assembly

7 The Covenant Code: Introduction 73

8 Restoration or Revenge? The Case of the Goring Ox 86

9 The Bible and Slavery: Humanitarian Concerns 96

Further Reading: The Covenant Code 106

IV Israel in the Courts of the Lord

10 Priestly and Holiness Law: Introduction 109

11 The Tabernacle: A Palace in the Wilderness 118

12 Sacrifice: Communication and Community-Making 130

13 Gift Offerings: Commitment and Belonging 138

14 Hazards of the Holy Life 1: Debt Offerings 148

15 Hazards of the Holy Life 2: Food, Death, Sex, and Birth 159

16 The Holiness Code: Crops, Tattoos, and Loving Your Neighbor 171

17 Jubilee: Utopia or Practicality? 181

Further Reading: Priestly and Holiness Writings 191

V Israel in the City

18 Deuteronomy: Introduction 195

19 Covenant Theology and Religious Intolerance: Israel and the Canaanites 207

20 Revolution: Centralization of the Cult 217

21 Justice at the Gates: Capital Crimes and Judicial Reform 228

22 The Limits of Social Solidarity: Women in Deuteronomic Law 239

Further Reading: Deuteronomy 249

Summary Observations 251

Further Reading 258

Index of Subjects 261

Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Literature 265

Editorial Reviews

Bernard M. Levinson
-- University of Minnesota
"It is hard to imagine a clearer or more accessible introduction to biblical law. This is the product of a mature voice that offers a significant bridge between careful scholarship and theologically engaged readers. An impressive achievement."

Cheryl B. Anderson
-- Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
"William Morrow's Introduction to Biblical Law is the book that we have needed in this field. It summarizes the major law collections, covers the key interpretive methods used, and discusses contemporary applications. It is significant that this resource incorporates theological considerations, including New Testament parallels. Such content, along with the clear writing and lack of arcane language, means that Morrow's book can be used in congregational settings as well as academic ones. I am certainly looking forward to using it in my classes."

Bruce Wells
-- Saint Joseph's University
"Morrow is an outstanding biblical scholar and ideally suited to write this book. It's accessible and insightful, and it doesn't shy away from difficult scholarly or interpretive issues. While many people prefer the stories of the Pentateuch, Morrow demonstrates how fascinating and compelling the 'water from Sinai' (read the intro!) can be."

-- Review of Biblical Literature
"Morrow's book will be a useful guide particularly for readers seeking an accessible introduction to familiarize themselves with Old Testament legal texts."

-- Journal of Faith and the Academy
"An accessible and informative textbook dedicated to one method of analysis in order to uncover the intended meaning and purpose of the authors of the Pentateuch. Biblical studies and theology are difficult disciplines to master. Any student who wishes to enter into either world would do well to begin with Morrow's introductory survey."
-- Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
"William Morrow has produced a valuable resource for the study of biblical law. He has crafted a work that is simplistic enough to be accessible to the beginning student or interested layperson, yet insightful enough to be beneficial to the learned scholar."

From the Publisher