Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 15:2 (Spring 1972)
Article: The Dating Of The So-Called “P-Sections” In Genesis
Author: Samuel R. Külling

JETS 15:2 (Spring 1972) p. 67

The Dating Of The So-Called “P-Sections” In Genesis

Dr. Samuel R. Külling*

I. “On The Dating Of The ‘Genesis P Sections,’
Specifically Of Genesis Chapter Xvii”

An unpublished work on the subject of circumciSon in the Old and New Testaments showed me that the fundamental chapter on this, Genesis 17, which treats of the origin and meaning of circumcision, was usually being considered by adherents of literary criticism to be a subsequent of the exilic or post-exilic period. For those critics the chapter consequently has no historic value with reference to the question of the introduction and significance of circumcision.

Since the date of a particular passage is today seen mostly in connection with the date of the “source,” “document,” or “tradition” to which it is assigned, I do not consider Genesis 17 by itself but in connection with the dating problem of the so-called “P sections of Genesis” to which Genesis 17 is customarily said to belong.

As to which chapters, sections and verses in Genesis 1–50 belong to “P” there is widespread agreement. (According to Eissfeldt [Einleitung, 3rd edition, 1964, page 250] there are the following passages:

Genesis 1:1, 2, 4a; 5; 6:5–9, 19, 28, 29; 10; 11:10–26, 27, 31, 32; 12:4b, 5; 13:6, 11b, 12ab; 16:la, 3, 15, 16; 17; 19:29; 21:2b–5; 23; 25:1–10, 12–17