Sat. Mar 7th, 2026

Literature Review

Romer 2023 The Doyen of DtrH: Thomas Römer 10 min read

The Doyen of DtrH: Thomas Römer

Matthew Saunders December 18, 2024
This is the fourth post in our series on the Deuteronomistic History (DtrH). Here, we cover Thomas Römer's substantial contributions to understanding DtrH which have earned him the title of the doyen of Deuteronomistic scholarship. Römer argues for a Deuteronomistic “library” composed over three stages reflecting evolving historical and theological concerns. His model synthesizes earlier theories while offering a nuanced view of DtrH’s complex development.... Read More
Sara Milstein: A (Brief) Literature Review 7 min read

Sara Milstein: A (Brief) Literature Review

Matthew Saunders October 26, 2024
TL;DR: Sara Milstein, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at UBC, will deliver the 2024 Samuel Iwry Lecture at Johns Hopkins on Monday, October 28, 2024. She works on the literary history of the HB, biblical and Mesopotamian law, ANE scribal culture, and Mesopotamian literature. In this post, I briefly review her three books in which she challenges traditional views on biblical law, highlights ancient scribal practices, and explores the evolution of the Gilgamesh epic.... Read More
Image of Martin Noth The Deuteronomistic History: Two Milestones in the History of Scholarship 5 min read

The Deuteronomistic History: Two Milestones in the History of Scholarship

Matthew Saunders September 4, 2024
One of my doctoral seminars this semester is on the Deuteronomistic History (DtrH). This post is the first in a series that analyzes recent and current scholarship on the DtrH. In this inaugural post, we discuss Martin Noth’s initial theory of a single exilic author and Frank Moore Cross’s expansion to two deuteronomistic redactions, one during Josiah’s reign and the other during the exile.... Read More