Linguistic Evidence for the Pre-exilic Date of the Yahwistic Source

This book presents a linguistic analysis challenging the dating of the Yahwist source, asserting its pre-exilic composition based on careful examination of Hebrew features.

In Linguistic Evidence for the Pre-exilic Date of the Yahwistic Source, the author explores the longstanding debate regarding the dating of the Yahwist or 'J' source of the Pentateuch. For decades, scholars have challenged the traditional Wellhausian perspective, which posits that 'J' is the earliest of the four major sources. These new theories suggest that 'J' was actually composed during the exilic or post-exilic periods of ancient Israel. This book seeks to provide a fresh evaluation of this claim by focusing on linguistic evidence.

The author employs a methodology established by Avi Hurvitz, which categorizes the language of the Hebrew Bible into three main stages: Archaic Biblical Hebrew, Standard Biblical Hebrew, and Late Biblical Hebrew. By examining 40 linguistic features of the Yahwist source and comparing them to characteristics of Late Biblical Hebrew, the author aims to ascertain the true date of composition for 'J'. The findings indicate a lack of Late Biblical Hebrew features in the Yahwist source, suggesting that it was unlikely composed during the post-exilic period.

Furthermore, the book discusses the transitional nature of the exilic period, as identified by Hurvitz, where late features began to appear in texts. This analysis leads to the conclusion that the Yahwist source was most likely created during the pre-exilic period of ancient Israel, providing a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse surrounding the dating of biblical texts.