PENTATEUCH, pen/tit-tell: (from Lat. Pen ta(euchus, Pentateuchum, Pentateuch, from Gk. iroo-dreuxos, pentateurhos, consisting of five books, from IrevrE, prate, five + re5x0s, tcuchos, tool, book, from reifxav, icuchcin, to prepare). The name given by the Greek translators to the group of five books which tradition ascribed to Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Among the Jews these five books are known as Book of the Lou-, or The Fire Purts of the Law. The division into five books (to which the division of the Psalms into five sections pre sents a parallel) was made before the Septuagint translation, apparently for liturgical purposes, though the division into 54 sections (known as parsh iotk or sid re) represents the more specifical ly .Jewish division adopted for the distribution of the Pentateuch over the Sabbaths of the year. The division into books or into sections is arbi trary, and has merely conventional significance, for the Pentateuch is a continuous work. In the opinion of modern scholars the Book of Joshua must also be added as an integral part. and it is customary at the present time to speak of the Hexateuch (sixfold book) rather than the Penta teuch. This term Hexateuch, however, must not be understood as implying that the six books are sharply separated from those which follow. The theory regards that part of the Old Testament which extends from Genesis to the end of Kings a, a unified historical compilation, brought to its present shape in the Greek period, and aiming to give a complete history of the Hebrews from the creation of the world to the Babylonian captivity in B.C. 5S6. The Itexateucb covers the portion of this history to the conquest of Canaan and the distribution of the territory among the tribes; the Pentateuch ends with the death of doses.
Scholars who hold this view reject the opinion, traditionally held till the beginning of the nine teenth century, that the Pentateuch is essentially a law hook and the work of Moses. They regard
it as a compilation at which many different indi viduals have worked throughout a long period of time: various sources have been used in making the compilation, among them certain legal codes, originally independent, which have been incorpo rated and constitute the legal portions. For a statement of what these sources are believed to be and a history of the discussion by which the theory has been developed and strengthened until it has come to be accepted by well nigh all scholars, see the article FIENATEUCII. In addition to what is there said the following points may be here noted.
The difference in style and point of view be tween the Prophetic narrative (JE) and the Priestly document (P) is very marked. Both be gin with the creation of the world and cover the same ground, but the Priestly compiler passes more rapidly over the histories of the earlier and later patriarchs. emphasizing only such in cidents as have a bearing on the religious theory underlying his narrative. His chief interest is theological and ceremonial; his style stilted and formal. The Elohist and Yahwist, on the other band are genuine story-tellers; events are told for their own sake, in a style flowing and attractive. which makes some of their narratives models of story-telling. In the Book of Exodus, likewise, historical incidents are rapidly passed over by the Priestly compiler till the revelation at Sinai is reached. Here, beginning with chapter xxv., his real object reveals itself—the formulation of the various ordinances, the construction of the tabernacle, its furniture, the organization of the priesthood, the distinction between Levites and priests, duties of both, ceremonies of consecra tion, sacrificial laws, festival regulations, and the like. The greater part of Leviticus and Numbers is taken up with sections of the Priestly Code introduced by the narrator at the point which he regarded as appropriate.