How does the bible compare with other works of antiquity?Has it been changed?
the Old Testament writings began with the Pentateuch. Assuming Moses was the author of at least some of the books that would date the writings to the 13th Century B.C. One could say the Ten Commandments written on stone was the first written “Scripture”. The New Testament writings began around A.D. 40s-50s and continued perhaps to around A.D. 90s. The subject of extant manuscripts is another matter. We do not have the original autographs, but we do have reliable and verified ancient copies. Of the Old Testament extant manuscripts the oldest I believe is are two fragments on silver foil sheet found in the tomb of Ketef Hinnom circa 600 B.C. These fragments inscribe Numbers 6:24-26: YHWH bless you and keep you YHWH shine his face upon you and be gracious to you The next earliest grouping of biblical texts are the 250 B.C. – A.D. 70 Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1947 near Khirbet Qumran in Israel. Of approximately 825 extant documents, only one was complete. They contain sections of eve
