Writing the Bible: Origins of the Old Testament, by Martien Halvorson-Taylor
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Writing the Bible: Origins of the Old Testament
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Ever since I read Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard Elliott Friedman in 1990s I have felt reasonably well informed about the origins of the Old Testament. I've since occasionally read various articles that indicate that some scholars no longer accept the documentary hypotheses. Thus when I saw these lectures by respected scholar Martien Halvorson-Taylor I decided to update my knowledge.
These ten lectures provide a good description of how ancient oral songs and stories collessed into the identity of an emerging nation of Israel and how these traditions came to be written down, reinterpreted, and gathered into a collection of books we now know as the Hebrew Bible. I now feel a bit more familiar with current scholarship, and I am particularly impressed with the supplemental material referenced in the lectures that are available at the following link: https://www.martienhalvorsontaylor.co...
At numerous times in the lectures and at the end of each lecture the above link was referenced for those who wanted to read more on the subject. These lectures combined with the supplemental material at the link is equivalent to a three hour college credit course on the subject (in my opinion).
I didn't learn anything in these lectures that would discredit the general concept of the torah being a composite of earlier sources that were probably compiled during the Persian period with some editing done later. Modern science has added precision to the dating of various sources which wasn't available to Julius Wellhausen when he developed the documentary hypothesis, so some of the details of his original hypothesis are probably not correct. But the general concept of multiple sources I find convincing. Here's a visual aid to help distinguish the sources of the Pentateuch.
The textual study of Noah's flood at this link demonstrates how the story of the flood as described in the book of Genesis is made up of two independent narratives that have been combined. This to me seems near conclusive verification of separate J and P sources.
I was amazed at the differences in the book of Esther between the Greek Septuagint version and the medieval standardized Hebrew Bible. I learned that in the Greek version Esther fainted when presented to the King, but not in the Hebrew version. There are considerably more details provided in the Greek version and thus it is longer. This linkshows additions A, B, C, and D that were added in the Greek text. The Greek additions make it a better short story from a literary point of view (in my opinion).
[According to Greek legend the Septuagint was translated by seventy-two translators in separate rooms, and they all came up with identical translations. Two things are evident. (1) It had to be miracle, and (2) the spirit led them to improve on the original Hebrew by adding verses.]
These ten lectures provide a good description of how ancient oral songs and stories collessed into the identity of an emerging nation of Israel and how these traditions came to be written down, reinterpreted, and gathered into a collection of books we now know as the Hebrew Bible. I now feel a bit more familiar with current scholarship, and I am particularly impressed with the supplemental material referenced in the lectures that are available at the following link: https://www.martienhalvorsontaylor.co...
At numerous times in the lectures and at the end of each lecture the above link was referenced for those who wanted to read more on the subject. These lectures combined with the supplemental material at the link is equivalent to a three hour college credit course on the subject (in my opinion).
I didn't learn anything in these lectures that would discredit the general concept of the torah being a composite of earlier sources that were probably compiled during the Persian period with some editing done later. Modern science has added precision to the dating of various sources which wasn't available to Julius Wellhausen when he developed the documentary hypothesis, so some of the details of his original hypothesis are probably not correct. But the general concept of multiple sources I find convincing. Here's a visual aid to help distinguish the sources of the Pentateuch.
The textual study of Noah's flood at this link demonstrates how the story of the flood as described in the book of Genesis is made up of two independent narratives that have been combined. This to me seems near conclusive verification of separate J and P sources.
I was amazed at the differences in the book of Esther between the Greek Septuagint version and the medieval standardized Hebrew Bible. I learned that in the Greek version Esther fainted when presented to the King, but not in the Hebrew version. There are considerably more details provided in the Greek version and thus it is longer. This linkshows additions A, B, C, and D that were added in the Greek text. The Greek additions make it a better short story from a literary point of view (in my opinion).
[According to Greek legend the Septuagint was translated by seventy-two translators in separate rooms, and they all came up with identical translations. Two things are evident. (1) It had to be miracle, and (2) the spirit led them to improve on the original Hebrew by adding verses.]
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- Other Apps
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