Sources of the Torah: Composition, Depictions, and Key Figures

Elohist (E)

A source of the Torah that calls God El or Elohim until God reveals His name as YHWH.

Yahwist (J)

A source of the Torah that uses the name YHWH starting in Genesis 2.

Deuteronomist (D)

A source of the Torah that focuses on the centralization of worship in Jerusalem.

Priestly (P)

A source of the Torah concerned with showing that God is with us and proper worship

Elohist's favored tribes

The northern tribes, especially descendants of Joseph (like Ephraim).

Elohist's portrayal of God

Portrayed as capable of regret and as physically appearing at events.

Deuteronomist's other writings

Judges, Joshua, Samuel, and Kings.

Yahwist's depiction of God

Depicted as anthropomorphic (human-like) and often angry.

Yahwist's supported region

Judah (the South) and the Edomites.

Priestly source's writing period

Likely written during or after the Babylonian Exile (5th Century BC).

Priestly source's name for God before the burning bush

El Shaddai.

Priestly source's literary style

Focused on genealogies and chronologies

Meaning of 'Exodus'

'Going out.'

Traditional author of Exodus

Moses.

Reason Moses is unlikely to be the true author of Exodus

The text includes elements from the Babylonian Exile (6th Century BC).

Source likely authored most of Exodus

Yahwist (with contributions from others).

Non-biblical stories Exodus parallels

The Tale of Sinuhe (Egyptian) and the Code of Hammurabi (Babylonian).

Event after Joseph's death in Egypt

The Israelites multiply; a new Pharaoh enslaves them and orders male babies killed.

Rescuer of baby Moses from the Nile

Pharaoh's daughter.

Meaning of the name 'Moses'

'To draw out (of water).'

Who suggests that Pharaoh's daughter keep Moses alive

Miriam, Moses' sister.

Reason Moses flees Egypt

He kills an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew.

Where Moses flees to and whom he marries

Midian; he marries Zipporah (Jethro's daughter).

Names of Moses' two sons

Gershom ('sojourner') and Eliezer ('God is help').

Location of Moses' encounter with the burning bush

Mt. Horeb / Mt. Sinai.

Name God reveals to Moses at the burning bush

'I AM WHO I AM' (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh → YHWH).

the name priestly used for God before the burning bush incident

El shaddai

Who does God assign to help moses speak

His older brother Aaron

My horeb

Name used by the elohist (E) and the deuteronomist (D) for mount Sinai