Gender and Law in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East

What roles does gender play in the formulation of ancient law and custom? The answers contribute to feminist scholarship and legal history. This striking new contribution to gender studies demonstrates the essential role of Israelite and Near Eastern law in the historical analysis of gender. The theme of these studies of Babylonian, Hittite, Assyrian, and Israelite law is this: What is the significance of gender in the formulation of ancient law and custom? Feminist scholarship is enriched by these studies in family history and the status of women in antiquity. At the same time, conventional legal history is repositioned, as new and classical texts are interpreted from the vantage point of feminist theory and social history. Papers from the SBL Biblical Law Section form the core of this collection.