Deuteronomy 14.3-21: An Early Exemplar of Rewritten Scripture?

The almost verbatim parallels of the dietary laws in Lev. 11 and Deut. 14 have baffled scholars for a long time. We reexamine the evidence, offer a novel approach to determining the direction of dependency, and point out the notable similarities the borrowing bears to Second Temple editorial and redactional practices, drawing on recent Qumran scholarship. We conclude that Deut. 14.3-21 may be one of the earliest specimens of Rewritten Scripture.

Automated summary

Scholars have long been puzzled by the almost identical parallels of dietary laws in Lev. 11 and Deut. 14. By reexamining the evidence and drawing on Qumran scholarship, they suggest that Deut. 14.3-21 may be one of the earliest examples of Rewritten Scripture, showing notable similarities to Second Temple editorial practices.