Did Moses write the first 5 books of the Old testament?

[Chomsky]

In Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, Moses refers to himself in the third person instead of the first person, unlike Paul in the New Testament. It is only in a few cases in Deuteronomy that he uses the first-person perspective (primarily Chapters 1-4). Then, when you read Deuteronomy 1, it starts by saying: "These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan..."

• Why would Moses do this if he wrote these books himself?

Let's just assume for a second that it was a literary technique he used for whatever reason. That being the case, my biggest problem comes when I read Deut. 34, where Moses writes about his own death, and verse 5 states: "And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said."

• Is Moses writing about his own death? And who wrote the rest of Deut. 34 after Moses has already died?

• Another problem I find in this chapter is in verse 10:

"Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face..."

• Are these the words of Moses?

And based on the sentence structure and grammar, it seems like this verse was written a long time after Moses' death to assert that "Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses."

Can someone please enlighten me?

 

[rob]

Why would Moses do this if he wrote these books himself?

He was humble - often the verses were dictated to him by YHWH. SO Moses was only a scribe, not an author

Joshua and others finished the writings after Moses died

Jos 24:26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God,

How many books of the torah are there now ? at least 6 not 5 as Jews assume wrongly.

Moses also wrote Job, so that makes 6 books Moses wrote and Joshua is added to the torah making 8.

Hope this helps. Shalom

 

[Chomsky]

Thank you for the response @rob. Your response is appreciated.
If writing in the third person is about humility, why use the first person in some cases?

 

[rob]

Have a look ar EGW for examples of the same thing and post examples of your theme here.
Than we can strengthen the similes if humility is the right course of pursuit.

Let me ask you this question:

I love gardening and learning to grow food for the end of time when soon we can't buy or sell.
Is my work the Lord's word in me, or me asking myself to work using the Lord's power by faith, or both?
Do I feel proud of the things I grow? Or humble that the Lord allows them to grow because I asked?
Do take not of the blessings in the garden, after all I do not make them grow, God's power is in the living
I am just a servant, a gardener, and a poor one at that.

When I hear often people say "come and see the lovely garden I have grown" I see a problem already.
When we should say "come and see the miracles of the Lord that he has blessed our garden pleasure with"

So I ask you, how do you see your living in His grace? and how would you write it and speak it?
Shalom

 

[Chomsky]

I don't get you at all, @rob.
What do EGW examples have to do with my question?
And again, I am confused as to what you wish to accomplish with the story of the garden in relation to my question.

So I ask you, how do you see your living in His grace?

I am confused again. What does this have to do with my question?

He was humble - often the verses were dictated to him by YHWH. SO Moses was only a scribe, not an author

Even if you say the verses were dictated to him by YHWH, you have to agree that Moses' actions were not dictated, but rather, he wrote what he did, such as going up the mountain or getting angry at Israel. And this is where my problem is: why write his actions in third person at all?
This is the beginning of Deut. Chapter 1

These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab.​

Is this Moses writing?
And if it is about humility, what then do we say about Paul?

 

[rob]

Sorry Chomsky maybe I do not understand your reasons behind your question?

Maybe Moses had other scribes writing for him?

What is your assessment of the questions you raise?