Pleins presents a full-scale sociological study of the Hebrew Bible. He seeks to uncover the Bible's social vision by examining the biblical statements about social ethics within a framework provided by Israel's social institutions, the social locations of its actors, and the historical struggles for power and survival that are reflected in the transmission of the texts. Each major section of the Hebrew Bible is investigated through the lens of a representative scripture passage.
This volume provides seminary and undergraduate students alike with a clear and comprehensive introduction to the Old Testament that also reveals a rich mosaic of social visions in ancient Israel.
