Kenneth Bergland – författare

For many years, the historical-critical quest for a reconstruction of the origin(s) and development of the Pentateuch or Hexateuch has been dominated by the documentary hypothesis, the heuristic power of which has produced a consensus so strong that an interpreter who did not operate within its framework was hardly regarded as a scholar. However, the relentless march of research on this topic has continued to yield new and refined analyses, data, methodological tools, and criticism. In this spirit, the contributions to this volume investigate new ideas about the composition of the Pentateuch arising from careful analysis of the biblical text against its ancient Near Eastern background.Covering a wide spectrum of topics and diverging perspectives, the chapters in this book are grouped into two parts. The first is primarily concerned with the history of scholarship and alternative approaches to the development of the Pentateuch. The second focuses on the exegesis of particular texts relevant to the composition of the Torah. The aim of the project is to foster investigation and collegial dialogue in a spirit of humility and frankness, without imposing uniformity.In addition to the editors, the contributors include Tiago Arrais, Richard E. Averbeck, John S. Bergsma, Joshua A. Berman, Daniel I. Block, Richard Davidson, Roy E. Gane, Duane A. Garrett, Richard S. Hess, Benjamin Kilchör, Michael LeFebvre, Jiří Moskala, and Christian Vogel.

While the critique of existing approaches to the composition of the Pentateuch has its place, the editors of this volume argue that there is a need to formulate positive proposals based on verifiable data and logical argumentation. Building on the foundation established in the preceding volume, Exploring the Composition of the Pentateuch, Volume 2 pursues this goal by addressing three essential questions: What are key strategic areas of research that need attention? In what areas can we draw conclusions? And what are the limits of available, relevant evidence?Part 1 of this volume investigates the readability of the Pentateuch, exploring narrative techniques, inconsistencies, and coherence. Part 2 tackles issues relevant for the dating of Deuteronomy, like the narrative retelling in Deut 1–3, dating based on parallels to the Loyalty Oath of Esarhaddon, and deuteronomistic tribal language. And part 3 focuses on issues related to the overall dating of the Pentateuch, discussing empirical models, comparisons with the Hazor Legal Fragments, turning points in pentateuchal scholarship, the direction of dependence between the legal material of the Pentateuch, and the absence of Zion theology in the Pentateuch.In addition to the editors, the contributors include Richard E. Averbeck, John S. Bergsma, Joshua Berman, Daniel I. Block, Mark Steven Francois, Roy E. Gane, Richard S. Hess, Benjamin Kilchör, Noel K. Weeks.

How did the Pentateuch come into being, and what kinds of evidence can responsibly guide new answers to this enduring question? Exploring the Composition of the Pentateuch, Volume 3/1 captures an active scholarly conversation among a diverse group of biblical scholars who challenge prevailing orthodoxies about the formation of the Torah and seek new frameworks for understanding its composition.Emphasizing the need to move beyond critique toward positive proposals supported by verifiable data and sound argumentation, the essays in this volume are organized into three areas of inquiry. Part 1 examines whether the Torah can be understood as a unified literary work in the form in which it has come down to us, probing inner-biblical relationships, the unity of Genesis narratives, and the Decalogic shape of Deuteronomic law. Part 2 considers historical and archaeological evidence for the Pentateuch’s setting, including artifact analysis, wilderness sanctuary materials, and linguistic forensics. Part 3 investigates issues such as Egyptian loanwords, early Hebrew linguistic features, diachronic development, and textual variants.While this volume is forward-looking, it does not pretend to present a unified or finalized model. Instead, it offers a foundational step toward an evidence-based and methodologically transparent approach to Pentateuchal studies. It will be of particular interest to scholars and advanced students of biblical studies, the Hebrew Bible, and the history of the Pentateuch’s composition.In addition to the editors, the contributors include Richard E. Averbeck, L. S. Baker Jr., Yoel Elitzur, Georg Fischer, Yehoshua Inbal, Richard S. Hess, Michael LeFebvre, Benjamin Noonan, and Gary Rendsburg.