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INF035
Examples of the Elohist source
The article examines the biblical passages often attributed to the Elohist source, which uses the divine name Elohim and presents God appearing in dreams. It covers accounts such as those of Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and Moses, detailing their distinctive elements.
Genesis 21.8-21 (King James Version) :And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org -
INF037
Examples of the Priestly source
This article explores the Priestly source of the Bible, centered on rituals, laws and genealogies. It is illustrated by passages such as the Creation, the genealogy from Adam to Noah, and Leviticus. Each example highlights its structured and detailed style.
Genesis 5 (King James Version) :This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:NoteEnos: Heb. EnoshAnd Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:NoteCainan: Heb. KenanAnd Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:NoteMahalaleel: Gr. MaleleelAnd Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:NoteJared: Heb. JeredAnd Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:NoteMethuselah: Gr. MathusalaAnd Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:NoteLamech: Heb. LemechAnd Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:NoteNoah: Gr. Noe: that is Rest, or, ComfortAnd he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org -
INF042
The Elohist source
The Elohist source (E) is one of the four hypothetical sources of the Torah according to the documentary hypothesis. It is distinguished by its use of the term Elohim for God, a transcendent theology, and the use of dreams and visions as modes of divine revelation. Dated to the 9th-8th century BCE, it is thought to have originated in the northern kingdom of Israel. Its validity remains debated among contemporary scholars.
Genesis 20 (King James Version) :And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.Notea man’s…: Heb. married to an husbandNoteintegrity: or, simplicity, or, sincerityBut Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.Notewhere…: Heb. as is good in thine eyesAnd Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org