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Durham E-Theses
Codes as Constitution: The Development of the Biblical
Law-Codes from Monarchy to Theocracy
HU, HUIPING
How to cite:
HU, HUIPING (2009) Codes as Constitution: The Development of the Biblical Law-Codes from Monarchy
to Theocracy , Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online:
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Abstract

As a result of influence from assyriology and the sociology of law, the
Hebrew legal texts have commonly been categorised in recent study as ancient law-
codes analogous to the cuneiform codes recovered from the ancient Near East. This
has not led, however, to a more constructive and decisive stage in the study of
biblical law, and conceptual and methodological problems have been imported from
each field. The current interpretative models of the texts, in terms either of legislative,
or of non-legislative functions, fail to provide a coherent explanation for their
formation.
This thesis is to contrive a fair and neutral approach that can embrace
different types of law on the one hand, and make allowance for legal development on
the other. Abandoning more casual modern presuppositions about the character of
law and of legal systems, the analysis takes as its starting-point the basic concept of
law universally accepted by scholars of jurisprudence, and shifts the debate from the
old question of whether these ancient codes were “law” or “not law” to questions
about why and how these ancient law-codes could have been formulated and
functioned in their contemporary societies. The analysis also looks beyond the
cuneiform law-codes and concepts of kingship in the ancient Near East, to other
early laws developed in different cultures, such as Athens and imperial China.
Against such a historical and conceptual background, the conceptual leap
reflected in the Torah from common monarchical law to the constitution of theocracy
is examined within the changing socio-historical contexts of Israel itself, from the
period of the monarchy through to the Exile. While the initial development of the
Hebrew law is thus reconstructed in accord with the general position of monarchical
law in ancient empires, the legal breakthrough made in the Torah will be associated
with exilic Israel, which transformed the concept of law and the socio-political
system for the purpose of reconstituting the nation.

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Acknowledgements

For someone from East Asia, doing a PhD in Classical Hebrew Law in
Britain has been a culture-cross adventure and a journey of self-rediscovery and
reconstruction. Without all kinds of support that I received over years, this thesis
could not have been so well-developed and completed.
I would like to express my great gratitude to those known and unknown
donors, who, via the organisation of Asia Opportunity, provided me with all the
financial means for my overseas studies, first for my M.Th in biblical translation and
exegesis in Singapore (Trinity Theological College) and then a PhD in Durham
University. I am always in their debt and wish that the completion of this thesis
would bring them some joy and satisfaction.
My unreserved gratitude also undoubtedly goes to my supervisor, Dr. Stuart
Weeks, for his constant encouraging and challenging throughout my PhD studies.
His broad knowledge of the Hebrew literature and his familiarity with the ancient
Near Eastern literature enabled him to point out the direction of my studies in the
first place. His insightful suggestions and constructive critics were indispensable in
the shaping of my thesis over the years. His tireless emphasis on conceptual
coherence and literary precision forced me to constantly refine my thesis, and
whereby its potentials were realised. As a foreign student, I especially appreciate his
openness and tolerance when we disagreed with each other, which allowed and
inspired me to build a thesis in present form.
I would also like to say thanks to my Akkadian instructor, Dr Johannes
Haubold, who commented on those chapters regarding the cuneiform law-codes in
Mesopotamia, and impressed me with his instant responses and detailed notes.
Thanks also to Prof. Robert Hayward, for kindly discussing with me certain issues I
raised and for advising me how to accommodate different points of view in my thesis.
Thanks also to Dr Carol Harrison and Prof. Loren Stuckenbruck, for their
understanding and guidance in the time when I needed special support from the
Department.
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My thanks cannot end without mentioning those legal friends, for enriching
my understanding of modern western power structures and legal systems. My special
thanks are particularly reserved for Robert Ricks, who clarified certain legal concepts
for me as an expert in early English law and inspired me to a sophisticated
appreciation of the ancient laws. Thanks also to my friends, Keith, John, David, Joan
and Alison, for kindly commenting on my English.
Finally, a dearest thank to my parents and my extended family for their
tolerance of my absence and for always being there for me. I am grateful that they
never worried me with their problems, but tried their best to support me all the way
through. To them, my work is dedicated.

Hui-Ping Hu
2009, Durham

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Table of Contents

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………….i
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………..ii
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………….iv
Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………….viii
Main Text………………………………………………………………………..1-241

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….…1
A. The Imposition of Modern Concept of Law ………………………….….2
B. The Trouble with Oversimplified Generalisations ………………………9
C. Shifting the Agenda……………………………………………………..10
Chapter One: The Hebrew Law-Codes in Recent Scholarship………………13
A. Source Criticism and Historical Reading………………………………..14
B. Form Criticism and Comparative Study ………………………………..16
1. Form versus Function…………………………………………………17
2. Genre versus Content…………………………………………………20
3. Text in Context…………………………………………………….….21
C. The Legislative Approach……………………………………………….23
1. The Priority of Religious Rules………………………………………24
2. Theological Transformation of the Hebrew Codes…………………..25
3. Religious Elements Complementing State Law………………………27
D. The Non-Legislative Approach………………………………………….30
1. Law-Codes as a Second Source of Law……………………………….31
2. From Wisdom to Law–the Formation of the CC……………………...34
3. Law-Codes–Mistaking Scribal Advice for Law………………………38
E. Legal Breakthrough–from Monarchy to Theocracy……………………..42
1. The Concept of Law…………………………………………………...42
2. Law-Codes in their Contexts………………………………………….43
3. From Monarchical Code to Constitutional Law………………………44

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Chapter Two: The Character of the Cuneiform Codes………………………..45
A. The Literary Characteristics of the Cuneiform Codes…………………..46
1. Resemblances between the Codes and Omens………………………..47
2. The Criteria of Law……………………………………………………49
3. Definition, Source and Function of the Codes………………………...51
4. The Literary Formula of the Rules…………………………………….53
B. Legislative Interpretations……………………………………………….58
1. Royal Enactment of the Codes………………………………………..58
2. Law and State Reorganisation………………...……………………...61
3. The Imposition of Sanctions in the Codes…………………………….64
4. The Development of Law and the Legal System……………………...67
5. Cuneiform Rules in Context…………………………………………..72
C. Conclusion……………………………………………………………...74
Chapter Three: King, Law and Society in the ancient East………………..…75
A. Conceptual Relations between King and Gods…………………………75
1. The Concept of Kingship in Mesopotamia…………………………..76
2. Kingship Reflected in the Law-Codes……………………………….79
3. The King’s Role as a Legislator and Judge…………………………..82
B. From Individual Rules to Codified Laws……………………………….85
1. The Designation of the Codes………………………………………...85
2. The Source of the Codification……………………………………….86
3. The Process of Codification…………………………………………..92
C. The Position of Law in a Monarchical System………………………….94
1. The Position of Law in Relation to Kingship………………………...94
2. The Function of Monarchical Law…………………………………...96
3. The Judge’s Manner and Court Record……………………………..100
4. The Validity of the Monarchical Law……………………………….102
Conclusion……………………………………………………………105
Chapter Four: The Codification of Hebrew Law………………………………106
A. Contact between Mesopotamia and Palestine………………………….107
B. Internal Legal Development in Israel…………………………………..113
C. Judean Locus of the Formation………………………………………...116
D. The Codification of the CL (Exod 20:1 – 23:33)………………………118
1. The mishpatim (21.1-23.19)…………………………………………118
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2. The Altar Laws (20:22-26)………………………………………….121
3. The Decalogue (Exod 20:2-17)……………………………………..123
4. The Promulgation of the CL………………………………………...126
E. Legal Leap from Monarchical to Constitutional Law………………….129
1. King, Law and Reform………………………………………………130
2. DL in the Book of Deuteronomy…………………………………….133
3. Legal Breakthrough in the Torah…………………………………….136
Conclusion……………………………………………………………137
Chapter Five: The Development of the Concept of Yahweh’s kingship. ….139
A. The Concept of Divine Kingship in Contexts…………………….……140
1. Divine Kingship in Mesopotamia……………………………….…...140
2. Divine Kingship in Egypt……………………………………………141
B. The Establishment of State Religion in Israel………………………….143
1. The Establishment of the Centrality of Yahweh……………………..143
2. The Cultic forms of Israelite Religion……………………………….148
C. The Awakening of Nationalism………………………………………...150
D. Prophetic Teachings in the Eighth Century…………………………….154
1. The Call for Loyalty towards the National Deity……………………154
2. The Cry for Social Justice and Humanity……………………………156
E. Aniconic Movements in Royal Reforms……………………………….159
F. The Contribution of Hezekiah’s Reform………………………………..161
G. The Significance of Josiah’s Reform…………………………………...165
1. State Reorganisation…………………………………………………165
2. The Legacy of the Monarchy………………………………………...167
H. The Exilic Development of the Concept of Yahweh……………..…….168
1. The Universalism of Yahweh’s Kingship…………………………….168
2. Yahweh’s Kingship in Israelite Politics……………………………...170
Conclusion…………………………………………………………...172
Chapter Six: Covenant and Law……………………………………………….174
A. The Formation of the Concept of Covenant in Israel …………………174
1. The Interpretations of Covenant……………………………………175
2. New Covenant versus Old Covenant……………………………….179
B. Covenant and Law in the Torah……………………………………….183
1. Sinai Discourse— A Pivotal Point of Covenant……………………184
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2. Covenant and Law in Deuteronomy………………………………..185
C. Law and Covenantal Admonition……………………………………..187
D. Manumission Laws and Covenantal Society………………………….191
1. The Traditions of Humanitarian Care………………………………..191
2. Traditions in the Exilic Context……………………………………...195
Conclusion……………………………………………………………199
Chapter Seven: The Position of Hebrew Law in the Theocracy…………….201
A. The Theocratic Model in ancient Egypt……………………………….202
B. Human kingship in Yahwistic theocracy (17:14-20)…………………..204
1. Monarchic versus Theocratic Kingship……………………………..206
2. Theocratic Kingship in Context……………………………………..208
C. Yahwistic Theocracy and the Sole Sanctuary………………………….209
1. State Temple and Divine Kingship………………………………….209
2. The Implications of the Unnamed Site……………………………....211
D. Constitutional and Administrative Laws………………………………215
1. Law and the System of Justice (16:18-13)…………………………..215
2. Law and the Institution of Priesthood (18:1-8)……………………...222
3. Law and the Office of Prophets (18:15-22)………………………....223
E. The Legislative Position of Law in the Theocracy…………………….226
1. The Publication of the Law………………………………………….227
2. Legislative Status versus Function of Law …………………………233
Conclusion…………………………………………………………...235
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..237
Glossary…………..……………………………………………………………….242
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………246

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Abbreviations

AASOR Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research
AB Anchor Bible
ABD The Anchor Bible Dictionary
AfO Archiv für Orientforschung
AJA American Journal of Archaeology
AJCL American Journal of Comparative Law
AnBib Analecta Biblica
AOAT Alter Orient und Altes Testament
APD Archives de Philosophie du Droit
ArOr Archiv Orientální
AS Assyriological Studies
ATANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments
ATD Das Alte Testament Deutsch
BA Biblical Archaeologist
BAR Biblical Archaeology Review
BASOR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
BBB Bonner biblische Beiträge
BETL Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium
BI Biblical Interpretation
BibOr Biblica et Orientalia
BO Bibliotheca Orientalis
BWANT Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament
BZAW Beiheft zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
CAD The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of
Chicago. Chicago, 1956– )
CANE Civilizations of the Ancient Near East (4vols; ed. Jack M. Sasson;
New York: Scribner; London: Simon & Schuster, 1995)
CBC Cambridge Bible Commentary
CBOTS Coniectanea Biblica. Old Testament Series
CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly
CBR Canadian Bar Review
CHJ The Cambridge History of Judaism (ed. W. D. Davies and L.
Finkelstein. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984)
ChrH Chronicler’s History
CKLR Chicago-Kent Law Review
ConBOT Coniectanea Biblica: Old Testament
CRAI Comptes Rendus. Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
DATD Das Alte Testament Deutsch
DOTP Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch (ed. T. D.
Alexander and D. W. Balker; Illinois; Leicester: InterVarsity, 2003)
DtrH Deuteronomistic History
ErFor Erträge der Forschung
FHEAC Fondation Hardt. Entretiens sur l’antiquité classique
FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion and Literatur des Alten und Neuen
Testaments
FTS Frankfurter Theologische Studien
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