After Josiah ascended the throne, “the Book of the Law” was found in the temple (2 Kings 22:8), and scholars universally agree Deuteronomy was this book that had not been read in many years.
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Moses and the Writing of the Law:
Deuteronomy 31:24–26 states that Moses wrote down the Law and commanded the Levites to place it beside the Ark of the Covenant.
This implies an effort to preserve the original, but there’s no explicit mention of copying for decay.
Over time, regular handling and natural aging might have required faithful copies to be made.
Command to Kings to Copy the Law:
Deuteronomy 17:18–19 commands that every king of Israel must write for himself a copy of the Law:
“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law… and he is to read it all the days of his life.”
This ensures both personal familiarity with the text and the creation of multiple copies over generations.
So, no @Robert, do not remove the posts about the Torah because my end of my “library ssession with ChatGPT” is handled respectfully by me.
1. Stephen, you looked up the other Ancient Languages just put the cherry on the cake and include Hebrew.
2. When I did, I had a respectful question.
3. Comment 22 above supports the respectful statement I made.
Yes, King Josiah speaks of the Book of the Law.
Yes, the Book of the Law does not have to date from the of King Josiah because kings were making their own copies as per Deuteronomy 17: 18-19.
So, yes, the Book of the Law can go back to the Lawgiver Moses.
Moses was highly educated via the royal education system of Ancient Egypt.
Noses would have learned how to write the Hebrew script of his time and would have written the original Book of the Law.
Robert, do critical scholars say Joseph and Moses could not write in Egyptian?
Do critical scholars say Joseph and Moses were not bilingual in their own peoples’ language and script along with them being able to handle their writing obligations as Egyptians of high standing?
My lingering thought is this: The Book of the Law does not have to be books 1-5, it could be 2-5.
Do we leave Genesis out of the picture until the 7th century BCE?
How much could have Moses investigated through the lineage of Joseph who could have been forgotten by the time of Moses–beyond Moses’ power to investigate. How much of Hebrew geneaology could have been passed down from Joseph.
I am saying, Moses would have been to steeped in the Ancient Egyptian creation myths to have turned around and written the creation and flood myths we find in Genesis today.
I see the Sumerian myths human creation and flood (especially with the archaeological evidence of flood in Sumer) being original content to a much later Hebrew version.
Early Evidence of Scribes in Israelite and Judahite History:
Pre-Exilic Period:
Scribes are mentioned as part of the royal administration during the monarchy (10th–6th centuries BCE):
2 Samuel 8:17 lists Seraiah as a scribe during King David’s reign.
2 Kings 22:3–10 refers to Shaphan the scribe, who played a key role in delivering the “Book of the Law” to King Josiah.
Their primary responsibilities included drafting official documents, keeping records, and perhaps copying sacred texts.
I’ve moved several posts from this thread, and may move more…
Robert, I request you pick up all my posts, move them eight inches to the left, and then set them down again.
Steefen, since you reject the historical Jesus, why assume Moses or any of the Hebrew patriarchs actually existed? It’s much less likely Moses lived than did Jesus of Nazareth.
The primary scholarly view has been that the final composition of the Torah took place in the Persian period. Now though you have scholars who trace it to as late as the Hellenistic or even the Hasmonean periods. Genesis, it turns out, although certainly using much earlier sources, is a rather late text.
The biblical Jesus is a composite character of historical fiction.
That does not mean I reject an historical Jesus.
For example, only the gospel of John has the resurrection of Lazarus. How can such a major event not have been known by three other gospels and gospel characters in the other three gospels? Answer: it did not happen.
Second, there are reasons provided by others for rejecting the biblical Jesus as accurate history.
The reasons for rejecting the biblical Jesus would not be the same reasons for rejecting a biblical Moses.
Third, I have studied this material for more than 20 years but my analysis of the scholars brought me to the concluded the descent into Egypt happened and at least one exodus happened, if not three.
Sure, there have been edits and additions.
The biblical Jesus is a composite character of historical fiction.
So you say. Of the various flavors of Mythicism I consider this probably the weakest. But no need to rehash this argument.
…the descent into Egypt happened and at least one exodus happened, if not three.
No scholar that has ever lived has denied that there were migrations throughout the ancient Levant. But the Hebrew Exodus as described in the Bible is not supported by evidence. What this means is that there were historical events that were the source of the development of later legends. Just as Jesus existed and later legends were created about him. Totally non-controversial.
That the biblical Jesus is a composite character of historical fiction is not a flavor of Mythicism.
Mythicists frequently point to similarities between the narratives of specific figures (e.g., Jesus, Krishna, or Osiris) and earlier mythological or religious traditions, suggesting that these figures are adaptations of preexisting myths.
This view contrasts with the majority position among historians, which acknowledges the existence of Jesus but debates the details of his life and ministry.
Stephen:
But the Hebrew Exodus as described in the Bible is not supported by evidence.
Steefen:
Go tell that to someone who holds that the Hebrew Exodus as described in the Bible is 100% supported by evidence.
You do not comprehend my positions but no need to rehash something you haven’t been able to grasp at least for three years.
Your criticism is not valuable or credible.
BDEhrman
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Robert
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