Final answer:
The Documentary Hypothesis sources in chronological order are J - Yahwist, E - Elohist, D - Deuteronomist, P - Priestly writer, reflecting their development from the oldest to the latest.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chronological Order of Documentary Hypothesis Sources
The Documentary Hypothesis suggests that the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) was derived from four separate sources, each with its own characteristics and historical context. These sources are commonly referred to by the symbols J, E, D, and P. Historians and biblical scholars generally place them in the following chronological order, from earliest to latest:
- J - Yahwist: The oldest source, characterized by the use of the name Yahweh for God, and believed to be composed in the southern Kingdom of Judah during the ninth or tenth century BCE.
- E - Elohist: Uses the name Elohim for God and is associated with the northern Kingdom of Israel, generally dated to the eighth century BCE.
- D - Deuteronomist: This source is focused mainly on the book of Deuteronomy and is believed to have been written during the reform of King Josiah in the seventh century BCE.
- P - Priestly writer: Concerned with cultic laws and genealogies, the Priestly source is the latest, stemming from the time of the Exile or post-Exilic period, around the sixth or fifth century BCE.
Understanding the different perspectives and historical contexts that these sources come from is essential for interpreting the complex narratives within the Hebrew Bible.