Authors unknown

     Who wrote the Torah in the Bible. An examination of the Torah indicates that it was composed by a number of now unknown authors. If Moses wrote the Bible then it must be explained why Torah books are in conflict with each other on points of both doctrine and history, something easy to establish by an objective examination. That Deuteronomy conflicts with Numbers is obvious, and it is also obvious that the priests who edited the material recognized this fact as well, as is shown by the clumsy attempt at harmonization (see the previous section on historical contradictions in the story of Balaam. The fact that Numbers is obviously not an historical account, but rather a book of political polemics, probably targeted at the monarchy of David does not automatically make the positive account of Moab in Deuteronomy historical by default, or establish that Moses wrote Deuteronomy and that Moses did not write Numbers. There are many indications that the actual authors who wrote the books of the Bible are unknown. Note that in the following passage Moses is not only spoken of in the second person, but also in the past tense .

"So Moses the servant of YAHWEH died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of YAHWEH, and (God) buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Bethpeor; but no man knows the place of his burial to this day ." (Deuteronomy Chapter 34 verse 5)

      Variant traditions and competing political polemics indicate a number of different authors were at work in various places and times. There are many passages that indicate the existence of authors other than Moses. In the opening of Deuteronomy we find the following line.

"Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to explain this law." (Dueteronomy Chapter 1 verse 5)

      Moses died without ever being allowed to cross the Jordan, and the writer, who as the statement implies, is on ‘the other side of the Jordan' looking back. Similarly the writer surfaces repeatedly in the manuscript to insert commentary which clearly indicates a later date of composition. There are phrases such as

"the Canaanite was then in the land." (Genesis Chapter 7 verse 6)

"...and the Canaanite and the Perizzites dwelled then in the land." (Genesis Chapter 3 verse 17)

"And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem,...and the Canaanite was then in the land." (Genesis Chapter 12 verse 6)

      This excludes the time at which the author wrote. ‘The Canaanite was in the land' until well after the time that Moses is said to have died, and this excludes Moses as the author. The theme of the book of Joshua is 'expulsion of the Canaanites,' and this took place after the death of Moses, or, if we follow the alternative account in Judges, the Israelites 'dwelt among the Canaanites' even long after the death of Joshua. This excludes the time of Moses in either case. We also repeatedly find the phrase ‘as it is to this day' demonstrating a later date of composition.

"For only Og the king of Bashan was left as the sole survivor of the Rephaim; his bedstead of iron was nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its breadth. It can still be seen in the Ammonite town of Rabbah." (Deuteronomy Chapter 3 verse 11)

"All Bashan used to be called Rephaim. Jair son of Manasseh captured all the region of Argob as far as the Geshurite border. There are still tent villages there bearing his name." (Deuteronomy Chapter 3 verse 13)

     The reference to Manasseh is a reference to the conquest of the land as described in various ways in Joshua and Judges. Moses did not live to enter the land and these events took place after his death. The author is also writing about events in the past, for Manasseh is said to have captured these places at some time in the past, and now 'in the present time' there are 'still towns bearing his name.' The wording indicates that a considerable amount of time had passed, for it would not be remarkable or worth mentioning that 'towns still bear his name to this very day,' if the events described were not already part of distant history. Similarly the 'giant bed' could still be seen, another fact worth noting if one wishes to 'prove' that some historical event took place by directing readers to the location of a religious relic. It is the fact that the event occured long ago and 'towns still bear his name' or 'you can still see his bed' that is considered remarkable and worth pointing out. We also find the phrase 'as it is to this day,' indicating a later date of composition than that of the time at which the events described were purported to have taken place.

"To drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day." (Deuteronomy Chapter 4 verse 38)

     Moses is referred to in the past tense and is also deceased at the time of certain writings.

"And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death." (Deuteronomy Chapter 33 verse 1)

"And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom YAHWEH knew face to face." (Deuteronomy Chapter 34 verse 10)

"The man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt." (Exodus Chapter 11 verse 3)

"And if you have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which YAHWEH had spoken unto Moses, Even all that YAHWEH had commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that YAHWEH commanded Moses." (Numbers Chapter 15 verse 22)

"And YAHWEH said to Moses..." (Numbers Chapter 1 verse 1, Numbers Chapter 2 verse 1, Numbers Chapter 5 verse 1, etc., Leviticus Chapter 25 verse 1, etc.)

"...as YAHWEH commanded Moses." (Exodus 39:57, 40:19, 40:27, 40:32, Leviticus 7:37, 26:46, 27:34 etc.)

     In the following passage the author is writing after the time that Israel had conquered the land, long after the time of Moses.

"The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; As Israel did unto the land of his possession, which YAHWEH gave unto them" (Deuteronomy Chapter 2 verse 12)

"And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel." (Genesis Chapter 36 verse 31)

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come." (Genesis Chapter 49 verse 10)

      Both of these passages indicate a time of composition no earlier than the time of the first kings of Israel (Saul and David). The first lists the Kings of Edom who reigned 'before there were any kings in Israel', which implies that at the time of the composition there were kings in Israel, and the second assumes that Judah had 'the sceptre' (referring to a time no earlier than that of King David). Note that the following passage refers back to the time when the Israelites were 'in the wilderness' suggesting that the author was writing at a time when they no longer were there (and this could not have been Moses, who was not allowed to leave the wilderness with the people).

"And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day." (Numbers Chapter 15 verse 32)

      It is then stated that no one knew what to do with the man who had gathered sticks on the Sabbath. Now, if we follow the traditions in Exodus, while Moses was on the mountain, and long before the Israelites went wandering through the wilderness, God had given Moses laws explaining exactly what to do in such a situation.

"Whosoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death." (Exodus Chapter 31 verse 15)

     According to Exodus, the matter had been settled on Mount Sinai, and according to Numbers 'no one knew what to do,' and Moses had to go and find out. Therefore it is obvious that Moses could not have been the author of the Numbers account. The alternative tradition of the Sabbath law in the book of Numbers continues:

"Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation; and they put him in custody because it had not been declared what should be done to him. Then YAHWEH said to Moses, "The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp." So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, just as YAHWEH had commanded Moses." (Numbers Chapter 15, verse 33)

      There are also numerous passages that indicate knowledge of the existence of the temple. These are particularly numerous in Deuteronomy, where one of the main themes is centralization of worship, a concept that was unknown and not practiced in earlier manuscripts, where sacrifices and offerings were made in diverse places, and the practice presented no problem. Other examples include:

"The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of YAHWEH thy God." (Exodus Chapter 23 verse 19)

      No 'house' or temple, existed until after the time of King Solomon.

"I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle." (2 Samuel Chapter 7 verse 6)