A Law Book for the Diaspora

"Those who have come to expect a provocative and stimulating challenge of the status quo from John Van Seters will not be disappointed in this book."-- The Toronto Journal of Theology "The effect of the book is to overturn more than a century of critical scholarship and to call for a complete reassessment of the standard positions on the development of the Bible and the history of Israel. The argumentation is detailed, careful and meticulous; the scholarship is top-shelf. It builds a compelling and revolutionary case, the importance of which can hardly be overstated."--Steven L. McKenzie, Author of King David: A Biography "In his characteristically incisive manner, John Van Seters proposes that the Book of the Covenant is not the oldest legal collection in the Hebrew Bible but arose centuries later as "a law for the diaspora." His argument, developed through careful comparison with other legal texts, turns long-held notions on their head. Van Seters has once again challenged biblical scholars to rethink their fundamental assumptions."--Douglas A. Knight, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Chair of the Graduate Department of Religion, Vanderbilt University "Those who have come to expect a provocative and stimulating challenge of the status quo from John Van Seters will not be disappointed in this book."-- The Toronto Journal of Theology "In his characteristically incisive manner, John Van Seters proposes that the Book of the Covenant is not the oldest legal collection in the Hebrew Bible but arose centuries later as "a law for the diaspora." His argument, developed through careful comparison with other legal texts, turns long-held notions on their head. Van Seters has once again challenged biblical scholars to rethink their fundamental assumptions."--Douglas A. Knight, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Chair of the Graduate Department of Religion, Vanderbilt University "The effect of the book is to overturn more than a century of critical scholarship and to call for a complete reassessment of the standard positions on the development of the Bible and the history of Israel. The argumentation is detailed, careful and meticulous; the scholarship is top-shelf. It builds a compelling and revolutionary case, the importance of which can hardly be overstated."--Steven L. McKenzie, Author of King David: A Biography