The Documentary Hypothesis
| The Torah is a combination of several sources |
| E (for 'el'), a text from the north |
| J (J for 'Jehovah'), a text from the Judah |
| P (for 'Priestly'), a text reflecting the interests of the Aaronid priests of Jerusalem |
| D (for 'Deuteronomist'), a text reflecting the interests of the priests of Shiloh |
| Story of the Fall (3:1-24) is a continuation of the J creation story |
When and why was the Tanakh (= OT) assembled? |
| major prophets: Isaiah part 1, Micah, Hosea |
| J and E combined as JE (722-586 BCE) |
| P written as alternate account (reign of Hezekiah? 727-698 BCE) |
| Exile (including period just before and after) |
| Jeremiah (d. 587) and Ezekiel, Isaiah part 2 |
| D (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings) |
| reign of Josiah? (639-609? BCE) |
| 'discovery' of the 'book of the law' in the Temple in 622 |
| an attempt to restrict sacrifice to the temple |
| exile in Babylon? (586-538 BCE) |
| to preserve all the traditions and restore the religion of the Hebrews |
| to help ensure that the Babylonian exiles have control of religion/state |
| to restore the temple (cf. 1 Kings 6-7), or |
| produce a text that replaces the temple |
| to centralize worship in the hands of the Temple priests in Jerusalem |
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