AI Helps Identify Multiple Bible Authors
AI Tackles the Bible Authorship Mystery
The age old question of who wrote the Bible may soon have clearer answers thanks to artificial intelligence. This sacred text, penned long ago, has undergone numerous transcriptions and revisions to become the version known today. It's widely accepted that the Bible doesn't have a single author; believers generally accept its divine inspiration passed down through millennia. However, scholars are keen to dig deeper. They aim to determine if a consistent group of authors was responsible for the scriptures or if various individuals contributed to shaping the texts over time.
How New AI Deciphers Ancient Writing Styles
Researchers from the University of Haifa, Duke University, and the Collège de France have developed a sophisticated algorithm designed to distinguish the writing styles within different books of the Bible. This AI can determine with remarkable accuracy whether a particular section was written by the same author or by a different one. This research is particularly exciting as it corroborates some existing theories about the Bible's authorship that predated AI's involvement. The technology can also identify chapters that were likely integrated by different writers at various stages.
Moreover, this innovative AI technology isn't limited to the Bible. It can be applied to other ancient texts to ascertain shared authorship, whether the authors are known or remain anonymous.
The Scope and Limitations of the AI Study
It's important to note what this AI study cannot do: it cannot identify the actual individuals who wrote the Bible. Thomas Römer, a biblical expert from the Collège de France and one of the study's authors, explained to The Times of Israel, "There are no authors of the Bible in the modern sense. The original versions of the scrolls were continuously reworked and rewritten by redactors who added, altered, and sometimes also omitted parts of the former texts."
The scientists' primary goal was not to unearth the original authors, a task deemed impossible. Instead, they sought to test existing scholarly theories about whether specific chapters originated from particular writing schools or individual writers.
Focusing on Three Key Writing Schools
The study zeroed in on three distinct writing schools identified in the first five books of the Bible and subsequent texts: Deuteronomy, the Deuteronomist History, and the Priestly Writings.
Deuteronomy, with origins dating back as far as 2,800 years, narrates God's selection of Jerusalem for sacrificial worship. The Deuteronomist History, inspired by Deuteronomy, chronicles Israel's history from the Book of Joshua through Kings I and II. The Priestly Writings, found in Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, were composed around 2,500 years ago and exhibit a different stylistic approach compared to the other two schools.
AI Methodology Word Patterns and Dictionaries
To differentiate authorship, the scientists focused on word distribution and combinations rather than traditional grammar and style analysis. "We found that each group of authors has a different style, even with simple and common words like 'no,' 'which,' or 'king.' Our method accurately identifies these differences," Römer noted in a statement. The team meticulously created dictionaries of terms specific to each of the three identified writing schools.
Impressive Accuracy and AI Reasoning
Using these specialized dictionaries, the researchers employed their AI to analyze 50 chapters from the first nine books of the Hebrew Bible. These chapters had already been attributed by biblical scholars to one of the three writing schools. The results were compelling: "In 84% of the cases, the automatic attribution coincided with biblical scholarship assessments," the scientists reported. The method proved more accurate with longer texts. Notably, five out of the eight misclassifications occurred between Deuteronomy and Deuteronomist History, which are known to be closely related.
The AI was also capable of explaining its rationale for assigning a specific section to a particular group, providing transparency to its findings.
Testing AI on Disputed Biblical Narratives
The researchers conducted further tests to validate the algorithm's efficacy, examining biblical texts with disputed origins. One such example is the Ark Narrative in I Samuel and II Samuel. While most scholars believe these books share common authorship, a minority argues that I Samuel presents a distinct narrative. The AI model lent support to this minority view, indicating that I Samuel and II Samuel likely have different authors due to differing styles and vocabulary. According to the AI, I Samuel does not align with any of the three main schools, whereas II Samuel is consistent with the Deuteronomist History.
Identifying Later Additions and Distinct Texts
The study also confirmed that other segments of the Hebrew Bible possess unique identities. Certain stories about Abraham and the Book of Esther, for instance, do not fit stylistically into the three primary writing schools. This suggests these portions may have been added at later dates by authors from different traditions.
Broader Implications for Ancient Text Analysis
While this research cannot name individual authors, it offers a powerful new tool for resolving complex authorship questions. Its applications extend beyond biblical studies to other ancient texts where the writer's identity is unknown or debated. The complete findings of this research are available in Plos One magazine.
