Eryl W. Davies is Professor Emeritus of Hebrew Bible at Bangor University, UK. His previous publications include Prophecy and Ethics: Isaiah and the Ethical Traditions of Israel (1981); a commentary on Numbers in the New Century Bible Commentary Series, and The Dissenting Reader: Feminist Approaches to the Hebrew Bible (2003)

Eryl W. Davies discusses the ethically problematic passages of the Hebrew Bible and the way scholars have addressed aspects of the bible generally regarded as offensive and unacceptable.

Chapter 1

Introduction
The Ethically Problematic Passages of the Hebrew Bible: An Overview
Violence and Warfare in the Hebrew Bible - recent discussions of the subject
Holy War and its Ramifications - the biblical account of the conquest of Canaan in Joshua 6-11
Conclusion
Chapter 2
The Evolutionary Approach
Rise of the Evolutionary Approach - scholars during the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries
The Evolutionary Approach and the Holy War Tradition
(a) Advantages of the Evolutionary Approach
(b) Weaknesses of the Evolutionary Approach
Conclusion
Chapter 3
The Cultural Relativists' Approach
The Theory of Cultural Relativism
Cultural Relativism and the Hebrew Bible
Cultural Relativism and the Holy War Tradition
(a) Advantages of the Cultural Relativists' Approach
(b) Weaknesses of the Cultural Relativists' Approach
Conclusion
Chapter 4
The Canonical Approach
Introduction
The Canon within the Canon Approach
The Canon within the Canon Approach and the Holy War Tradition
(a) The Advantages of the Canon within the Canon Approach
(b) The Weaknesses of the Canon within a Canon Approach
The Holistic Approach
The Holistic Approach and the Holy War Tradition
(a) The Advantages of the Holistic Approach
(b) The Weaknesses of the Holistic Approach
Conclusion
Chapter 5
The Paradigmatic Approach
Introduction
The Paradigmatic Approach and the Holy War Tradition
(a) The Advantages of the Paradigmatic Approach
(b) The Weaknesses of the Paradigmatic Approach
Conclusion
Chapter 6
The Reader Response Approach
Introduction
The Reader Response Approach and the Holy War Tradition
(a) The Advantages of the Reader Response Approach
(b) The Weaknesses of the Reader Response Approach
Conclusion
Chapter 7
Conclusion