DOCUMENTARY HYPOTHESIS Meaning and
Definition
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The documentary hypothesis is a theory in biblical scholarship that attempts to explain the composition of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Torah or Pentateuch. According to this hypothesis, the Torah is not the work of a single author, such as Moses, but rather a product of multiple literary sources and redactions over time.
This theory suggests that the Torah was composed from four distinct written sources, known as the J, E, D, and P sources. Each source was allegedly written in different historical periods and reflected different theological perspectives. The J source, named after the use of the divine name Yahweh (Jahweh in German) for God, is believed to have been written around the 10th century BCE in the southern kingdom of Judah. The E source, named after its use of Elohim for God, was supposedly written during the 9th century BCE in the northern kingdom of Israel. The D source, which focused on laws and ethical teachings, is believed to have been composed in the 7th century BCE during the reign of King Josiah. The P source, concerned with priestly matters and rituals, is thought to have been written during or after the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE.
According to the documentary hypothesis, these different sources were later edited and combined by subsequent redactors to form the Torah as it exists today. These redactors harmonized, edited, and organized the sources, resulting in the interconnected narratives, laws, and theology found in the final composition. The documentary hypothesis has had a significant impact on biblical studies, stimulating further research and debates regarding the authorship and formation of the Torah.
Etymology of DOCUMENTARY HYPOTHESIS
The word "documentary hypothesis" comes from the fields of biblical studies and biblical criticism. It refers to a theory proposed by scholars in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that suggests that the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), were not written by a single author but rather composed from multiple sources.
The term "documentary" in this context refers to the idea that the Pentateuch is a composite work, created by combining different written sources, each with its own distinctive characteristics. These sources are commonly referred to as the "Jahwist" (J), the "Elohist" (E), the "Deuteronomist" (D), and the "Priestly" (P) sources.
