On the Deuteronomist

THE BIBLE AND INTERPRETATION:

Who Invented the Deuteronomist – and Why?

Even if Moses was considered to be the author of the Pentateuch for centuries, awareness that the first five books of the Old Testament should be seen as a unified, complex literary work has always been present to some degree. With the emergence of Biblical Criticism at the beginning of the 18th century, scholars endeavoured to provide a more systematic explanation for the irregularities evident in this literary complex. Relatively early in this process, scholars drew attention to the unique place that the book of Deuteronomy occupies within the Pentateuch, particularly on account of its characteristic language, style and theology.

See Also: The Deuteronomist's History (Brill; Lam edition, 2015).

By Hans Ausloos
Professor of Old Testament
F.R.S.-FNRS / Université catholique de Louvain
Belgium
March 2016

Nothing can ever be simple, especially in Pentateuchal criticism. More thoughts on its current state are here and here.