Revelation restored

by Daṿid Halivni

Modern critical scholars divide the Pentateuch into distinct components and constituent strata of tradition, identifying areas of unevenness in the scriptural tradition, which point to several interwoven documents rather than one seamless whole. Although the conclusions reached by such critical scholarship are still matters of dispute, the inconsistencies identified stand clearly before us and pose a serious challenge to the believer in divine revelation. How can a text marred by contradiction be the legacy of Sinai? How can there be reverence for Holy Scriptures that show signs of human intervention? David Weiss Halivni explores these questions, not by disputing the evidence itself or by defending at all costs the absolute integrity of the Pentateuchal words, but rather by accepting the inconsistencies of the text as such and asking how this text might yet be a divine legacy.