Politics and Kingship in the Historical Books, with Attention to the Role of Political Theory in Interpretation
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Description
This chapter explores the thesis that the historical narratives of the Hebrew Bible address abstract ideas about politics, government, and law. Taking issue with critics who view the Bible’s spiritual and theological message as incommensurable with political philosophy, the chapter argues that the stories of politics and kingship in the Hebrew Bible’s historical books set forth set forth an impressive political theory that rivals, in some respects, the work of Plato, Aristotle, and other Greek thinkers. The key is to bring out the general ideas behind the specific narrative elements. The chapter illustrates this thesis by examining the Hebrew Bible’s treatment of a number of classic problems of political theory: anarchy, obligation and sovereignty, distributive justice, and the comparative analysis of political organizations.
Source Publication
The Oxford Handbook of the Historical Books of the Hebrew Bible
Source Editors/Authors
Brad E. Kelle, Brent A. Strawn
Publication Date
2020
Recommended Citation
Miller, Geoffrey P., "Politics and Kingship in the Historical Books, with Attention to the Role of Political Theory in Interpretation" (2020). Faculty Chapters. 1998.
https://gretchen.law.nyu.edu/fac-chapt/1998
