Pentateuch Quote by Joshua A. Berman
““As shown in chapter 2, the Pentateuch largely rejects the monarchic principle as it was construed elsewhere, often with a religiously sanctioned central government, a professional army, and an elite class of charioteers. Instead, the biblical laws seek to advance a mode of production and an accompanying set of power relations that will build up the whole society, serving the greatest number of people, rather than a political or financial elite.31 While””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Politics of the Pentateuch, 2020
Biblical law favors communal welfare over elite power structures.
In simple terms: Law promotes the many, not the few.
Key Takeaway
Support equitable systems.
Themes
justice
community
power
economics
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
scholarly
explanatory
When to use this quote
- policy making
- community organizing
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
social contract
distribution of wealth
Questions to Reflect On
- How can ancient texts inform modern equity?
- What limits exist in applying ancient law today?
A Different Perspective
Complex historical contexts may differ.
![“[Sacrifice of Isaac] is a major theme of the so-called Elohist [one authorial strand in the Pentateuch]. It is marked by all of his linguistic characteristics, and so on. We cannot determine what is historical and what isn't. As literary critics, we would understand the importance of this for…” quote by Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7b3/frank-moore-cross-14963_characteristics_sacrifice-of-isaac-is-a-major-theme-of-t_309064.jpg)
![“I want to go back to the child I used to be, and to read with the same naiveté [the Pentateuch]. I want to leave science aside and go back to the pure perception offered to me in the text that is waiting there for me year after year.” quote by Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fa4/elie-wiesel-341_children_i-want-to-go-back-to-the-child-i-used-to_1311866.jpg)
