TOTC Numbers by Gordon J. Wenham

Author:Gordon J. Wenham
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: More Translations, Religion & Spirituality, Judaism, Reference, Encyclopedias & Subject Guides, Old Testament, Meditations, Criticism & Interpretation, Bible Study, Bible Study & Reference, Old Testament Study, Religion, Sacred Writings, Bibles, Religious Studies & Reference, Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), Commentaries, Christian Books & Bibles
ISBN: 9781783592210
Publisher: IVP
Published: 2008-04-17T22:00:00+00:00

Additional note on the source analysis of chapters 16–17

The story of Korah, Dathan and Abiram is another section where, according to the standard source-critical theory, the sources of Numbers are interwoven. In the spy story two sources, an early JE tradition and a later P tradition, were discerned. In these chapters there is said to be yet a third source present, a supplement to P (Ps, to distinguish it from Pg, the main priestly source).

The earliest source JE (16:1b, 2a, 12–15, 25, 26b, 27b–32a, 33–34) tells how the Reubenites, Dathan and Abiram, revolted against the civil authority of Moses and were punished for it by the ground swallowing them up. The P source (P = 16:1a, 2b, 3–7, 18–24, 26a, 27a, 35, 41–17:13) tells a quite different story of a layman, Korah (in the material assigned to Pg he is not called a Levite), who led a band of two hundred and fifty men protesting against the religious prerogatives of the tribe of Levi represented by Moses and Aaron. When they offered incense, they were killed by divine fire. Finally, the third source, Ps(Ps = 16:1a, 7b–11, 16–17, 32b, 36–40), which as we now have it is incomplete and only supplements Pg, tells how some of the Levites protested against Aaron’s high priesthood and sought to open it up to the whole tribe of Levi.

Advocates of this view argue that it explains the frequent scene changes and repetitions within the narratives as we now have them. If one supposes that JE is earlier than Deuteronomy, but P later, this theory shows why Deuteronomy 11:6 mentions the death of Dathan and Abiram but not that of Korah.

Attractive as the source-critical hypothesis is at first blush, closer inspection reveals some difficulties. First, the argument from Deuteronomy can bear little weight. Other passages in it, both law and narrative,42 imply knowledge of the P as well as the JE material in Numbers. Deuteronomy’s failure to mention Korah may as easily be explained in terms of its author’s intentions as by his ignorance. Psalm 106:16–18 refers both to the death of Dathan and Abiram and to the burning of Korah’s supporters.

To justify their analysis source critics are forced to postulate that the sources have been modified by an editor. For example, it is held that 16:24, 27 have been altered from an original ‘dwelling (i.e. tabernacle) of the LORD’ into the present dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, because these names occur in a P-context. Similarly, verse 32b is said to be an editorial or Ps addition because it is found in a JE context yet mentions Korah.

More decisive in my judgment is that the supposedly earlier sources assume what is mentioned only in the later accounts. Thus, Pg presupposes Ps, and JE presupposes Pg. The wording of 16:18 ‘Pg’ clearly follows that of verse 17 (Ps), not of verses 6–7 (which was the preceding section of Pg). Similarly, 16:21 (Pg) ‘separate yourselves from among this congregation …’ is an allusion to 16:9 (Ps) just as verse 45 (Pg) alludes back to verse 37 (Ps).

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