Five Pillars of Documentary Criticism

1. Use of divine names
   • creation: Elohim Gen 1 / Yahweh Elohim Gen 2-3
   • covenant with Abraham: Gen 15 Yahweh, Gen 17 Elohim
2. Language & style
   • P: God creates by speaking, speaks humans into life, is more distant, highly structured style in creation account, ברא (baraʾ = "create")
   • J: God creates with his hands, breathes into humans, walks in garden, talks directly to people, narrative style in creation account, יצר (yiṣer = "make")
3. Contradictions & divergences within the text
   • P: man & woman created together on sixth day
   • J: man & woman created separately, woman after animals
   • P: one pair of all animals (because no sacrifice before temple)
   • J: one pair of unclean & seven pairs of clean animals (because Noah offers sacrifice)
   • Moses’ father-in-law Reuel (J) or Jethro (E) or Hobab (Num 10:29)
   • Mt. Horeb (E, D) or Sinai (J, P)
4. Duplication & repetition of material
   • Beersheba named 2x (well of seven, well of the oath)
   • Bethel named 2x
   • Jacob’s name changed 2x
   • patriarch passes off wife as sister 3x
   • Moses goes up Mt. Sinai 3x without coming down
5. Evidence that different accounts were combined
   • flood story mixes J & P, so differences in number of animals & length of flood
   • story of Moses ascending the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments mixes J & E