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The evidence that Moses did not write the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) is overwhelming; in fact the evidence that the Pentateuch was written by a number of different authors, none of whom was Moses, is overwhelming. In the space of a short answer, it is not possible to cover all the evidence, but various discrepancies, inconsistencies and errors within the Pentateuch show that none of the authors of these books was a participant in any of the events supposedly described.
Importantly, the Pentateuch never states or implies that Moses wrote the Pentateuch, quite the contrary. Moses is consistently spoken of in the third person, and the Book of Deuteronomy speaks about the death of Moses and the events that followed. Clearly, the tradition that Moses was the author of the Pentateuch arose long after the books were written.
The Pentateuch contains material that was originally written in early Hebrew, attributed to two anonymous sources now known as the Yahwist and the Elohist, as well as material originally written in more modern Hebrew by sources now known as the Deuteronomist and the Priestly source. Each source can readily be identified by his style, the name used for God and the focus of his writings. The work of the Deuteronomist, which includes the Book of Deuteronomy, was undoubtedly written by the same author as the Deuteronomic History (Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings), which could not have been written before the late monarchy of Judah.
The Book of Genesis contains much material that would logically have been as unknown to Moses as it would have been to any other author. There is no reason for Moses to have been the author, other than the supposition that God would have chosen no one other than Moses to tell the story of creation. But there are two different and incompatible stories of creation (Genesis 1:1-2:4a and 2:4b-2:20 respectively), meaning that there were at least two authors (identified as the Yahwist and the Priestly source).
There are many other 'doublets' of the same event, where the final redactor was unwilling to remove either version, usually attempting to merge them into a single, if complex story. One such is the story of Noah's Flood, where Noah either took two of each animal and the Flood lasted forty days, or he took two of each unclean animal and seven of each clean animal and the Flood lasted one whole year. The verses attributed to the Priestly author are: Genesis 6:9-22, 7:6, 7:8-9, 7:11, 7:13-16a, 7:18-21, 7:24, 8:1-2a, 8:3b-5, 8:7, 8:13a, 8:14-19, 9:1-17. The verses attributed to the Yahwist are: Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 7:7, 7:10, 7:12, 7:16b-17, 7:22-23, 8:2b-3a, 8:6, 8:8-12, 8:13b, 8:20-22.
An analysis of the spies narrative in the story of the Exodus from Egypt again demonstrates the multiple authorship. In the Book of Numbers, Moses sent spies to search the land of Canaan, but the narrative is actually two versions of the same story blended together. For this to happen, there must have been not just one but two authors (once again the Yahwist and the Priestly source), whose different and sometimes conflicting stories were woven together in the book.
There is even confusion as to the name of Moses' father-in-law, with at least three alternatives used, explicable if there were multiple authors, but not plausible if Moses wrote the Pentateuch.
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Did Moses write about his death?
A:An old tradition says that Moses wrote the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). A a readily apparent problem with this hypothesis is that the Book of Deuteronomy describes the death of Moses, something that no normal person could do. Two solutions have been devised to resolve this problem. One is that Moses did indeed write about his own death (always writing in the third person), because God told him what to write. Another solution was that the last verses in Deuteronomy, covering the death of Moses, were written by Joshua. Biblical scholars say there is no doubt that Moses could not have written the Pentateuch - it even has different names in different places, for his own father-in-law. They say that the Pentateuch actually had four principal authors, all of whom were anonymous, and that it was written many centuries after the time attributed to Moses. He did not write the Pentateuch and did not write about his own death.
Where can you get facts about Moses?
AnswerThe story of Moses is to be found in the books of Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. However, if you are after verifiable facts about Moses, there is nothing outside the Bible. There is no extrabiblical mention of Moses or of the events with which he is associated in the Bible, and no archaeological evidence for either Moses or those events. In fact, many scholars doubt whether Moses really existed or the events really occurred.
Was Moses born before Job?
Yes, no doubt. Job is, of course, is fiction and the time of its writing is uncertain, but most scholars think it written in about 450 BC, long after Abraham lived.
What danger is there in saying Moses did not write the five books?
A:It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that Moses did not write the first five books of the Bible, known to Christians as the Pentateuch. If Christianity is based on fact, then there can be no danger in accepting the facts as they are. Only fallacious religions need fear their followers learning that not all traditions are actually true.Answer 2If the question is asking "What earthly peril befalls a person who suggests that Moses did not write the Pentateuch?" then the answer is contingent on history, not the authorship of the Pentateuch.While currently both Jewish and Christian communities accept and tolerate the "blasphemy" that Moses did not write the Pentateuch (although will not believe it themselves), there are no earthly penalties or retributions taken for this affront. Historically, Jews would punish those who committed blasphemy, advocated for it, and failed to retract it with excommunication. This effectively prevented a person from making a living or intermingling in society. Christian punishments were typically much more severe, resulting in torture in many "inventive" forms, forced recanting of "blasphemous speech", and execution in certain cases.
What mysteries are left in Egypt?
A:There are no doubt many myteries left to be uncovered in Egypt, and archaeologists will continue to spend entire careers sifting through the deserts for important new finds.What has never been found in Egypt, and which most scholars now do not expect will ever be found, is any evidence of Moses and the biblical Exodus. Nearly all scholars say there never was an Exodus from Egypt as described in the Bible.
What event first caused Renaissance scholars to doubt ancient Greek thought?
Columbus's discovery of the Americas
How did the Bible have both one author and many authors?
God inspired and moved the many people who wrote what is now known as the Bible to record events, teachings, and prophecy from Himself. Thus God is the overall author, while the individual men and women were the human scribes.
Will they make a modern warfare 4 after MW3?
doubt it
Are upanishads helpful for modern management strategy?
no doubt about it...
Who among the characters in the Hebrew Bible are accepted as historical by eminent modern history scholars?
It would not be possible to this Question fully and some omissions are inevitable. The following are some of the characters generally accepted by eminent liberal scholars as historical. Scholars see no reason not to doubt the existence of the kings of Israel and Judah during the 'Divided Kingdom' period. The existence of Kings Saul and Solomon is disputed, although most scholars believe there was probably a King David, even if he was really not much more than a tribal chieftain. Many of the foreign kings mentioned in the Bible were also real historical people. Similarly, there is no reason to doubt the existence of many of the people associated with the Babylonian Exile, including Zorobabel, Ezra and Nehemiah. Isaiah, son of Amoz (the first author of the book of Isaiah) was no doubt historical, and Jeremiah may have been.
Why do scholars today doubt parts of Olaudah Equiano's autobiography of his years as a slave?
Some scholars doubt parts of Equiano's autobiography because there are inconsistencies in his account, such as the locations and timing of certain events. Additionally, some details in his narrative have been challenged by historians and researchers who question the accuracy of his depiction of slavery in certain regions.
What 3 parts of moses life helped him free the hebrews?
Moses lived for 120 years, 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in the land of Midian and 40 years leading the Hebrew people in the way to the promised land. ANSWER: Moses lived in Egypt for 40 years and learned all the ways of the Egyptians. The next 40 years Moses lived as a shepherd, was married and His father in law (Jethro) was a priest of Midian. It has been said by many scholars that Jethro was a priest of the one true God. If this is so he and Moses had a lot to talk about as Moses had been raised by his mother, Jecobed for some years and no doubt was told about God by her. It was during the last part of the desert years that Jehovah called Moses to deliver the children out of Egypt. The next 40 years Moses did in fact lead the children out of Egypt and was the go between of God and the Israelites. It wasn't Moses' experience that led God to call upon him. All the work of bringing the Israelites out of Egypt was God's doing. Moses was the instrument.
