Who wrote the books of history in the Old Testament?

Answer 1

A:

The principal biblical history of early Israel and Judah is the Deuteronomic History, consisting of the Books of Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings. Although traditionally regarded as having been written over a period of many centuries by different authors in different times and even different cultures, they actually form a well-integrated set of works that are, in large part, by the same anonymous author. This is the same author that also wrote the Book of Deuteronomy and the author is therefore now known as the Deuteronomist.

Another history that parallels this and may have been intended to replace it is found in 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles. The books of Chronicles, also by an anonymous author now known as the Chronicler, differ in some significant respects from the Deuteronomic History, particularly in the role of King David.

Carol Meyers (The Oxford History of the Biblical World, Kinship and Kingship: The Early monarchy) says that the Book of Ruth seems to provide evidence about the premonarchic period, but much suggests that the book comes from a later period: several features of its language, the explanation in 4:7 of the custom of the redemption around which the end of the story revolves, and the denouement that traces the roots of the Davidic monarchy. She says the book of Ruth may tell us nothing about the era of the judges beyond what an Israelite storyteller of a later period knew of it, although even that is worthwhile information. Who this storyteller was remains a mystery.

Carol A. Redmount (The Oxford History of the Biblical World, Bitter lives) says that the biblical Exodus account was never intended to function or to be understood as history in the present-day sense of the word.