When was the Torah discovered?

Answer 1

A:The book found, or supposedly found, in the Temple during the reign of King Josiah was the 'Book of Law', believed to have been the Book of Deuteronomy. Scholars say that the relatively modern Hebrew language in the book, along with its similarity of style to other books written during the reign of Josiah (Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings), indicate that this book was also written during this time and only placed in the Temple in order to be 'found' there. This allowed Josiah to claim antiquity for the book when reading it to the people of Jerusalem.

The Book of Genesis is substantially based on material written down between the ninth and eighth centuries BCE, with significant additions during the sixth century BCE.

Genesis and the books of the Deuteronomist (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings) were redacted, or edited, into their final forms, during post-exilic times.

Answer 2

It wasn't discovered; it has always been in our possession. If you're referring to the event involving King Josiah, here's what our tradition states:

a) There were hundreds - probably thousands - of Torah scrolls possessed by the Jewish people, just like today.

b) King Amon had burned copies of the Torah (Talmud, Sanhedrin 103b), so it was understandable that King Yoshiah was thrilled when he found a scroll (see 2 Kings ch.22: the whole Torah, not just Deuteronomy) right there in the Temple grounds, which had escaped Amon's depredation.

c) He was agitated because the scroll was found rolled to the prophecy concerning the eventual exile (see Talmud, Yoma 52b); and because it was the very scroll which had been written by Moses himself (2 Chronicles 34:14).

d) Deuteronomy, along with the rest of the Torah, existed before the time of Yoshiah. Two centuries earlier, when King Amatziah killed the assassins of his father Joash, he spared their children "as is written that fathers shall not die because of their children and children shall not die because of their fathers" (II Kings 14:6), which is a quote from Deuteronomy (24:16).