Linguistic Dating of Biblical Texts

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

For two centuries, scholars have pointed to consistent differences in the Hebrew of certain biblical texts and interpreted these differences as reflecting the date of composition of the texts. Until the 1980s, this was quite uncontroversial as the linguistic findings largely confirmed the chronology of the texts established by other means: the Hebrew of Genesis-2 Kings was judged to be early and that of Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles to be late. In the current debate where revisionists have questioned the traditional dating, linguistic arguments in the dating of texts have come more into focus. The study critically examines some linguistic arguments adduced to support the traditional position, and reviewing the arguments it points to weaknesses in the linguistic dating of EBH texts to pre-exilic times. When viewing the linguistic evidence in isolation it will be clear that a post-exilic date for the (final linguistic form of the) EBH texts is more likely.
Translated title of the contributionLinguistic Dating of Biblical Texts
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBiblical Hebrew: Studies in Chronology and Typology
EditorsIan Young
Number of pages24
PublisherT & T Clark
Publication date2003
Pages164-88
Publication statusPublished - 2003

ID: 44663050