“Lest the King be Captured”: Legal Scripturalization in the King’s Guards Law of the Temple Scroll

This article explores the hermeneutical innovations and the process of scripturalization in the King’s Guards Law in the Temple Scroll. By highlighting the connections between the King’s Guards Law and various scriptural narratives concerning Israelite kingship, the article demonstrates the creative and dynamic development of new laws in the late Second Temple period. Additionally, by incorporating the literary voice and historical context of the Temple Scroll into the hermeneutical framework, this article shows how the King’s Guards Law is presented as new scripture aiming to correct past errors and transform the present, revealing the hope for a more perfect law and the ideal monarchy. This process of scripturalization elevates the authoritative status of the Temple Scroll, providing an important perspective on understanding the nature of legal scripture in the Second Temple Period.