The Documentary Hypothesis is a widely-held theory among modern Biblical scholars that the Pentateuch was the result of the
combination of four separate sources. Its final form was the end result of a long process of
transmission. During this transmission, many individuals and groups reinterpreted their views of the sacred history to correspond with the ideals and beliefs of their outlook and setting. The four separate source documents were combined into one continuous history. This paper discusses these four sources: Yahwist, Elohist,
Deuteronomistic, and the Priestly Writings.