For the past few decades a growing number of scholars have attempted to overthrow the traditional Wellhausian view that the socalled 'Yahwist' or 'J' source of the Pentateuch is the oldest of the four major sources. These scholars have argued that 'J' was composed during the exilic or post-exilic periods of ancient Israel. Their arguments have focused on the literary, historiographic, and theological characteristics of 'J'. This book attempts to re-evaluate on linguistic grounds such efforts to place the Yahwist source in the exilic or post-exilic periods.