Who Wrote The Bible? (2nd Edition) «2026 Release»

Named for using the divine name Yahweh . Written in the southern Kingdom of Judah around the 9th or 10th century BCE, it features a more anthropomorphic God.

A much larger document focused on laws, genealogies, and priestly duties, such as those found in Leviticus . Friedman argues P was written as a response to J and E. Who Wrote the Bible? (2nd Edition)

Analysis shows that the Hebrew used in different parts of the Torah reflects various historical periods, much like the difference between Shakespearean and modern English. Named for using the divine name Yahweh

Found primarily in the Book of Deuteronomy . Friedman uniquely identifies the author of D as the prophet Jeremiah or his scribe Baruch, linked to King Josiah’s religious reforms in 621 BCE. Key Arguments & Evidence Friedman argues P was written as a response to J and E

The specific concerns, geography, and political leanings of each source reflect the real-world tensions between the northern and southern kingdoms of ancient Israel. Significance of the 2nd/Later Editions

Richard Elliott Friedman’s (initially published in 1987, with updated editions through 2019) is a landmark work of biblical scholarship that treats the authorship of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) like a historical detective case.

Friedman identifies four main voices that were woven together by a later editor to form the final text: