I continued my work today on the dating of P and H. Not much exciting to report, but I do think my research provides secondary confirmation of the results of Knohl and Milgrom. They divided P into earlier (P) and later (H) source on the basis of their theology. P uses much more precise terminology, whereas H is looser in the way it uses technical terms. There are also typical phrases that occur in each. The fact that linguistic evidence provides two different profiles for the layers confirms that they are correct.

The two places I disagree with them is on dating and the nature of the early layer. Both want to see P and H as pre-exilic, with the possibility of H being exilic. I agree that P is pre-exilic, but I think the evidence points to H being early post-exilic (or at least very late exilic). This would make sense, as H’s work in combining P and J would have been a part of the efforts to rebuild the temple and reestablish the Jewish community.

My other disagreement is on the nature of P. Both of them see P as one source. I think it should be divded into one main source (Pg) and a number of smaller documents. I agree with Noth that Pg is a narrative source without much law (except for the command to build the tabernacle in Exodus). I think passages such as Leviticus 1-7 were originally separate. They were produced by the priests in Jerusalem, but did not get attached to Pg and the rest of the Pentateuch until H did his work. The idea that the priests in Jerusalem must have produced just one document is ridiculous and goes again what we know about temple records in other parts of the ancient Near East.

One nice thing about this theory is that is solves the recent debate over P as a source or a redaction. As it turns out, P is both. The earlier layer is a source (Pg) and the later layer is a redaction / supplement. It reminds me of the old Saturday Night Live skit where the woman is convinced that Shimmer is a floor wax because it cleans her floors so well, while her husband is convinced Shimmer is a dessert topping because it tastes so good on pie. Dan Akroyd then comes out and says, “Yes, new Shimmer is both!”

I think in the long run I have enough here for a book. I am thinking it might be sort of a companion volume to The Life of Moses that van Seters did. He focused on the Yahwist in Exodus-Numbers in that book. Mine would take his research as a starting point and then outline P and H, as well as deal with the final form of the Pentateuch. Besides, Charles Halton at Awilum has asked me to write a book on this subject, so I guess I better do it.

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