THE 511 Law and Ethics in the Hebrew Bible

This course examines the legal traditions of the Torah (Pentateuch) and what they reveal about the practice of law and ethics in ancient Israel and the wider biblical world. It then explores the reuse of these traditions in other portions of the Hebrew Bible and the growth of related traditions in prophetic and wisdom literature. The course acquaints students with how various biblical traditions developed over time to form the foundation for later rabbinic and Christian ethical thought.