This book mainly focuses on the centrality of the institution of family in order to maintain a sustainable Israelite social order. It deals with the roles and functions of the family as found in the Deuteronomistic tradition of the Old Testament. It analyses selected texts of the Deuteronomistic Tradition using the Sociological Reading of the biblical text to understand the roles and functions of the family as the mechanism which sustains and maintains the people's social and religious stability. It reveals that the future of Israelite society as well as today's social order depends to a great extent on the success or failure of the family. In that sense, this book reveals that the family acts as the foundation of the nation on which the structure of the social order is based. Contents Preface Prologue 1: General Introduction 1.1. Introductory Remark 1.2. The Problem and its Importance 1.3. Scope and Limitation 1.4. Explaining the 'Lead Terms' 1.5. Previous Research 1.6. Methodology 1.7. Concluding Remark 2: Nature and Dynamics of the Family: A Sociological Overview 2.1. Introductory Remark 2.2. Types of Family 2.3. Basis for the Universality of Family 2.4. Changes in Family Patterns and Life 2.5. Family in Ancient West Asia 2.6. Nature and Dynamics of Family in the Old Testament 2.7. Concluding Remark 3: The Social World of Family in the Deutoronomistic Tradition: A Socio-Historical Survey 3.1. Introductory Remark 3.2. Israelite Society as Portrayed in the Deuteronomistic Tradition 3.3. The Deuteronomic Reformation 3.4. Deuteronomic Reformation and Its Interface with the Family Motif 3.5. Concluding Remark 4: Family in the Deuteronomistic Tradition: A Sociological Reading of Selected Family Texts 4.1. Introductory Remark 4.2. Positive View and Emphasis on the Family 4.3. Negative View and Emphasis on the Family 4.4. Concluding Remark 5: Significance of Deuteronomistic Emphases on Family 5.1. Deuteronomistics Emphases on Family 5.2. Significances of Deuteronomistic Emphases on Family for the Israelite Social Order 5.3. Significances of Deuteronomistic Family Motifs for Today's Context Bibliography Rev. Dr. F. H. Liansangzuala is an ordained Pastor of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church of India. After he had worked as Pastor in Mizoram for some time, he taught at Bishop's College, Kolkata. He is now an Associate Professor at the Aizawl Theological College, Aizawl, Mizoram; teaching in the Department of Old Testament. He received his B.D. and M.Th degrees from Aizawl Theological College and D.Th from SATHRI, Senate of Serampore College (University).