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The Documentary Hypothesis. The Beginnings of the Historical-Critical Method. Documentary Hypothesis. Until the late 1600s Moses was believed to be the author of the Torah or Pentateuch. To this day the Torah/Pentateuch can be referred to as “The Books of Moses.”.
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The Documentary Hypothesis The Beginnings of the Historical-Critical Method
Documentary Hypothesis • Until the late 1600s Moses was believed to be the author of the Torah or Pentateuch. • To this day the Torah/Pentateuch can be referred to as “The Books of Moses.”
From there Abraham journeyed toward the region of the Negeb…While residing in Gerar as an alien, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” (Gen. 20:1-2) So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said “She is my sister.” (Gen. 26:6-7) Richard Simon (1638-1712) noticed that some stories in Genesis were very similar. He developed the theory that the Pentateuch was a compilation of a number of sources. Some of these sources could have been derived from Moses. Documentary Hypothesis
Documentary Hypothesis • Simon proposed that Ezra was responsible for the final form of the Pentateuch. • Thus, the Torah was a product of the postexilic period; the fifth century B.C.
Documentary Hypothesis • Not too much later Jean Astruc (1684-1766) noticed something odd about some lines in Genesis 2. • One referred to God as Elohim. See blue arrow: • The other used Yhwh. See turquoise arrow:
Documentary Hypothesis • Astruc suggested that Moses compiled the Pentateuch/Torah from two different written documents and other minor texts. • His approach gave rise to the documentary hypothesis. • From this time forward Moses was no longer considered the direct author of the Pentateuch/Torah.
Julius Wellhausen • In 1878 Julius Wellhausen publishedProlegomena to the History of Ancient Israel. • In it he refined Astruc’s Documentary Hypothesis even further.
Documentary Hypothesis • Wellhausen proposed that the Pentateuch was composed from four main sources. • J = Yahwist • E = Elohist • D = Deuteronomist • P = Priestly writer
Documentary Hypothesis • Wellhausen established the criteria for the classical theory of the documentary hypothesis. • Since then, proponents use five literary identifiers to distinguish the sources.
Documentary Hypothesis • duplication and repetition of material; • variation in the ways of referring to God; • contrasting author perspectives; • variation in vocabulary and literary style; • evidence of editorial activity.
Documentary Hypothesis Yahwist • Called “J” because Yahweh is spelled with J in German • This source calls God Yahweh • Believed to date to the end of David’s reign or to the period of Solomon. Solomon David
Documentary Hypothesis Yahwist • It reflects Southern traditions. • Thus, it emphasizes Judah. That is… • Judah as the son of Jacob or • Judah as the area that the tribe of Judah occupied.
Documentary Hypothesis Yahwist Style • Prefers the narrative style and stories; • Frequently uses puns; • Uses the term “Sinai” for God’s mountain; • Calls indigenous people “Canaanites”; • God is anthropromorphic.
Documentary Hypothesis Elohist • Called “E” because this source calls God Elohim. • Believed to date to the reign of Omri and Ahab. Another famous Ahab
Documentary Hypothesis Elohist • It reflects Northern traditions. • Thus, it emphasizes Israel. That is… • Israel as another name for Jacob or • Israel as the area that became the Northern kingdom after the schism with Judah.
Documentary Hypothesis Elohist Style • Prefers narrative style and stories of warning; • God speaks in dreams. God is distant; • Uses the term “Horeb” for God’s mountain; • Calls indigenous people “Amorites”; • Stresses the prophetic.
Documentary Hypothesis Deuteronomist • Called “D” because this source is characterized by the language and style of the Book of Deuteronomy. • Believed to date to the reign of Josiah and later The scroll found in the temple is read
Documentary Hypothesis Deuteronomist • God is Yahweh. • Emphasis on the whole land of Israel but… • Stresses fidelity to Jerusalem and… • The centrality of the Jerusalem temple.
Documentary Hypothesis Deuteronomist Style • Prefers long homiletic speeches; • Stresses Moses and Mosaic obedience; • Emphasizes the ethical; • Has many fixed phrases; • Uses military imagery.
Documentary Hypothesis • It is believed thatJE and Dmaterials were joined together sometime after 587 B.C. • This would have occurred during the early period of the Babylonian exile. A reconstructed view of Babylon
Documentary Hypothesis Priestly Writer • Called “P” because this source is influenced by priestly concerns. • Believed to date to 550 B.C., during the middle of the Babylonian exile. Judahite Priest with scroll
Documentary Hypothesis Priestly Writer • God is Elohim. • Emphasis is on the cult, cultic procedures and… • sacrificial laws. • Focuses on Judah and the covenant.
Documentary Hypothesis Priestly Writer’s Style • Style is generally lists and schemata • These lists are mostly genealogies… • and laws; • Main focus is on features of the cult and lists of types of sacrifices; • Majestic speech about God.
Documentary Hypothesis • Points about the Priestly source • It is never circulated as an independent document. • It largely reflects materials edited into the JED text. • Today much of this editing activity is believed to have occurred during the late Exilic or even the Post-exilic period c. 400 B.C.
Documentary Hypothesis Finis A Felini Molini production
