Past, Present, Future : : The Deuteronomistic History and the Prophets / / edited by Johannes de Moor, H.R. van Rooy.

• Superior document: Oudtestamentische Studiën, Old Testament Studies ; 44
• Author: Old Testament Society of South Africa.
• TeilnehmendeR: Moor, Johannes de,; Rooy, H.R. van,; Old Testament Society of South Africa.; Oudtestamentisch Werkgezelschap in Nederland en België.
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden; , Boston : : BRILL,, 2000.
• Year of Publication: 2000
• Language: English
• Series: Oudtestamentische Studiën, Old Testament Studies ; 44.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (352 pages)

In the politico-religious history of the Deuteronomists, past, present and future mingle in an often inextricable way. Long obsolete traditions, which had been unacceptable to the Davidic dynasty, were rediscovered and adapted to the aims of the Deuteronomists. Personages of the past were condemned and blackened in the light of the new ideology, whereas others were glorified and embellished as heroes of faith because their ideas suited the historians. This inevitably raises the question whether the Bible can be trusted as a source book for writing a history of Israel. Apparently not, say scholars like T.L. Thompson, P.R. Davies and N.P. Lemche. In this volume a number of authors take up this challenge, stating that the radical rejection of the biblical testimony in favour of a history based mainly on archaeology is ill-advised. Several contributions to this volume draw instructive parallels between the process of re-writing the history of South Africa and the work of the Deuteronomists.