By reading the Creation stories many differences between the Priestly and Yahwist accounts can be noticed. I mean what the different sources were up to is presented nicely. I am trying to figure out or read about the differences between the P version and the Y version of Noah and the flood. Thank you very much for this site! I find it peculiar that Israel could have picked the religion of Ugarit; perhaps it spread further into Canaan and was picked up by Israel, then the Divine Council was assimilated imin, Sorry; computers again! Though the name of the site is contradictionsinbible I think it is…. According to the documentary hypothesis, the Elohist (or simply E) is one of four source documents underlying the Torah, together with the Jahwist (or Yahwist), the Deuteronomist and the Priestly source.The Elohist is so named because of its pervasive use of the word Elohim to refer to the Israelite god.. I assume you do come back to old posts, cos that’s what I’ve just done. (Num 8:24 vs Num 4:3, 4:23, 4:30), #183. Indeed, the epithet “God of gods” is employed to Yahweh in the context we’re discussing. I have been all over your site reading articles today. For nearly three centuries now, scholars and critical readers of the book of Genesis have acknowledged that Genesis is a composite text (See How the Torah was Discovered to be a Collection of Competing Traditions). You’ve compiled a remarkable amount of information here, and I think it can be helpful. 2 Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, with a divine wind sweeping over the waters. 0 0? RE: What are the major differences between the Yahwist and Priestly stories of creation? STUDY. What is the minimum age of service for Levites: 25 OR 30? Only two of these strands, the Yahwist and the Priestly, are found in the primeval history, and they are easily distinguished. The similarities can be seen between the Priestly and Yahwist narratives and The Magician's Nephew when we look at the creation of Narnia and the destruction of Charn.Get full access for only $8.97. This concern for order extends all the way from his story of creation, through the genealogies, into the categories of sacred and profane, pure and impure, clean and unclean. Studying the places where the Bible’s different textual traditions converge is an excellent way of doing that. After some research, there are some schools of thought that Yam and YHVH may be the same God. If he can tell us one of the accounts isn't really a creation story he … Creation vs. Evolution. In any case, I’m glad for the resource. Briefly, I don’t think that the connection can be proven because of these reasons, some of which I mention in the links: 1) Yahweh appears to have his origins south of Israel, thus not in Canaan. It is the oldest source, whose narratives make up half of Genesis and the first half of Exodus, plus fragments of Numbers. The Priestly (P) account, Gen 1:1 – 2:4b, was written around the … Creation of the world (Gen. 1 ... First list of Patriarchs (Gen. 5) Priestly. (Num 23:8, 23:26 vs Num 23:8), #156. ...Babylonian creation epic, The Enuma Elish. We are then introduced to a story of fratricide, perpetrated by the first human brothers (4:1-16), a mythic tale describing the corruption of mortal women by the sons of the gods (6:1-4), and the increasing violence and corruption of mortals in general due to their inherent “evil inclination” (6:5-7). I should have looked for new comments before posting mine, because John Kesler beat me to it. Many of these passages are revamped Yahweh vs the Red sea themes where the red sea is now portrayed as (the primordial) Yam. ii) the unique features of the Priestly account of creation: The two features from the Yahwist account that the Priestly writers tend to emphasize clearly are the positive relationship between Adam and God, and the beauty of the cosmos that is represented in the image of the garden of Eden. I understand where you’re coming from, in stating that YHVH came from the south region. An impure firstborn animal, particularly an ass, is redeemed with a lamb OR the priest’s appraisal price plus a fifth OR 5 shekels? These are not coincidental details to our Priestly writer, as we shall see. Creation of the world (Gen. 1) Priestly. And in fact, there are several passages that—like other ancient Near Eastern parallels (see #2)—portray Yahweh and Yam in conflict with one another, not as identical. Yahwist vs Elohist essaysThe stories of the Yahwist and the Elohist have many similarities as well as differences. 3) There are polemics against Yamm in the Hebrew Bible’s mythology. I’ve been looking for someone with the scholarly acumen that you possess for sometime and it is proving itself successful in my continuing education. I grew up in a Christian School/and Home, and I remember seeing some of the textual differences you elucidate here–and I often felt as if I was the only person…. Anonymous. And interesting, these Psalms are personifying Yam! What are the major differences between the Yahwist and Priestly stories of creation? As for the mentions of Asherah in the Bible, those are pretty clearly the result of this same challenge the priests faced in eliminating a competing god from the people’s habitual worship practices. Is only a small goat/sheep permissible as the sacrificial animal for the Passover OR are older cattle included as well? This website has brought about many new notes and underlinings in my sweet old Bible. How Is the Priestly Version Different From the Yahwist Version of the Creation Story. This story concentrates more on the Exodus-Sinai story and the formation of the covenant at Mount Sinai. Let there be 4. The following contradictions that will be posted are the points of convergence where this new PJ text came into conflict with each other. Identified verse by verse and explained using the most up-to-date scholarly information about the Bible, its texts, and the men who wrote them — by Dr. Steven DiMattei. Genesis 1 as a Test Case, The Growing Problem of Biblical Illiteracy in Our Country, The Biblical Texts on Their Own Terms Versus the Bible on Its Terms: Genesis 1 and 2 as a Case Study, Morals Don’t Come From God: For This I Know Because the Bible Tells Me So, #350. This source cannot be dated; it may be a mere set of additions to the Priestly source, but it is also possible that this text once was a full history that was later split into sections. (Ex 25:8; Num 1:50-2:32 vs Ex 33:7-11), #109. I mean what the different sources were up to is presented nicely. I’m a little familiar with the documentary hypothesis and all the J P stuff. God created/made 2. 4 God saw that light was good, and God divided light from darkness. The Yahwist account of creation story speaks of the creation of man and woman. THE PRIESTLY CREATION STORY GENESIS 1:1-2:4a 1 In the beginning God created heaven and earth. Priestly. After the conquering of Sihon and Og does Moses deliver his first speech, What the Text of Genesis 1–2 Reveals about Its Own Compositional Nature and the Beliefs and Views of Its Authors, #212. Hmm, that theory seems unlikely to me since Yam was not a god that was worshipped by any people as far as I’m aware. The first point is the Meaning of the Creation Story in which will be divided into two categories. 3 God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. Glancing at Wikipedia, it seems that the “Yaw” variant of “Yam” could be a mistake based on a damaged tablet. And for the most part these once separate textual traditions can still be identified and even separated out. When the individual episodes are gleaned out of Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers, and viewed together in isolation, the Yahwist epic tells a story of marvelous scope and deep human interest. Thanks for your time. I read somewhere that the two stories were written after Solomon’s death, one from Judah, one from Israel. Likewise, Ps 77:16-19 portrays Yam fleeing from Yahweh. The book of Exodus is also divided between the Yahwist and P, and the usual understanding is that the Priestly writer(s) were adding to an already-existing Yahwist narrative. Lv 4. . After a great deal of discussion regarding word choice in the English translation of the passages found in Genesis 2:18-20, Holding concludes 'that there is [no] contradiction, but...G2 [the shorthand he gives to the second creation story starting at Genesis 2:4b] is reporting the order out of sequence purposely in order to stress man's dominion over the created animals.' It is understood the answer, though, lies in the text. Answer: Yahwism can refer to a couple different things. Also, how both creation stories help humankind develop a better interpretation of God. I am certainly learning a lot and enjoying it every step of the way. Answer: Jacob the book of Genesis uses a combination of two distinct Style (a) Jahwistic Style and (b) the Priestly Style to convey two different messages in one same doctrine. What is written on the stone tablets that are placed in the Ark: the instructions for building the Tabernacle OR the Ten Commandments? Match. How do we know that the biblical writers were not writing history? Van Seters’s interest in the Yahwist was stimulated by the 1964 presidential address of the Society of Biblical Literature, given by Professor Fredrick Winnett, “Rethinking the Foundations,” which focused on the Yahwist in Genesis. The Priestly version of the world’s primeval beginnings is vastly different. Peace. In short, these competing traditions tell the story of the world’s beginnings (as well as Israel’s history) differently. Maybe the Divine Council was assimilated into the religion of Jerusalem and developed by the priests of the city. Here is one of the sites I came across that mentions a tie, but it is not definitive. 2 Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, with a divine wind sweeping over the waters. After the flood, the Priestly writer records God’s first covenant with his creation, and another genealogy explaining the origin of man’s diverse languages, contrary to the Yahwist, as a natural genealogical process (Gen 10:1-7, 20, 31-32). Though the name of the site is contradictionsinbible I think it is…, How the Torah was Discovered to be a Collection of Competing Traditions, Studying the Bible scientifically and objectively, http://bcharchive.org/2/thearchives/showthread5701-2.html?t=281688, http://contradictionsinthebible.com/are-yahweh-and-el-the-same-god/, http://bcharchive.org/2/thearchives/showthread7b9c.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asherah#In_Israel_and_Judah, http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Yam_(god)#Connections_between_Yam_and_YHWH, #219. The Yahwist strand is represented in Genesis 2–16, 18–22, 24–34, 38, and 49; Exodus 1–24, 32, … He was a primal force of chaos, set up in the myths as kind of a villain to be defeated. The link I mention above (on 7-29-15) makes reference to this passage, and I can add this one as well: http://bcharchive.org/2/thearchives/showthread7b9c.html. A flood story (Gen. 6-9) Yahwist and Priestly. Some scholars believe that the Yahwist account is the earlier written account, while the Priestly account was written perhaps 500 years later and was intended to ritualize the creation account and combat some of the teaching infiltrating the Jewish culture from nearby Middle Eastern … One theory about YHWH is sort of the opposite of this one — that YHWH seems to have taken the place of *Baal Hadad*. Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. (Lev 11; Deut 14 vs Mk 7:18-19; Rom 14:14; Acts 10:10-15), #27. Often people refer to the Genesis creation story as myths, but this is not technically correct in reference to Genesis 1. For instance, the Yahwist’s primeval history is a story of increasing disobedience, violence, and corruption. I would additionally point out that, as the wife of El (who YHWH also replaced), she could be considered the biggest threat to the newly-developed Israelite concept of a “one true god” (and maybe her worship also threatened the patriarchal system of the YHWH priesthood). Source(s): https://shrinks.im/basXa. I have also read Richard Friedman’s book but it is a bit much for me. but the quest for knowledge goes on. See Psalms 74:13 and Isaiah 51:9, 10, for instance. According to those texts, YHWH was one of the council, but after assimilation, became the God of Judah. I discussed this on another list in 2010: In this story Moses and Elijah are the central characters instead of David. 1 decade ago. Four Part Story. Steven, your essays are very readable, very cogent and I will spend time carefully reading them. Find answers now! The P version seems to be to the point, whereas the Y version seems to be long winded and confusing? 1. Creation Story Yahwist And Priestly Account. My knowledge about the history of the Old Testament, its compilation have increased much after coming to your site. Kyle, Hi; The Jahwist, also referred to as the Jehovist, Yahwist, or simply as J, is one of the four major sources of the Torah postulated by the Documentary Hypothesis (DH). The Priestly account corresponds roughly to Genesis, Chapter 1, while the Yahwist account corresponds to Genesis, Chapters 2. This is a fantastic website. A redactor combined these two sources. “All the cattle died” OR the cattle are still alive? 6 Instead, water flowed out of the ground and watered all the surface of the soil. Steven, your essays are very readable, very cogent and I will spend time carefully reading them. It was discovered in 1875 CE. Creation of Humans (Gen. 2) Yahwist. Today we shall pass to the second account, which is frequently described as the "Yahwist," since it uses the name "Yahweh" for God. The Priestly Creation Story Introduction. That is in its present form the Hebrew text, both on linguistic and thematic grounds reveals that it was composed of different, and often competing, textual traditions. So the polemic is there to attempt to distinguish Yahweh from Baal, and indeed to make the argument that Yahweh is far superior. I’ve been looking for someone with the scholarly acumen that you possess for sometime and it is proving itself successful in my continuing education. Please keep up the great work and again, thanks for putting in this effort! Ex Protestant, This site is amazing. The Giants (Gen. 6) Yahwist. Yahwist definition, a writer of the earliest major source of the Hexateuch, in which God is characteristically referred to as Yahweh rather than Elohim. Yahwist source, abbreviated as J (labeled J after the German transliteration of YHWH), an early source that provides a strand of the Pentateuchal narrative. When does the slaughter of the firstborns and the Passover occur: on the eve of the day that Moses last speaks to Pharaoh OR 4 to 14 days later? See more. Is the Tent of Meeting in the camp OR outside the camp? Yahwist and Priestly. Regardless of where YHWH came from, the degree of contention with worshippers of Baal could simply be due to Baal Hadad worship being the hardest to root out of Israel as the priestly class attempted to re-direct all worship to YHWH. I just wanted to say thank y…, Dear Dr. DiMattei: But what is told is difficult to unravel. As modern readers of this ancient tale, we should pause, acknowledge this author’s message, and attempt to understand it against his cultural context. Not the storyteller that the Yahwist was, the Priestly writer is more interested in discerning order and structure in God's plan for the world. Story of Abraham. Term Paper on Compare Yahwist Priestly and Magician's Nephew Assignment The Priestly narratives begin with Genesis and the Creation. If this is so, then it is with good reason that YHVH would rail against Baal in the bible more then any other. ‘The Yahwist also describes the breakdown of mutuality and relationship when we fail to adhere to that ethos, using human craftiness to exploit power.’ ‘Genesis 2: 18-24 is part of the Yahwist creation story, in which woman is created subsequent to man.’ . So Ps 74-15 (cf. Be Blessed, Yahweh conquers the sea (yam) and the sea monsters: Psalm 74:13, Isaiah 51:9-10, Job 26:12 (cf. But you actually make it work. As it happens, however, these two texts were redacted together by later scribes, most likely in an effort to preserve both of these textual traditions. These texts must date to before 1200 BCE since Ugarit collapsed about that time and had virtually ceased to exist by 1000BCE. The Priestly biblical history and the Enuma Elish are written down in a similar way with some characteristics. Most of the remainder of Genesis is from the Yahwist, but P provides the covenant with Abraham (chapter 17) and a few other stories concerning Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I can’t believe what I am learning. Originally the Priestly writer, disagreeing with the earlier Yahwist version or finding that it did not suit his purposes or accord with his perception of the world, took upon him to “re-write” and most likely replace (!) Yahwist Creation Story. What blows my mind is how we NEVER noticed these things in our Bible reading plans as Christians. To keep in mind that these accounts are not coincidental details to our Priestly writer ’ s primeval is... Though the name of the ground and watered all the J P yahwist vs priestly creation story... You tell me where, because John Kesler beat me to it Priestly biblical history and Priestly! 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