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Michael Avioz builds on his earlier work on Josephus as an exegete, providing a comprehensive study of Josephus' contribution to the crystallization of the Halakha that focuses on the similarities (and dissimilarities) between his work and the tannaitic sources, as well as contemporary second temple sources.Avioz begins by providing a clear definition of Halakha, and offering an explanation of methodology and sources. He then exmaines the structure and contents of the Pentateuch in Josephus' writing, moving on to more specific coverage of the Decalogue in the work of Josephus and its relation to other laws in the Pentateuch. Chapters follow on the laws in the books of Leviticus-Deuteronomy and on laws that appear outside the Pentateuch. Throughout, Avioz makes close comparisons between biblical laws and Josephus' rewriting of them, and considers the reasons behind this rewriting and the origins of the texts that Josephus may have had access to in his exegetical work. As a result Avioz is able to draw clear conclusions about the interpretative traditions that Josephus had access to and worked within, and about how he used them in his writing.>
List of contents
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction Chapter 1: The Laws of Exodus in Josephus
Chapter 2: The Laws of Leviticus in Josephus' Writings
Chapter 3: The Laws of the Book of Numbers in Josephus
Chapter 4: The Laws of Deuteronomy in Josephus
Chapter 5: Juxtaposition in Josephus' Rewriting of the Laws
Chapter 6: Reasons for the Commandments in Josephus' Writings
Chapter 7: Josephus' Perspective on Defining Moses as a Lawgiver or Mediator
Chapter 8: Was Josephus Influenced by Roman Law?
Conclusions
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Dr. Michael Avioz is an associate Professor teaching at the department of Bible at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. Dr. Avioz is the author of two books and numerous scholarly articles. In recent years he has been working on Josephus' interpretation of the Hebrew Bible.
