Scientists discover Bible's 'likely authors' as hidden clues leave them amazed

Experts have revealed hidden language patterns and pinpointed probable authors of some of the Bible's most ancient books – using revolutionary artificial intelligence (AI).

An international team of researchers spearheaded by Duke University in the US has employed AI technology to peel back layers of biblical history.

The team examined the first nine books of the Hebrew Bible – referred to as Enneateuch – utilising sophisticated linguistic analysis and a specially-designed AI model. They discovered three entirely separate writing styles.

These patterns suggest different authors or scribal groups created the sacred texts, offering fresh evidence in debates about the Bible's writers that have persisted for centuries.

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"We found that each group of authors has a different style – surprisingly, even regarding simple and common words such as 'no,' 'which,' or 'king.' Our method accurately identifies these differences," said Thomas Römer, professor at the Collège de France.

The project was spearheaded by mathematician Shira Faigenbaum-Golovin, who initially launched this research in 2010 by examining handwriting on ancient pottery fragments from 600 BC, the Manchester Evening News reports.

"We concluded that the findings in those inscriptions could offer valuable clues for dating texts from the Old Testament," Faigenbaum-Golovin said.

"That's when we started putting together our current team, who could help us analyze these biblical texts."

Faigenbaum-Golovin is now spearheading a team of mathematicians, archaeologists, linguists and computer scientists to merge science with scripture.

The AI model categorised the text into three primary writing styles: The Priestly source, the Deuteronomistic History, and the Book of Deuteronomy itself.

While some chapters neatly slotted into one of these groups, the team were taken aback to discover sections of the Ark Narrative in 1 Samuel didn't align with any of the three, hinting at another unknown in the Bible's creation.

Looking ahead, the team reckons the same technique could be applied to other historical documents.

"If you're examining document fragments to ascertain if they were penned by Abraham Lincoln, for instance, this method can assist in determining if they are genuine or merely a forgery," Faigenbaum-Golovin stated.

The authors concluded in the study: "Our paper sheds new light on the question of authorship of biblical texts by offering interpretable, statistically significant evidence of the existence of linguistic characteristics in the writing of biblical authors/redactors, that can be identified automatically.

"Our methodology thus provides a new tool to address disputed matters in biblical studies."

The team are now considering using the same methodology to unearth new discoveries about other ancient texts.

"It's such a unique collaboration between science and the humanities," Faigenbaum-Golovin said. "It's a surprising symbiosis, and I'm lucky to work with people who use innovative research to push boundaries."

The study has been published in the journal PLOS One.

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