Adoption Reference library
Pamela Barmash
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
Adoption can be defined as the establishment of a kinship relationship, usually as parent and child, between two individuals who
Amnesty and Reform Texts Reference library
Pamela Barmash
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
Amnesty and reform texts were edicts decreed by a king that intervened in economy and society, invalidating loans, pledges, and
Ancient Near Eastern Law Reference library
Pamela Barmash
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
The oldest documented law comes from the ancient Near East. The earliest legal texts come from about 2600
Animals Reference library
Phillip Michael Sherman
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
Animals are both the objects and subjects of legal concern in biblical texts. This fact must be underscored as it
Asylum Reference library
John F. Quant
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
“Asylum” refers to a place of refuge available to one who has committed a crime. In the Old Testament legislation
Biblical Law Reference library
Bruce Wells and Robert Matthew Calhoun
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
This entry contains two subentries: Hebrew Bible; and New Testament.
Blessing and Cursing Reference library
Christopher G. Frechette
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
Blessing and cursing comprise an antithetical pair of cross-cultural and panhistorical phenomena in which language is directed to affect an
Bloodguilt and Blood Feud Reference library
Assnat Bartor
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
To destroy a human life is the greatest sin. Bloodguilt is the culpability and accountability incurred when life is unjustifiably
Book of the Covenant Reference library
Eckart Otto
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
The title “Book of the Covenant”—or, the designation used below, the “Covenant Code”—is derived from Exodus 24:7, which describes
Byzantine Empire, Later Reference library
John Anthony McGuckin
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
“Byzantine” is a term used by eighteenth-century European scholars to discuss medieval Eastern Christian Roman affairs and has become standard
Calendar and Festivals Reference library
Jonathan Ben-Dov
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
Several different issues can be subsumed under the title “calendar.” These topics were sometimes interconnected, but mostly they operated separately
Capital Punishment Reference library
Aryeh Amihay
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
The most severe punishment in biblical law, the death penalty, is a legacy of Babylonian court law (such as the
Children Reference library
Kristine Henriksen Garroway
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
For the purposes of this entry, a child refers to a person from birth through puberty. In social terms this
Civil Law Reference library
George P. Fletcher
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
The core of every modern legal system is its “positive law,” namely the law made binding by the legislatures and
Commandments Reference library
Aryeh Cohen
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
This entry will deal with the problem of “commandment(s)” writ large before considering the so-called law codes of the Hebrew
Contemporary Jewish Religious Movements Reference library
Elliot N. Dorff, Michael J. Broyde, Mark Goldfeder, and Mark Washofsky
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
This entry contains three subentries: Conservative; Orthodox; and Reform.
Covenant Reference library
Pauline A. Viviano
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
Covenant is an important concept in both the Hebrew Bible and in the New Testament. It has received considerable scholarly
Crucifixion Reference library
Gunnar Samuelsson
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
The punishment of crucifixion is one of the most notorious forms of execution in history. One reason is certainly its
Dead Sea Scrolls Reference library
Alex P. Jassen
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
This article presents an overview of the legal texts among the Dead Sea Scrolls and examines their relationship to biblical
Debts, Loans, and Surety Reference library
Robin J. DeWitt Knauth
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law
Debt has been a reality of economic life since ancient times. The complex laws and traditional practices surrounding debt, loans,