The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the six legislative themes associated with the Deuteronomic concept of centralization—the abrogation of idolatry, tithing, the Passover, judiciary officials, the kingship, and the priesthood—as well as the concept of centralization itself, in order to identify relevant literary strata in the Enneateuch (Genesis–2 Kings). The study is confined to the canonical perspective of the Enneateuch and integrates a method of diachronic aspects from historical-critical methods along with synchronic aspects from literary criticism. The limiting of the canonical perspective to the Enneateuch adds structure and curtails the abuse of the art of interpretation—whether through a diachronic, synchronic, or integrated approach. In sum, the study is an attempt to uncover the measure in which the linguistical components, theology, and ideology of the Deuteronomic concept of centralization and the six associative legislative themes in Deut 12–18 function as a theological and historical shift in the Enneateuch.

In chapter 2, an overview is given of the compositional theories (i.e., Tetrateuch/Deuteronomistie History, Pentateuch, Hexateuch, and Enneateuch), scholarly assessments of Deuteronomy, and scholarly analysis of the Deuteronomic concept of centralization. Chapter 3 examines the textual development—both diachronically and synchronically—of the six legislative themes associated with the concept of centralization in the Enneateuch. Though the aim of the chapter is to understand textual development of the six themes, the exegetical work serves as the foundation for theological assessment. With chapter 4, the Deuteronomic concept of centralization becomes the innovative literary guide for interpreting the historical and theological shift in the Enneateuch. After an overview of the centralization motifs and a synchronic reading of the six legislative themes, a textual and theological argument is made that the narrator, in the literary history of the DH, highlights the violation of these legislative themes. A textual, theological, and ideological argument is made that Deut 12–18 functions as a theological vignette of the DH in which the narrator describes Israel's abhorrent disloyalty once the Israelites inhabit the land of Canaan. Thus, the innovation of centralization binds the Tetrateuch with the DH, forming the literary history of the Enneateuch.