The Book of Deuteronomy served as a kind of constitution for ancient Israel and later Judaism. The so-called Law of Offices, a passage at its center (Deut. 16:18-18:22), defines the roles of judges, kings, priests, and prophets. The essays in this book consider the significance of the text for today's theologians, political theorists, and legal scholars.
The Book of Deuteronomy contains a text of compelling relevance at its center - the so-called Law of Offices (Deut 16:18-18:22). Scholars have investigated this passage as an early type of constitutional law, especially for its definition of the responsibilities of four human authorities in ancient Israel: judges, kings, priests, and prophets. Indeed, this portrait of Israel's human leaders continues to fascinate us with possibilities, perhaps especially because of its enduring significance for political theorists and legal scholars even today. This volume presents contributions stemming in part from sessions of the Deuteronomy Program Unit of the Society of Biblical Literature. Leading experts in the field offer innovative essays on the passage. The essays are not directly related to each other, yet they share a common goal: investigating this important portion of Deuteronomy from either a theoretical or exegetical perspective.
Table of contents:
Bill T. Arnold: Introduction: Political Theory and Interpretive Possibilities in Deuteronomy 16:18-18:22
Francis Borchardt: Judges, King, Priest, Prophet: The Invention of Authority in Deuteronomy 16:18-18:22 -
Madhavi Nevader: Reading Politics and the Politics of Reading: Deuteronomy as Test Case -
Brent A. Strawn: Once again on Deuteronomic 'Constitutionalism': Revision, Amendment, and the Practice(s) of Reading -
Anselm C. Hagedorn: Judges between Sovereignty of Law and Limitations of Justice: Deut 16:18-20 in Its Mediterranean Context -
Carmen Palmer: Reframing Deuteronomy's Law of the King through the Lens of Israelite Identity
Bruce Wells: Political and Administrative Ideals in Deuteronomy and Sixth-Century Babylonia -
Bill T. Arnold: Deuteronomy's Justice Manifesto: The Significance of 'Correct Decision(s)' in Deut 16:18 -
Reinhard Müller: Instructions on Judiciary: A Fundamental Section of
Urdeuteronomium (Deut 16:18-20*; 17:8-13*) -
Kevin Mattison: Deuteronomy's Law of the King (Deut 17:14-20) as an Ancient Emoluments Clause: Protecting the King's Powers against Corruption -
Sandra Jacobs: Burning Children? Deuteronomy and Its Hermeneutic of Dissent
