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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 -
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 28.10-22 (King James Version) :And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.NoteHaran: Gr. CharranNotespread…: Heb. break forthAnd he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.NoteBeth-el: that is, The house of GodAnd he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org