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INF041
The Jahwist source
The Jahwist source (J) is a hypothetical source of the Torah identified by the documentary hypothesis of the 19th century. Named after its use of the divine name YHWH, it is characterized by an anthropomorphic and narrative style. Associated with texts such as the creation (Gen 2) and the fall (Gen 3), its dating remains debated. Today, its validity is called into question by contemporary exegetes.
Genesis 2.4-25 (King James Version) :These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,Notethere…: or, a mist which went up from, etc.Noteof the dust…: Heb. dust of the groundAnd every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.NoteEthiopia: Heb. CushNotetoward…: or, eastward to AssyriaNotethe man: or, AdamAnd out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:Notethou…: Heb. eating thou shalt eatNotethou shalt surely…: Heb. dying thou shalt dieBut of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.Notemeet…: Heb. as before himNoteAdam: or, the manNotegave: Heb. calledAnd out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;Notemade: Heb. buildedNoteWoman: Heb. IshaNoteMan: Heb. IshAnd the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.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