But in the first of many argumentative reversals, Auerbach turns on the
Elohist. While the historical style of the Old Testament is to be commended for its honesty, its teleological narrative structure forces its reader into acts of interpretive dishonesty.
Hosea, the Elijah cycle, and the
Elohist pentateuchal tradition all sought to clarify for their audience that Elohim was really Yahweh in particular.
Exodus contains three accounts of Yahweg introducing himself to Moses, written by the Yahwist (J), the
Elohist (E), and P.
But having reviewed the variety of ancient Near-Eastern genres dealing with the past, we are then offered detailed accounts of the historiographies of the Deuteronomist, the Yahwist, the
Elohist and the Priestly writer(s) who, in their conventional chronological sequence (J,E,D,P) show a dissolution of the sacral character of monarchy.
21]," whereas the "
Elohist" or "E" writers (who stressed God's transcendence) gave rise to none.
Genesis is a patchwork of sources termed "priestly," "
Elohist," and "Yahwist" (37), and Isaiah is a compiled work by at least three prophets (159).
Tables (332, 338, 343) show the variant Septuagint numeration; the fivefold division suggested by the colophons: Psalm 41:14; 72:18-19; 89:52; 106:48; and the attributions to an
Elohist (Pss 1-41), David-Solomon (Pss 51-65, 68-72), Asaph (Pss 50, 73-83), and the sons of Korah (Pss 42-49, 84-88).
"E," the
Elohist Epic, calls God "Elohim" until the burning bush story and then switches to Yahweh or combines the two.
Compare also the references to bull worship coming from the polemical pens of the
Elohist, Hosea, and the Deuteronomist.
Next, fragments attributed to the
Elohist and the Yahwist (for which the ugly form 'Jehowist' is used).
Some scholars have suggested that these verses are a conflation of two traditions, the
Elohist in verses 12-15a and 18b and verses 15b-18a of Priestly origin.
Note here the "
Elohist Psalms" 42-83, especially 53 repeated from 14, omitting YHWH (202).