Who Wrote The Bible? (2nd Edition) Apr 2026

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.

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)

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

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 explains these as the result of a

The Bible often tells the same story twice with different details (e.g., two versions of the creation story or the flood). Friedman explains these as the result of a Redactor (R) —likely the priest Ezra —combining multiple sources into one cohesive but sometimes inconsistent narrative.

Friedman uses the to argue that the Torah was not written by a single person like Moses, but was compiled from four distinct source documents. The Four Primary Sources (J, E, P, D)

Named for using the name Elohim for God. Originating from the northern Kingdom of Israel around the 8th or 9th century BCE, it focuses more on northern locations and traditions.