Description
Book SynopsisExamines the way homicide was prosecuted and punished in the Bible and shows how justice reflects the religion and culture of the Bible. The book compares the law of the Bible to the law of the ancient Near East.
Trade Review'Pamela Barmash's new book is compulsory reading for biblical scholars in general, scholars of biblical law in particular, and scholars of ancient Near Eastern law and culture. It is not far-reaching to claim that this book is essential for every scholar of ancient cultural and legal systems … Barmash's study of homicide in the biblical world is a shining example of comparative research.' Review of Biblical Literature
' … this is a valuable book, with a rich bibliography …' Themelios
Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. A first case, the story of Cain and Abel; 2. Blood feud and state control; 3. The development of the cities of refuge in the Bible; 4. Pollution and homicide; 5. Typologies of homicide; 6. Lex Talionis; 7. International law in the Ancient Near East; 8. Conclusion; 9. Excursus aeven: cuneiform sources on homicide.
