Antiquity of the Pentateuch
The integrity of the Old Testament is treasured by brethren of”like precious faith” (2 Peter 1:1). The circumstances of its production, and the authority by which it comes to us in its present form, is of interest to many.
The early narratives in Genesis were assembled by Moses from extant written records which accumulated from the most ancient times as part of the historical treasure of the Israelites. The evidence for this is intrinsic in the narratives. Percy Wiseman, father of the now aged but distinguished Donald Wiseman, published a book in 1936 titled New Discoveries in Babylonia about Genesis. In this interesting analysis, he suggests that Genesis chapters 1 through 36 are composed of 11 fundamental narratives, ending with the following texts.
Genesis 2:4, “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth.”
Genesis 5:1, “This is the book of the generations of Adam.”
Genesis 6:9, “These are the generations of Noah.”
Genesis 10:1, “These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”
Genesis 11:10, “These are the generations of Shem.”
Genesis 11:27, “These are the generations of Terah.”
Genesis 25:12, “These are the generations of Ishmael.”
Genesis 25:19, “These are the generations of Isaac.”
Genesis 36:1, “These are the generations of Esau.”
Genesis 36:9, “These are the generations of Esau.”
Genesis 37:2, “These are the generations of Jacob.”
The word “generations” in these instances is from the Hebrew toledeth, which the NIV version renders as “account.” Wiseman suggested these eleven narratives are the product of the ones whose names appear in each case. The first one, without a name, would have been Adam’s account of what he received from God.
HIGH DEGREE OF AUTHENTICITY
In this case the early accounts contain information received first hand, recorded in the appropriate medium of the culture, passed down as part of the historical and revered treasure of the family. The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all wealthy men with a large retinue of attendants. Their companies were bands of traveling culture. They had the ability and motive to retain the sacred records of bygone eras.
These patriarchs knew they were heirs of special covenants from God. All the more would they be careful to maintain their sacred lineage and history. Jacob would have taken this record with them into Egypt. These became the national archives of the 12 tribes of Israel, taken with them again at their later Exodus from Egypt.
Moses, who was schooled in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, then an advanced culture (relative to the day), would have known how to read cuneiform scripts and Egyptian papyri. He would have had the necessary secretaries for the work. His position gave him the esteem and respect necessary for this work to be accepted by the Israelites. Moses would have been uniquely qualified to compose Genesis from his source documents. Thus the received tradition of ancient times, that Moses was the compiling author of Genesis, is reasonably supported.
ISAAC NEWTON
The mention in Genesis 36:31 of rulers in Edom “before there reigned any king over the children of Israel” suggests some editing followed the inauguration of Saul, probably by Samuel, who arranged the early books in the form now extant. Here are the interesting inferences drawn by Sir Isaac Newton on the subject, which we quote at length.
“Since the Pentateuch was received as the book of the Law, both by the two tribes and by the ten tribes, it follows that they received it before they became divided into two kingdoms. For after the divisions they received not laws from one another, but continued at variance The Pentateuch therefore was the book of the Law in the days of David and Solomon. The affairs of the Tabernacle and Temple were ordered by David and Solomon according to the Law of this book, and David in the 78th Psalm, admonishing the people to give ear to the Law of God, means the Law of this book. For in describing how their forefathers kept it not, he quotes many historical things out of the books of Exodus and Numbers.
“Genesis 36:31 [implies] that book was not written entirely in the form now extant before the reign of Saul. The writer set down the race of those kings till his own time, and therefore wrote before David conquered Edom….
“[The Pentateuch and Joshua] were public books, and therefore not written without the permission of Moses and Joshua. And Samuel had leisure in the reign of Saul, to put them into the form of the books of Moses and Joshua now extant, inserting into them certain portions, such as the race of the kings of Edom….
“All these books have been composed out of the writings of Moses, Joshua, and other records, by one and the same hand, after the beginning of the reign of Saul and before the eighth year of David. And Samuel was a sacred writer, 1 Samuel 10:25, acquainted with the history of Moses and the Judges, 1 Samuel 12:8-12, and had leisure in the reign of Saul, and sufficient authority to compose these books. He was a prophet, and judged Israel all the days of his life, and was in the greatest esteem with the people. The Law by which he was to judge the people was not to be published by less authority than his own, the Law maker being not inferior to the judge. And the book of Jasher, which is quoted in the book of Joshua, Joshua 10:13, was in being at the death of Saul, 2 Samuel 1:18.” (The Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse, Isaac Newton, page 4-6).