Documentary hypothesisIn bibliology, the documentary hypothesis (DH) is one of the models used by biblical scholars to explain the origins and composition of the Torah (or Pentateuch), the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. A version of the documentary hypothesis, frequently identified with the German scholar Julius Wellhausen, was almost universally accepted for most of the 20th century.
Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)Israelite kingdom in the Southern Levant Kingdom of Israel𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋c. 930 BCE–c. 720 BCEStatusKingdomCapitalShiloh (c. 1000–931 BCE)Shechem (c. 931–909 BCE)Tirzah (c. 909–880 BCE)Samaria (c. 880–720 BCE)Common languagesHebrew (Biblical, Israelian)Religion Yahwism, other Semitic religionsDemonymIsraeliteGovernmentMonarchyKing • 931–910 BCE Jeroboam I (first)• 732–c. 720 BCE Hoshea (last) Historical eraIron Age• Established c. 930 BCE• Assyrian conquest c. 720 BCE Preceded by Succeeded by Twelve Tribes of Israel Samerina (Assyrian province) Today part ofIsraelPalestine (West Bank)JordanLebanonSyria Part of a series on the History of Israel Early history Prehistoric Levant Kebaran Mushabian Natufian Khiamian Yarmukian Lodian Wadi Rabah Ghassulian Canaan Djahy Habiru Shasu Late Bronze Age collapse Ancient Israel and Judah Timeline Israelites highland settlement 12th–10th cent.
Priestly sourceThe Priestly source (or simply P) is a widely recognized source underlying the Torah, and is stylistically and theologically distinct from other material in the book. It is considered by most scholars as the latest of all sources, and is "meant to be a kind of redactional layer to hold the entirety of the Pentateuch together".
JahwistThe Jahwist or Yahwist (J) is one of the most widely recognized sources of the Pentateuch (Torah), together with the Deuteronomist (D), the Priestly source (P) and the Elohist (E). The existence of the Jahwist text is somewhat controversial, with a number of scholars, especially in Europe, denying that it ever existed as a coherent independent document. Nevertheless, many scholars do assume its existence.
Mount Sinai (Bible)Mount Sinai (Hebrew: הַר סִינַי, Har Sīnay) is the mountain at which the Ten Commandments were given to the Hebrew prophetMoses by God, according to the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. In the Book of Deuteronomy, these events are described as having transpired at Mount Horeb. "Sinai" and "Horeb" are generally considered by biblical scholars to refer to the same place.
EphraimEphraim (; Hebrew: אֶפְרַיִם, romanized: ʾEp̄rayīm, in pausa: אֶפְרָיִם ʾEp̄rāyīm) was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph ben Jacob and Asenath, as well as the adopted son of his biological grandfather Jacob, making him the progenitor of the Tribe of Ephraim.DeuteronomistThe Deuteronomist, abbreviated as either Dtr or simply D, may refer either to the source document underlying the core chapters (12–26) of the Book of Deuteronomy, or to the broader "school" that produced all of Deuteronomy as well as the Deuteronomistic history of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, and also the Book of Jeremiah.John Van SetersJohn Van Seters (May 2, 1935 – April 9, 2025) was a Canadian scholar of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the Ancient Near East. He was a University Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina, and James A. Gray Professor of Biblical Literature at UNC. He completed his Ph.D at Yale University in Near Eastern Studies (1965) and earned a Th.D. h.c. from the University of Lausanne (1999).
TorahFirst five books of the Hebrew BibleAn opened Torah scroll (Book of Genesis part).
Mount HorebMount Horeb (; Hebrew: הַר חֹרֵב Har Ḥōrēḇ; Greek in the Septuagint: Χωρήβ, Chōrēb; Latin in the Vulgate: Horeb) is the mountain at which the Ten Commandments were given to Moses by God, according to the Book of Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Bible. It is described in two places (the Book of Exodus and the Books of Kings) as הַר הָאֱלֹהִים the "Mountain of Elohim". The mountain is also called the Mountain of YHWH.
ElohimElohim (Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים, romanized: ʾĔlōhīm [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]) is a Hebrew word meaning "gods" or "godhood". Although the word is plural in form (as an abstract noun referring to the concept of "divinity"), in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity, particularly but not always the God of Judaism. In other verses it takes plural agreement and refers to gods in the plural.MosesIn Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the Exodus from Egypt. He is considered the most important prophet in Judaism and Samaritanism, and one of the most important prophets in Christianity, Islam, the Baháʼí Faith, and other Abrahamic religions. According to the Abrahamic scriptures, God dictated the Mosaic Law to Moses, which he wrote down and which formed part of the Torah.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.