INTRODUCTION
Name and divisions of the Pentateuch
The first five books of the Old Testament usually designated by the name Pentateuch. This word, of Greek origin, means "five cases", and reflects the ancient custom of writing texts on papyrus scrolls or leather cases and save or vessels.
Meanwhile, Jewish tradition gives the name of Torah, Hebrew term is usually translated as "law", but it actually has a broader meaning.
The name Torah in fact derived from a Hebrew root evokes ideas of "direct", "teaching" and "instruction." Therefore, it is preferable to translate by words such as "guidance" or "instruction", without excluding, for at least in some cases, the meaning of "law" (cf. Dt 31.09 ). Despite being divided into five sections or books, the Pentateuch, in its current form, is a unit. Moreover, this division was due to a practical reason: because it is difficult to handle a roll too bulky, it was necessary to divide the total work in roughly equal parts. Such fragmentation goes back to very ancient times, as it is already in the Greek version of the Seventy or Septuagint (LXX), ie, in the third century BC Jewish tradition designates the five books of the Pentateuch (and generally , those of the entire Bible) by its opening words. Thus, the first book is called In the beginning, the second are the names, the third and (Lord) called, the fourth in the desert, and the fifth These are the words. The Greco-Roman tradition, however, has given a name that highlights an event or a predominant theme in each of the books. Hence the names of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, whose meaning is explained in the respective introductions.
History and Law An essential feature of the Pentateuch is the alternation of sections, each containing narratives and other instructions or laws. At first narrative prevails, and only sporadically interspersed normative prescriptions ( Gen. 9.6, 17.9-14 , Ex.12.1-20). But from Ex 20 predominate sections that establish rules and regulations designed to bring out what God wants and expects from his people.
Thus, the Pentateuch trace an imposing historical picture, which extends from the creation of the world until the death of Moses ( Genesis 1.1 -
Dt 34.12 ). Within this framework are as critical events such as the election of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, the covenant of Sinai and the march of the Israelites through the desert to the Promised Land. In this historical plot takes place the enactment of the Act, intended to instruct Israel on the conduct to be seen to be truly God's people.
The formation of the Pentateuch
Traditionally considered Moses as the author of the whole Pentateuch. The attentive reader will not stop perceiving, however, both in the narrative sections as in the passages of a legal, some significant events. Firstly, the same biblical text testifies that in the writing of the Pentateuch were used sometimes sources older, as the Book of the Wars of the Lord, quoted in Nm. 21.14 . Secondly, many signs point to the extraordinary complexity of a literary work so extensive and rich in content. For example, the text of the Decalogue (the Ten Commandments set that as Christians and Jews, God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. ) comes in two slightly different versions ( Ex 20:1-17 ; Dt 5.6- 21 ), and the catalog of the major religious festivals of Israel appears four times in different contexts ( Ex 23.14-19, 34.18-26 ; Lv 23; Dt 16.1-17 ).
Something similar happens with some stories. So, Hagar, Sarah's servant, is fired twice ( Gn 16; 21.8-21 ), and twice Abraham, Isaac and one to put his life safe, have your wife like a sister ( Gen. 12.10-20, 20, 26 ). In all these cases, it is not mere repetitions, but each passage, whilst agreeing in substance with its own parallel text, has a feature that individualizes and gives a particular stamp (compare, for example, Ex 20.8-11 with Deuteronomy 5.12-15 ).
Moreover, the reader sensitive to the nuances of vocabulary and style seen in different parts of the Pentateuch, and sometimes in the same chapter, considerable differences in form and content. Some stories, indeed, are characterized by their freshness and spontaneity (cf. Gen 18.1-15 ). Other texts, as in Leviticus, stated with extreme brevity was the rules must be observed in the practice of Jewish worship. In Deuteronomy, however, the law of the Lord is proclaimed in a warm tone and repetitive, and gets consistently emphasized that obedience to God's commandments must be man's response to the request and the love of God. addition, Genesis begins with a double account of creation (chapters 1-3 ). The first relates to the Creator with the name of Elohim, which is the most common Hebrew word to refer to God, the second, in contrast, uses the formula Yahweh Elohim, which in this version of the Bible has been translated by the expression God the Lord.
From these two accounts, the alternation of the divine names remains fairly evenly, until the time that God revealed to Moses in the name of Yahweh ( Ex 14.03 ; see 6.2 n.). Based on these and other indications , modern scholars of the Bible, for the most part, believe that the Pentateuch was not written at one time, but that the final draft is the result of a long development. At the beginning of it, the figure of Moses, the liberator and lawgiver of Israel, which marked with an indelible spirit and historical trajectory of his people, and at the end of the whole process is the Pentateuch in its present form.His finalization can be placed, with some certainty, at the time of Ezra (V century BC). Between these two limits is the work of the inspired writers who collected, ordered and wrote down the stories and collections of laws, many of which had been passed down orally through the centuries.
Therefore, recognizing the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch is not to say that Moses was the perpetrator of each of the texts, but the spiritual legacy of Moses was welcomed by the people of Israel as a living legacy, a legacy that was transmitted faithfully, but also was extended and enriched during the long period of their training. The main topics and sections of the
Pentateuch are summarized in the following scheme:
I. Since the creation of the world to the genealogy of Abraham
( Genesis 1-11 )
II. The history of the Patriarchs ( Genesis 12-50 )
III. The exodus from Egypt ( Ex 1-15 )
IV.From Egypt to Sinai ( Ex 16-18 )
V. The revelation of God at Sinai ( Ex 19 - Nm 10 )
VI. From Sinai to Moab ( Nm 10-36 )
VII. The Book of Deuteronomy ( Dt 1-34 )
Name and divisions of the Pentateuch
The first five books of the Old Testament usually designated by the name Pentateuch. This word, of Greek origin, means "five cases", and reflects the ancient custom of writing texts on papyrus scrolls or leather cases and save or vessels.
Meanwhile, Jewish tradition gives the name of Torah, Hebrew term is usually translated as "law", but it actually has a broader meaning.
The name Torah in fact derived from a Hebrew root evokes ideas of "direct", "teaching" and "instruction." Therefore, it is preferable to translate by words such as "guidance" or "instruction", without excluding, for at least in some cases, the meaning of "law" (cf. Dt 31.09 ). Despite being divided into five sections or books, the Pentateuch, in its current form, is a unit. Moreover, this division was due to a practical reason: because it is difficult to handle a roll too bulky, it was necessary to divide the total work in roughly equal parts. Such fragmentation goes back to very ancient times, as it is already in the Greek version of the Seventy or Septuagint (LXX), ie, in the third century BC Jewish tradition designates the five books of the Pentateuch (and generally , those of the entire Bible) by its opening words. Thus, the first book is called In the beginning, the second are the names, the third and (Lord) called, the fourth in the desert, and the fifth These are the words. The Greco-Roman tradition, however, has given a name that highlights an event or a predominant theme in each of the books. Hence the names of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, whose meaning is explained in the respective introductions.
History and Law An essential feature of the Pentateuch is the alternation of sections, each containing narratives and other instructions or laws. At first narrative prevails, and only sporadically interspersed normative prescriptions ( Gen. 9.6, 17.9-14 , Ex.12.1-20). But from Ex 20 predominate sections that establish rules and regulations designed to bring out what God wants and expects from his people.
Thus, the Pentateuch trace an imposing historical picture, which extends from the creation of the world until the death of Moses ( Genesis 1.1 -
Dt 34.12 ). Within this framework are as critical events such as the election of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, the covenant of Sinai and the march of the Israelites through the desert to the Promised Land. In this historical plot takes place the enactment of the Act, intended to instruct Israel on the conduct to be seen to be truly God's people.
The formation of the Pentateuch
Traditionally considered Moses as the author of the whole Pentateuch. The attentive reader will not stop perceiving, however, both in the narrative sections as in the passages of a legal, some significant events. Firstly, the same biblical text testifies that in the writing of the Pentateuch were used sometimes sources older, as the Book of the Wars of the Lord, quoted in Nm. 21.14 . Secondly, many signs point to the extraordinary complexity of a literary work so extensive and rich in content. For example, the text of the Decalogue (the Ten Commandments set that as Christians and Jews, God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. ) comes in two slightly different versions ( Ex 20:1-17 ; Dt 5.6- 21 ), and the catalog of the major religious festivals of Israel appears four times in different contexts ( Ex 23.14-19, 34.18-26 ; Lv 23; Dt 16.1-17 ).
Something similar happens with some stories. So, Hagar, Sarah's servant, is fired twice ( Gn 16; 21.8-21 ), and twice Abraham, Isaac and one to put his life safe, have your wife like a sister ( Gen. 12.10-20, 20, 26 ). In all these cases, it is not mere repetitions, but each passage, whilst agreeing in substance with its own parallel text, has a feature that individualizes and gives a particular stamp (compare, for example, Ex 20.8-11 with Deuteronomy 5.12-15 ).
Moreover, the reader sensitive to the nuances of vocabulary and style seen in different parts of the Pentateuch, and sometimes in the same chapter, considerable differences in form and content. Some stories, indeed, are characterized by their freshness and spontaneity (cf. Gen 18.1-15 ). Other texts, as in Leviticus, stated with extreme brevity was the rules must be observed in the practice of Jewish worship. In Deuteronomy, however, the law of the Lord is proclaimed in a warm tone and repetitive, and gets consistently emphasized that obedience to God's commandments must be man's response to the request and the love of God. addition, Genesis begins with a double account of creation (chapters 1-3 ). The first relates to the Creator with the name of Elohim, which is the most common Hebrew word to refer to God, the second, in contrast, uses the formula Yahweh Elohim, which in this version of the Bible has been translated by the expression God the Lord.
From these two accounts, the alternation of the divine names remains fairly evenly, until the time that God revealed to Moses in the name of Yahweh ( Ex 14.03 ; see 6.2 n.). Based on these and other indications , modern scholars of the Bible, for the most part, believe that the Pentateuch was not written at one time, but that the final draft is the result of a long development. At the beginning of it, the figure of Moses, the liberator and lawgiver of Israel, which marked with an indelible spirit and historical trajectory of his people, and at the end of the whole process is the Pentateuch in its present form.His finalization can be placed, with some certainty, at the time of Ezra (V century BC). Between these two limits is the work of the inspired writers who collected, ordered and wrote down the stories and collections of laws, many of which had been passed down orally through the centuries.
Therefore, recognizing the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch is not to say that Moses was the perpetrator of each of the texts, but the spiritual legacy of Moses was welcomed by the people of Israel as a living legacy, a legacy that was transmitted faithfully, but also was extended and enriched during the long period of their training. The main topics and sections of the
Pentateuch are summarized in the following scheme:
I. Since the creation of the world to the genealogy of Abraham
( Genesis 1-11 )
II. The history of the Patriarchs ( Genesis 12-50 )
III. The exodus from Egypt ( Ex 1-15 )
IV.From Egypt to Sinai ( Ex 16-18 )
V. The revelation of God at Sinai ( Ex 19 - Nm 10 )
VI. From Sinai to Moab ( Nm 10-36 )
VII. The Book of Deuteronomy ( Dt 1-34 )
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