It is believed that five persons or sets of persons, at five different periods, composed or rehandled the Pentateuch and the other historical books. These are (1) the first Elohist (E), who was Samuel or one of his scholars; (2) the second Elohist (_E_), who wrote about the end of Saul's reign or early in that of David; (3) the Jehovist or Jahvist (J), who wrote towards the end of David's or the beginning of Solomon's reign, who may be identified with Nathan, and may possibly be the same with _E_; (4) the Deuteronomist (D), who probably was Jeremiah; and (5) the Levitical Legislators (LL), who wrote about 250 B.C., or even later.
The share which each of these is supposed to have had in the six first books of the Bible is given in the final appendix, a "Synoptical Table of the Hexateuch." In another appendix, the author explains the changes in his views of numerous passages, which have led to the more precise conclusions now put forward, and the task is attempted of giving (1) the story of E alone in Exodus and Numbers, and (2) the story of _E_ and J by themselves in Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. Thus the author gives the reader the fullest means of judging of his theory.
It may be best to give the author's conclusions as to the authorship of the various books in order:--
Genesis, chiefly written by E and J, with some additions by _E_ and D.
Exodus, mostly by J and D, with a shorter narrative by the earlier authors.
Leviticus, a very late work, wholly by LL.
Numbers, mainly by J and D, but with considerable additions by LL.
Deuteronomy, almost wholly by D, but with a few verses by J and LL.
Joshua, shared between all the writers, but in the proportions indicated by the numbers 1, 1, 4, 4, 7.
The books of Chronicles, Ezra, and half Nehemiah, by LL; a late, hierarchical, and quite untrustworthy work.
Job, written after the Captivity, about 450 B.C.
Psalms, at various times; great stress is laid on Ps. lxviii., which is assigned to the age of David, "the golden age of Hebrew literature," which produced also the Songs of Moses and Deborah.
Proverbs, written at various times from Solomon till after the Exile.
Canticles, in the time of Rehoboam II., about 800, and in the Northern kingdom.