What are the four traditions behind the Old Testament?

Answer 1

A:The four traditions behind much of the Old Testament would be those now known as the Elohist, the Yahwist, the Deuteronomist and the Priestly Source. Collectively they are responsible for the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch. The Deuteronomist was also responsible for what is now termed the Deuteronomic History (Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings).

The Elohist ('E Source') represented the traditions of the northern kingdom of Israel in the early centuries of the first millennium BCE. In this tradition, 'Elohim' was the name for a transcendent God who required obedience and was feared by his people. People could never look at the Elohist's God, so he typically came in dreams or visions, but sometimes in the form of a cloud or a flame.

The Yahwist ('J Source') represented the somewhat different traditions of the southern kingdom of Judah in the early centuries of the first millennium BCE. In this tradition, Yahweh (Spelt YHWH or YHVH in Hebrew) was the name for an anthropomorphic God with human characteristics. The Yahwist's God made promises and covenants with his chosen people.

The Deuteronomist ('D Source') represented traditions developed in Judah during the seventh-century-BCE reign of King Josiah, but also preserved many older traditions.

The Priestly Source ('P Source') represented later traditions developed during the Babylonian Exile. The P Source preferred the name El Shaddai ('God Almighty') for his God and was, among other things, responsible for the first creation story in Genesis (Genesis 1:1-2:4a).

Since Judah outlasted Israel by centuries, wherever the traditions of the Elohist and the Yahwist overlapped, we see the Yahwist version more regularly and more fully, with much more of the northern traditions now lost.