Computerized Source Criticism of Biblical Texts

We have developed an automated method to separate biblical texts according to author or scribal school. At the core of this new approach is the identification of correlations in word preference that are then used to quantify stylistic similarity between sections. In so doing, our method ignores lite...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Dershowitz, Idan 1982- (Author) ; Qôppel, Mōše (Author) ; Akiva, Navot (Author) ; Dershowitz, Nachum 1951- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Scholar's Press [2015]
In: Journal of Biblical literature
Year: 2015, Volume: 134, Issue: 2, Pages: 253-271
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Old Testament / Bible. Pentateuch, Bible. Pentateuch / Source criticism / Computer program
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
Further subjects:B Biblical scholars
B REPETITION (Rhetoric)
B EZEKIEL (Biblical prophet)
B JEREMIAH (Biblical prophet)
B Narratives
B Bible Criticism, interpretation, etc
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Non-electronic
Description
Summary:We have developed an automated method to separate biblical texts according to author or scribal school. At the core of this new approach is the identification of correlations in word preference that are then used to quantify stylistic similarity between sections. In so doing, our method ignores literary features-such as possible repetitions, narrative breaks, and contradictions-and focuses on the least subjective criterion employed by Bible scholars to identify signs of composition. The computerized system is unique in its ability to consider subtle stylistic preferences in aggregate, whereas human scholars are generally limited to cases where a word preference is pronounced. Our method is also less liable to accusations of bias, thanks to its reliance on context-independent criteria. Its efficacy is demonstrated in its successful deconstruction of an artificial book, Jer-iel, made up of randomly interleaved snippets from Jeremiah and Ezekiel. When applied to Genesis-Numbers, the method divides the text into constituents that correlate closely with common notions of "Priestly" and "non-Priestly" material. No such corroboration is forthcoming for the classic Yahwistic/Elohistic division.
ISSN:1934-3876
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of Biblical literature
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.15699/jbl.1342.2015.2754