Reading Law: The Rhetorical Shaping of the PentateuchA&C Black, 1. juuni 1999 - 192 pages Watts here argues that conventions of oral rhetoric were adapted to shape the literary form and contents of the Pentateuch. The large-scale structure-stories introducing lists of laws that conclude with divine sanctions-reproduces a common ancient strategy for persuasion. The laws' use of direct address, historical motivations and frequent repetitions serve rhetorical ends, and even the legal contradictions seem designed to appeal to competing constituencies. The instructional speeches of God and Moses reinforce the persuasive appeal by characterizing God as a just ruler and Moses as a faithful scribe. The Pentateuch was designed to persuade Persian-period Judaeans that this Torah should define their identity as Israel. |
Contents
7 | |
8 | |
11 | |
15 | |
32 | |
Chapter 3 INSTRUCTION | 61 |
Chapter 4 COMMANDMENT | 89 |
Chapter 5 LAW | 131 |
Postscript on Rhetorical Ethics | 162 |
Bibliography | 168 |
Index of References | 179 |
Index of Authors | 185 |
Index of Selected Topics | 188 |
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Common terms and phrases
ancient Near Eastern apodictic argued audience authority biblical law Blenkinsopp blessings and curses Blum Chapter characterization commandments context Covenant Code Crüsemann cult cultic Cuneiform Law Decalogue depicts describe Deut Deuteronomistic History Deuteronomy divine sanctions emphasizes Exod Exodus Ezra Genesis genre God's Hebrew Bible historical Holiness Code imperial inscription instructions Israel Israel's law Israelite Joshua JSOT JSOTSup Judean king law and narrative law codes law collections law-giver legal collections legislation Letoon Levinson Leviticus list and divine list and story literary literature mediation Mesopotamian Moab Moses motive clauses narrator O'Banion obedience Old Testament oral Patrick Penta Pentateuch's rhetoric Pentateuchal law Persian persuasive priestly prophetic public law readings public reading redaction religious repetition Rhetoric of Motives rhetorical analysis rhetorical strategy rhetorical theory ritual decalogue role royal Second Temple shaped Sheffield Sinai speaker speech structure Studien Temple texts Theology tion Torah tradition treaties voice words YHWH YHWH's