The Origins of P: Literary Profiles and Strata of the Priestly Texts in Genesis 1 - Exodus 40

The Origins of P: Literary Profiles and Strata of the Priestly Texts in Genesis 1 - Exodus 40 

Jürg Hutzli  

In this study, Jürg Hutzli analyses all Priestly texts in Genesis-Exodus. He evaluates crucial questions concerning P, namely inner stratification, literary profile, historical setting, and relationship to the non-P »environment« separately for each Priestly unit or section. An important result of the author's study is the conclusion that the Priestly texts form a stratum that is more composite and less homogeneous than previously thought. Single units like Gen. 1, the Priestly flood story, and the Priestly Abraham narrative have their own distinct theologies that do not fit that of the comprehensive Priestly composition in every respect. Furthermore, as recent studies point out, the literary profile of P is not the same in every section (either a source or a redaction). The author evaluates these observations diachronically for an inner differentiation of the Priestly strand.

2023. XI, 447 pages.

Forschungen zum Alten Testament (FAT) 164

DOI 10.1628/978-3-16-161641-9

Table of contents:

Preface
I. Introduction
1.1 State of Research and Preliminary Considerations concerning Profiles and Strata of the Priestly Literature
1.2 Methodological Considerations

II. Analyses of the Priestly Texts in Genesis 1-Exodus 40
2.1 The Creation Account in Genesis 1:1-2:4a
2.2 The Genealogy in Genesis 5
2.3 The Priestly Flood Account in Genesis 6-9
2.4 The Priestly Table of Nations in Genesis 10
2.5 The Genealogy in Genesis 11:10-26
2.6 The Priestly Ancestral Narrative in Genesis 11:27-50:13
2.7 The Priestly Texts in Exodus 1-12: Israel's Stay in Egypt and Exodus
2.8 The Priestly Story of the Miracle at Sea in Exodus 14
2.9 The Priestly Texts in Exodus 16-20: Israel Moves to Sinai
2.10 The Priestly Texts in Exodus 24:15b-40:38: The Tabernacle Account

III. Synthesis
3.1 Stratigraphy of P: Sources and Redactions in the Priestly Texts of Genesis 1-Exodus 40
3.2 The Literary Profile of the Priestly Texts in Genesis 1-Exodus 40
3.3 The Literary-Historical Relationship between the Priestly and non-Priestly Strata in Genesis 1-Exodus 40