So what is the JEDP Theory?
Basically they "see" four different authors. It was broken down by certain words that were used and the type of books.
First you have the "Jahwist" who used the name Jehovah
The second is the the Elohist who used the name Elohim
The third is the Deuteronomist
The fourth is the Priestly code
So how did they figure this out and come up with this idea?
One way they broke it down was that in some cases the Pentateuch was a law book,an instruction manual for the priests. That's have they came up with the D and P.
The other was that they took the Pentateuch and "underlined" the times when Jehovah was used and when Elohim was used,and separated them by the usage of those two names and that's how they came up with the J and E.
Somewhere along the line they have what they call the redactor. What the redactor was said to have done was to takes all the writings and combine them and edit them into one sets of books.
''J was
hypothesized to live about 900–850 BC in the Southern Kingdom of Judah during the divided Kingdom. Collecting myths and legends of the Ancient Near East (i.e. Creation, Flood, Babel), J wrote most of Genesis. This source is characterized by: it's attention on man and earth, God as YHWH who interacts with man, emphasis on Judah, emphasis on Israel's leaders, and use of the term Sinai.
E was
hypothesized to live about 750–700 BC in Israel's Northern Kingdom. This hypothetical source used the generic term for God Elohim until Exodus 3-6; E wrote some of Genesis and most of Exodus and Numbers. This source is characterized by: God as Elohim, emphasis on Northern Israel, and use of Horeb for Sinai.
D was
hypothesized to have written most of Deuteronomy around 650-625 BC. It was speculated that this was the book found by King Josiah in the Temple in Jerusalem in 621 BC (2 Kings 22:
. This source is characterized by: God as Elohim (until Exodus 3), emphasis on Judah, a cultic approach to God, and presence of genealogies and lists.
P was
hypothesized to be a priest(s) who lived during the Babylonian Exile. This source provided chronology, genealogy, the book of Leviticus, and the code for priesthood and worship. This source is characterized by: emphasis on the Temple and obedience to the law.
Wellhausen
hypothesized that the sources were joined in the following manner:
1. J was written around 900–850 BC by an unknown person for unknown reasons.
2. E was written around 750–700 BC by an unknown person for unknown reasons.
3. At some unknown time, an anonymous editor edits and combines J and E and attends to discrepancies and introduces doublets.
4. D was written around 650-625 BC by an unknown person for unknown reasons.
5. At some unknown time, an anonymous editor edits and combines D with JE and adds new material.
6. P was written around 525-425 BC by an unknown person for unknown reasons.
7. At some unknown time, an anonymous editor edits and combines P with JED and adds some new material to harmonize the document. "
Above in quotes thanks to anyomous
As this is stated as a hypothesis,is there any truth to it and can it be proven?