The Controversial "THEN"

Torah Study with Rabbi Sarah Wolf 11/7

Genesis 12: 6 –

The Canaanites were THEN in the land -

This one word, "THEN" in this verse caused much anguish and controversy for Ibn Ezra relating to the possibility of “post-Mosaic” editorial of the Bible...
It was a huge controversy in the Middle Ages (1089-1164) to even imply that the Bible was not the “words of God”.

The "then" implies that they weren't there any more when the narrator was telling the story. So if the narrator were Moses, this would not make any sense because the Canaanites were still there in Moses' time.

His commentary notes:

It could be that the land of Canaan was seized by Canaan from someone else. If not, there is a secret “And the enlightened one will be silent.”
OR
he suggests that the more likely correct interpretation is that the verse teaches us that the Canaanites had taken the land by force from someone else. In other words, he thinks the better translation of the verse is “The Canaanites were then in the land”, meaning “then as opposed to previously”. That translation allows the verse to be written at the time of Moses.

The subject goes back to the verses on the son’s of Noah and their places “in the land” when Ham was the one who was associated with Canaan.

Many opinions and options are possible...
Abraham had become a Canaanite?
Abraham and the Canaanites arrived at the same time?
It was a mistake to use the word “then” - a word lost in the recording?

This leads to a big discussion on “who wrote the Bible” and the many verses and words that are inconsistent and imply that Moses could not have written the Bible. AND if Moses DID write the Bible – where and when did he write it? There is the possibility that he wrote it at the end of his life rather than at Mt. Sinai...

There is also the midrash that he made 13 copies of the Bible – one extra copy for each tribe.

Spinoza alludes to Ibn Ezra in his analysis of the question. He suggests that Ezra wrote the Bible after the Deuteronomy scroll was found.

Books on this topic:
Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard Elliott Friedman
Who Wrote the Bible?: A Book for the People by Washington Gladden
The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts by Neil Asher Silberman and Israel Finkelstein
A Layman's Guide to Who Wrote the Books of the Bible?: When? Why? by C. Jack Trickler

JDEP theory:

The theory is based on the fact that different names for God are used in different portions of the Torah, and there are detectable differences in linguistic style. The letters of the JEDP theory stand for the four supposed authors: the author who uses Jehovah for God’s name, the author who uses Elohim for God’s name, the author of Deuteronomy, and the priestly author of Leviticus. The JEDP theory goes on to state that the different portions were likely compiled in the 4th Century BCE, possibly by Ezra.

Talmudic story of when Moses visits the class of Rabbi Akiva

Rav Judah said in the name of Rav, When Moses ascended on high he found the Holy One of Blessing, engaged in affixing coronets to the letters. [6] Said Moses, "Lord of the Universe, Who stays your hand?" He answered, "There will arise a man, at the end of many generations, Akiba b. Joseph by name, who will expound upon each tittle heaps and heaps of laws." "Lord of the Universe," said Moses; "permit me to see him." He replied, "Turn around." Moses went and sat down behind eight rows [and listened to the discourses upon the law]. Not being able to follow their arguments he was ill at ease, but when they came to a certain subject and the disciples said to the master "Whence do you know it?" and the latter replied "It is a law given to Moses at Sinai" he was comforted. Thereupon he returned to the Holy One of Blessing, and said, "Lord of the Universe, you have such a man and you give the Torah by me!" He replied, "Be silent, for such is my decree." Then said Moses, "Lord of the Universe, you have shown me his To rah, show me his reward." "Turn around," said He; and Moses turned around and saw them weighing out his flesh at the market-stalls. "Lord of the Universe," cried Moses, "such Torah, and such a reward!" He replied, "Be silent, for such is my decree." [7]