A Literary Analysis of Exodus 19-40: Which Ten Commandments?

Section 1 ● Section 2 ● Section 3 ● Section 4 ● Section 5

Abstract- I will attempt to offer an objective literary analysis of the latter of half the book of Exodus. My intent is to demonstrate that two separate covenant traditions are recorded in the text, each with different ordering of items, and discrepancy of items between traditions. Specifically, I have concluded from this study that evidence from the text supports the hypothesis that two incidences of the ‘Ten Commandments’ can be found within two adjacent and similar narratives, but that the composition of the two ‘Ten Commandments’ are far less than identical.

Background- Those familiar with the discipline of Source Criticism as applied to the Pentateuch from Jean Autrec to the present may be familiar with the approach I am taking. However, I am precluding this analysis from making any conclusions regarding the relationship of the text to the four theorized sources (J,E,D,P). Neither will I attempt to make any conclusions regarding chronological ordering of sections of the text. Instead, repetition of text with or without contradiction are the only textual anomalies that I will submit to this analysis. I will reserve any speculation of possible sources or chronological dating for Section 5, after the analysis has been completed.

The text for this analysis comes from Exodus chapters 19 through 40. I will be comparing and contrasting chapters 19-31 and 33-40. The intervening chapter, 32, records the construction and worship of the golden calf by the Israelites. I will ignore that chapter, as I do not intend to subject it to any literary criticism.

While I do not intend for this analysis to make any conclusions regarding the nature or existence of the Jewish/Christian god, it is my intent to demonstrate that the dogma of Biblical Inerrancy espoused by many Christians is not compatible with an objective literary analysis of the text. Specifically, that the passages traditionally considered to be the “Ten Commandments” derive from one literary unit, and are mirrored imperfectly by passages in the other recorded unit.