For many years I have sought to understand how the bible was put together.. thus my name on here. I started out more or less in line with what many schoolars felt in both old and New Testament studies and over the year my notes have flucuated with dates and probable authorship. A few years ago I slid into minimalist or Copenhagen school understanding of the texs but still retained a slight historicity of the prophets. Recently in the last cuple of months however after corsponding with a researcher and much research reading the 17 prophetic OT books. I have sadly rejected all of them as authentic save on line at the end of Haggai where he anoints Zerubabbel. (seems like a Zorastrian offical anointing a governer)
Isaiah existed and we have his name in archeology but a scan of Isaiah 1-39 reveal purely late concerns from very late periods and Deuteronomist concerns primaritly. (25 -27 are weird but still later. 40-66 are out of the question here)
I used to figure Jeremiah might have some core preserved in his book due to the fact thjat the book is attributed to Baruch who was a historical figure. But sadly Jeremiah's words are 75% deuteronomist theology which places it very late. The rest is a mass of oracles mattching greek seers or historical narritives from Kings.
Amos and Hosea are fakes. Amos if we acdept his backstory could never have written and would have been laughed out of Israel had he delivered his saying. Given the proverbs of chapter 7-9 his writing are to be pucshed into a late date also (consistant with Platonian thought) Hosea is obssses with sex. If the guy existed he never wrote one sentance! He was to obsessed with sex! I mean be realistic and read chapter 4 or 5 of Hosea and find a verse that doesn't mention sex! No one from israel would have been proclaiming gloom and doom and then HAVING THEIR WRITING PRESERVED WHEN THE KINGDOM FELL and a lone discipile flees to Judah.
Sadly Ezekiel must be vomited out also. His theology os that of Leviticus and thus comes not form aan mythical exiled prophet who starts speaking on his 30th birthday and ends on his 50th. Whoever wrote Ezekiel and Leviticus should be ****ing ashamed of themselves anyway for their sick mind! The fact is the prophecy on chapter 38-39 point to a time when Israel is attacked by Selucids when Israel is under peace. Thus a 3rd century date must be assigned. (Some might argue a date after Simon Maccabee but for numerous reasons i've rejected this given that Ezekiel preceeded Daniel to the canon)
The end of all this is that 12 minor prophets are too convient and looks fishy. The three major prophets are all different theologies and attempt to give a historicity to Genesis-2 Kings.
Some will object and clam cetain texts such as Exodus 15 or Judges are previous to the exile. I totally agree Ps 45 is a sore thumb as to dating and so bloody obvious as to where it fits that we can all read it and congradulate Ahab and Jezebel lol.
Sadly however with the exception of the book of Kings very few truely historical details have come down to us fom Judah or Israel. The Hebrew Bible and especially the prophets must be viewed with skeptism.
When a ruling king (The Ptolomies) asks the Jews to give him a history in 273 BCE I believe it happened. And was quite complete with oracles and songs.
So when you sit in a Kingdom Hall (like anyone here ever does :P ) remember to bring illiad with you too :)