How many books did Moses write?

Answer 1

Tradition says that Moses wrote 5 books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

However, there is no claim as to authorship made within the books themselves. Modern scholars who support the Sources Theory say that the Pentateuch had several authors and was only written during the first millennium BCE, a view that is also accepted by some Christians. After all, a late date for the Pentateuch does not undermine the message of The Bible.

A:Traditionally, Moses is thought to have written the first five books of the Old Testament, known to Christians as the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).

However, it is the strong consensus of biblical scholars that Moses did not write any of the Old Testament, and that the scriptures only began to be written many centuries after the time attributed to Moses. On this evidence, Moses did not write any books.

Answer 2

A:Traditionally, Moses is thought to have written the first five books of the Old Testament, known to Christians as the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).

However, it is the strong consensus of biblical scholars that Moses did not write any of the Old Testament, and that the scriptures only began to be written many centuries after the time attributed to Moses. On this evidence, Moses did not write any books.

Another view:

In the Bible itself, Moses is given credit for Psalm 90 in the superscription (and possibly 91),is generally acknowledged as the writer of Job, and spoken of in connection with his recording of the Law (in the Pentateuch) in Matthew 8:4, Luke 16:29, Luke 24:27, Romans 10:5, 1Corinthians 9:9, 2Corinthians 3:15, Hebrews 10:28.

Answer 3

Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. These books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, are often referred to as the Pentateuch or Torah.

Another answer:

Moses did not write any books that we know of. Rather (to quote Answers.com), " ... the Pentateuch was composed from four main sources: J---the source that uses the Tetragrammaton for the name of God, transcribed YHWH; E---the source the uses the name EIohim; P---the priestly code (primarily Leviticus); D---the Deuteronomistic source. Some claim to identify a JE source, one combining the first two enumerated above and appearing mainly from Exodus on. The view of different sources for the Pentateuch is also based among other things on the duplication of stories, such as the two accounts of the Creation (Gen. 1:1-2:3 and 2:4-24), or the taking of Sarah by Abimelech as recorded in Genesis 20 (E source) and the taking of Rebekah by Abimelech in Genesis 26" (J source).

Answer 4

Moses is credited with compiling and writing the first 5 Books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and most of Deuteronomy as the closing chapter(s) speak of his death and were probably written by Joshua, his successor.

Answer 5

A:No, the notion that Moses wrote some of the books in the Bible is only a tradition. Some find support for this belief in a passage where Moses was told to write something down. There are very sound reasons for statingthat Moses wrote nothing in the Bible.

Another Answer:

There are many New Testament quotes from Jesus Himself speaking of the things that Moses gave the people of the Exodus - the 10 Commands/Statements, Certificate of Divorce, etals which would cover the traditional first five books of the Bible. He even referred to it as the 'book of Moses.'

Mark 12:26New King James Version (NKJV)

26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?[a]

Answer 6

Traditionally, Moses is thought to have written the first five books of the Old Testament, known to Christians as the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).

However, it is the strong consensus of biblical scholars that Moses did not write any of the Old Testament, and that the scriptures only began to be written many centuries after the time attributed to Moses. On this evidence, Moses did not write any books.

For more information, please see:

http://christianity.answers.com/theology/moses-in-history-and-tradition

http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-pentateuch-explained

http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-genesis

http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-exodus

http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-leviticus

http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-numbers

http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-deuteronomy

Answer 7

Tradition states that the Torah was written by Moses before his death (Deuteronomy 31:24) in 1272 BCE, after it was taught to him by God (Exodus 24:12) in 1312 BCE. The Books of the Torah are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (all in Hebrew).

The following paragraphs will point out a few of the many shortcomings of Biblical-Criticism and show the reliability of the Torah.

What is the Documentary Hypothesis?Basing itself on linguistics and usage, the Hypothesis splits the narrative of the Hebrew Bible and attributes it to various unknown authors (Priest, Deuteronomist, etc. [J,E,P and D]), despite (for example) the Torah's explicit statement as to its Divine provenance (Exodus 24:12) and having been written in its entirety by Moses (Deuteronomy 31:24), and despite the unbroken national tradition of the authorship of each of the Prophets (Talmud, Bava Bathra 14b).

The Hypothesis also post-dates many of the other books of the Hebrew Bible, ascribing them to unknown authors centuries later. This has the effect of minimizing the reliability of these books, causing them to be seen as not much different than any random ancient text.

See: Criticizing the critics

Who proposed the Documentary Hypothesis?In the mid-1800s, professor Julius Wellhausen (the father of modern Biblical-criticism, 1844-1918) and others, proposed this Hypothesis, concerning the origin of the Hebrew Bible. Like Darwin, Wellhausen was a former Divinity student who left the fold; and like Darwin, he decided to form a secular theory in his field of study. As with Evolution, Wellhausen's theory was accepted quickly by the academic world, undergoing later change but unchanged in its basic premise.

What do the JEPD theorists ignore?The intricate tapestry of the Hebrew Bible uses literary devices to enrich its text. The Jewish sages, based on ancient tradition, identified many of these devices, which include:

• Recapping earlier brief passages to elucidate,
  
• Employing different names of God to signify His various attributes,
  
• Using apparent changes or redundancies to allude to additional unstated details,
  
• Speaking in the vernacular that was current during each era,
  

and many more.
Instead of consulting the Jewish Oral Tradition and commentary which accompanies the Tanakh, the Bible-Critics have formed secular conclusions.

What are some problems with the JEPD (Documentary) Hypothesis and Biblical-Criticism?
1) Unlike the Bible-Critics who possess no early source, the Hebrew Bible has been handed down since its beginning, in an unbroken chain of tradition for which we possess the names, biography and dates of the leading sages in every single generation. Every verse is elucidated in the Talmud and midrashim.

2) No parchment, scroll, or inscription has ever been found that would support the Bible-critics' JEPD (different sources) hypothesis, which remains a set of postulates. And those ancient writers who mention, describe, summarize or translate the Torah (Josephus, Samaritans, Targum, Septuagint etc.), describe it in its complete form.

3) Archaeological finds, such as the Ugarit documents and those of Nuzu, Mari, Susa, Ebla, and Tel el-Amarna, have repeatedly caused the critics to retract specific claims. The entire social milieu portrayed in the Torah, once criticized as anachronistic, has been shown to be historically accurate, including customs of marriage, adoption, contracts, inheritance, purchases, utensils, modes of travel, people's names and titles, etc. Professor Gleason Archer Ph.D of Harvard University states: "In case after case where historical inaccuracy was alleged as proof of late and spurious authorship of the biblical documents, the Hebrew record has been vindicated by the results of excavations, and the condemnatory judgment of the Documentary theorists have been proved to be without foundation."

4) The theorists postulated a late date for Deuteronomy. This is refuted by the fact that all the early books quote Deuteronomy. Joshua 22:5 quotes Deut.11:22, Joshua 23:16 quotes Deut.11:17, Judges 1:20 fulfills Deut.1:36, Judges 7:3 fulfills the command of Deut.20:8, 1 Kings 8:51 quotes Deut.4:20, 1 Kings 9:8-9 quotes Deut.29:23-24, and 2 Kings 14:6 quotes Deut.24:16.

5) Because of its antiquity, only in the Torah is the female pronoun "hee" spelled with a letter vav; the word "asher" is used exclusively; Jerusalem and the kings are not mentioned, etc.

6) Unlike what the theorists claim, no Levite or Kohen ("priest-source") would have voluntarily invented the Torah in whole or in part. The Torah allows no portion of the land for the Levites (Numbers ch.8), it states that Leah (ancestress of the Levites) was less-favored (Genesis ch.29), it records the curse against Levi (Genesis ch.49), the rebellion of Korah the Levite (Numbers ch.16), and the role of Aaron the Kohen in the events of the Golden Calf (Exodus ch.32).

7) Some JEPD theorists question the very existence of Moses. In so doing, they not only ignore the continuous tradition of the entire Jewish nation, but also the statements of ancient writers including Hecataeus, Strabo, Alexander Polyhistor, Manetho, Apion, Chaeremon, Tacitus, Porphyry, Artapanus, Eupolemus, Ben Sira, the Greek Septuagint, the Samaritans, Josephus and Philo, all of whom testify that Moses was an actual person.

8) One Bible-theorist, Richard Elliott Friedman claims that "The author of the J document was more interested in the patriarchal period while the author of E was more focused on the Exodus and wilderness age."
- Neither Friedman nor any Bible critic ever interviewed the postulated J or E to hear their focus or interests, or saw a manuscript attributable to them. All that we hear about J and E derives from what the critics themselves believe.

Overstatements of this kind cited go far beyond the type of caution one might expect from a scholar.

9) The critics attempt to break down the continuity of the Torah based on style and vocabulary. Their breakdown often cuts verses into three or four parts, claiming a different writer for each part. But in dealing with so many different topics and eras, it stands to reason that the Torah would use different styles. The narrative of Genesis would not function in a style appropriate to the laws of Leviticus. Just as Shakespeare's plays and sonnets differ yet had one author, (and the same goes for your own resume and shopping lists), so the Torah employs styles depending on the subject matter.
Also, those familiar with Torah-commentators recognize that every question asked by the bible critics was asked, and answered, centuries ago.

10) "Whoever wrote the narrative of Joseph was quite familiar with Egyptian life, Egyptian literature and culture. In particular he was expertly informed concerning the Egyptian royal court" (Prof. Alan Sherman).

Some specific examples:1) It was claimed that the camel hadn't been domesticated in Abraham's time. But the Canophorin tablet, dating from 18th century BCE gives a list of fodder for camels and other household animals. And a cylinder seal from Mesopotamia, dating from the patriarchal era, shows riders sitting on camels.

2) The term "achol et kaspeinu" ("our money was eaten," Genesis 31:15) is spoken by Rachel and Leah concerning an inheritance from their father Laban. This term is found nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible. Five documents have been unearthed in which 18th century BCE Akkadian marriage contracts use this exact terminology, in the same context. We thus verify again that no postulated late redactor could possibly be credited with such specific knowledge of an era centuries before his own.

3) The names Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Laban, Balaam and Joseph were used in the Patriarchal period and dropped out of usage thereafter. These names appear in archaeological inscriptions from that period and no later period. How did those verses get appropriate names for that period of time (if they were created centuries later)?

4) Joseph is sold for twenty pieces of silver. That was the accurate price of a slave in Joseph's time, and at no other time. Slaves were cheaper beforehand, and they got increasingly expensive later. How would a later redactor know the right price?

Some indications of the Divine origin of the Torah1) No other religion claims a national revelation, because that is something that cannot be fabricated.

2) Moses was no zoologist, yet he knew all the species named in Deuteronomy ch.14 and the nature of their digestion (verses 7-8).

3) No Israelite of any tribe, had the Torah been a human invention, would have made Abraham the father of Ishmael, his firstborn (Genesis ch.16). No Israelite would have written that Isaac fathered Esau (Gen.ch.25). Nor would he have admitted the stigma that the Israelites had been slaves (Exodus ch.1). No Israelite would have penned the prohibition against warring with Ammon and Moab (Deut.2:4,9,19), who became enemies; nor would he have ascribed one of our important national institutions to a foreigner (Exodus ch.18).

4) In no other religious text can one find such criticism of its own protagonists. No one is immune to having his faults exposed: Abraham (Genesis 16:5), Reuben (Gen.ch.35), Simeon and Levi (Gen.ch.34 and 49), Judah (Gen.ch.38), Joseph's brothers (Gen.ch.37), Moses (Numbers ch.20), Aaron (Exodus 32:2-4), Samson (Judges 14:1-3), Eli's sons (1 Samuel 2:12), Samuel's sons (1 Samuel 8:1-3), Saul (1 Samuel ch.15), David (2 Samuel ch.11-12), Solomon (1 Kings ch.11), and many others.

5) No human would have forbidden farming for a whole year every seven years (Leviticus ch.25).

6) No other ancient record has such a coherent and detailed account of the genealogy of nations (Genesis ch.10).

7) A few examples of fulfilled prophecies:

The Torah predicts the settling of the Holy Land (Deuteronomy ch.12), the construction of the Sanctuary (ibid), the later Destruction and complete scattering of the Jews (ibid. ch.28), and the later Return (ibid ch.30, and Isaiah 43:5-6). All these have been fulfilled. It also predicts that the Jews would never be completely wiped out (Leviticus 26:44), which is itself a historical miracle.

Noah's blessing of "God will enlarge Japheth" (Genesis ch.9) has been fulfilled through the empires of Persia, Greece, Rome, Russia and America.

God's promise to make Ishmael into a great nation (Genesis ch.17) has been fulfilled through the wide band of Arab and Muslim countries stretching from western Africa to Indonesia, well over 1.5 billion people.

God's warning that "you shall go lost among the nations" (Leviticus 26:38) was fulfilled through the loss, to this day, of ten of the Israelite Tribes.

Moses' blessing to the Levites that God would "smite the loins of those that rise against him" (Deuteronomy 33:11) was fulfilled through the miraculous victories of the Hasmonean kohanim over the Seleucids.

The prophecy that "Edom will be inherited by Israel" (Numbers 24:18) was fulfilled when the Hasmonean king Hyrcanus subdued the Edumeans and converted them (Josephus, Antiquities 13:9:1).

The prophecy that the Torah would never die out (see Gen.32:33, Deut.31:21, Esther 9:28, Isaiah 59:21) has been fulfilled, against all odds.

The prophecy that enemies of the Jews would reside in Israel (Leviticus 26:32) was fulfilled from the time of Nehemiah until today.

Answer 8

The Books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are traditionally attributed to Moses.

However, biblical scholars say that Moses was not the author of these books, and attribute them to other sources. They say that we do not have any books actually written by Moses.

Answer 9

Moses is credited with writing the firs 5 books of the bible and the book of Job.

Answer 10

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