Blurb:

Diana Edelman devoted much attention to Benjamin. Philip Davies, Diana’s long time Sheffield colleague, elaborated the hypothesis of a Benjaminite prototype for the two biblical historiographies. This article deconstructs various rebuttals to Davies’ Benjaminite History of Israel that use Josiah’s reform to trump a Benjaminite prototype. Given the historical problems relative to Josiah, we conclude that a Benjaminite subtext for Joshua–Kings and for Chronicles remains a persuasive hypothesis. We suggest some additional episodes from the Book of Judges to those identified by Davies as part of the Benjaminite prototype.