Law in kings

Johnson, Dylan 2024. Law in kings. Richelle, Matthieu and McKenzie, Steve, eds. Oxford Handbook on Kings, Oxford University Press,

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Abstract

Law was a foundational social institution and a central motif of royal ideology in the ancient Near East. The biblical books of Kings, however, offer only limited insight into ancient Israel’s and Judah’s legal traditions. This article examines the themes of law and justice in 1–2 Kings, as they appear in moralizing legal narratives, in descriptions of judicial oaths, and in the ratification of political treaties. It assesses the obstacles confronted when trying to use biblical narratives as sources of juridical information, and how to balance traditional methods of exegesis with legal interpretations of a given text. Nonetheless, it affirms that by comparing and contrasting the legal narratives of Kings, Pentateuchal law, and extrabiblical evidence, a more holistic picture emerges of the relationship between biblical law and the legal cultures of Israel and Judah.

Item Type:	Book Section
Status:	In Press
Schools:	History, Archaeology and Religion
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BM Judaism B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BS The Bible K Law > K Law (General)
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2023 11:44
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/164507

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