CHAPTER III

THE PENTATEUCH
• The authors of the Pentateuch have given us history, but it
is history written from a religious point of view.
• This history of Israel was written to teach the Jews who
they were, how God had chosen them, and what things had
He done for them.

1. The Books in Pentateuch

a. Definition Description of Pentateuch

• "Pentateuch "comes from the two Greek words "Penta" and

"Teuch'” Penta means five, and Teuch means scrolls or
books.
So, put together it means, "the
five books or five scrolls."
The Jews call this collection of
books "Torah", the law of the
Hebrews.
The Pentateuch is a product of
long traditions that go back
during the time of Moses.
This is also the reason why it
was attributed to Moses as the
organizer of the Pentateuch
b. Descriptions of the books in Pentateuch

I. Genesis - it is about creation of the

universe, call of Abraham up to the
story of Joseph and the chosen people.
2. Exodus - it is about the exile and departure of Israel
from Egypt under the leadership of Moses with the
help of Joshua, Aaron, and Miriam.
3. Leviticus - it is about worship, offerings and sacrifices
led by the Levites.
4. Numbers - it is about census, tent or temple
constructions.
5. Deuteronomy - it is about the second giving of the
law (10 commandments), exhortations and farewell of
Moses.
2. The Traditions in Pentateuch

• The Pentateuch is a result of long

traditions which were woven
together after the Babylonian Exile.
• This means that the Pentateuch
used different traditions and
information from various sources.
• These sources or traditions went
back as far as the time when people
were living in different places and at
different times in the Old Testament.
These traditions are the following:

1. The Yahwistic Tradition.

• This group uses the name
"Yahweh" when speaking of God.
• This tradition represents a
Southern Tradition and was
written down around a thousand
years before Christ.
• It is the oldest tradition found in
the Pentateuch. This group also
considers God as somebody who is
very near to human beings.
• They use anthropomorphic
language in describing the
interaction of God with human
beings.
• Here is an example in Genesis 1:4,
“God saw how good the light was.”
• In Genesis 1:6,
“Then God said, "Let there he
dome...”
• In Genesis 1:26 b,
“ Let us make man in our image....”
• In Genesis 2:2b,
"...he rested on the seventh day ...”

• Using anthropomorphic language gives

God human qualities or attributes in
human form, like God has eyes (Gen.
1:6), lips (Gen. 1:6), hands (Gen.1:26b),
body (Gen.2:2b) etc.
2. The Elohistic Tradition.
• This group uses the name
"Elohim" when speaking of
God.
• This represents the Northern
tradition and was written
down around 750 B.C.
• This tradition is less vivid and
colorful than the Yahwist.
• This group considers God as
somebody who is transcendent
or afar.
• They avoid the use of
anthropomorphic language.
• Here is an example in Exodus 3:8,
“…therefore I have come down
...”
• Another examples;
“ God is there up on the Clouds ...”
" God is up there on the
Mountains ...”
“ God is watching ...”.

• This examples are just indications

that God is remote and invisible
but caring for His people.
3. The Levitical or Priestly Tradition.

• This group shows a great interest with everything

that pertains to worship, sacrifices and offerings.
• This tradition is the work of priests or Levites who
took the materials during the Babylonian Exiles
ca.587-38 B.C. and added new material concerning
sacrifices and legal purity.
4. The Deuteronomistic Tradition.
• This group shows a great concern
with legislation in the community.
• The do's and dont's within the
community have a theology which
sees the Jews as the chosen
people of God, who owe Him
complete, undivided, all-absorbing
love and fidelity.
• Faithfulness to God will bring
reward and blessedness; infidelity
will result in punishment and
retribution.
a. The unity of the Traditions in
Pentateuch

• The four traditions can be

recalled from the period in which
the chosen people was formed as
one nation under the leadership
of Moses.
• Moses played a dominating
character in the formation of
Israel and its old-age traditions.
• This is the very reason why the
Pentateuch is attributed to Moses
as its author.
b. The main Theme in Pentateuch

• The fundamental theme of the Pentateuch is that it is a divine,

immutable plan which progresses gradually toward an objective which
is the formation of Israel as a nation under one God.
• God created the world, called the Patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
Joseph, Moses, and Joshua to give them the land of Canaan.
• After their sojourn and captivity *in Egypt, God freed His people from
the slavery.
• He proved His love by many Divine favors and finally brought -Israel to
the promised land.
• In this land all they needed 'in life were there.