<P> Hilton J. Blik writes that the phrasing in the Decalogue's instructions suggests that it was conceived in a mainly polytheistic milieu, evident especially in the formulation of the henotheistic "no - other - gods - before - me" commandment . </P> <P> If the Ten Commandments are based on Hittite forms, it would date them to somewhere between the 14th - 12th century BCE . Archaeologists Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman argue that "the astonishing composition came together...in the seventh century BCE". Critical scholar Yehezkel Kaufmann (1960) dates the oral form of the covenant to the time of Josiah . An even later date (after 586 BCE) is suggested by David H. Aaron . </P> <P> Some proponents of the Documentary hypothesis have argued that the biblical text in Exodus 34: 28 identifies a different list as the ten commandments, that of Exodus 34: 11--27 . Since this passage does not prohibit murder, adultery, theft, etc., but instead deals with the proper worship of Yahweh, some scholars call it the "Ritual Decalogue", and disambiguate the ten commandments of traditional understanding as the "Ethical Decalogue". </P> <P> According to these scholars the Bible includes multiple versions of events . On the basis of many points of analysis including linguistic it is shown as a patchwork of sources sometimes with bridging comments by the editor (Redactor) but otherwise left intact from the original, frequently side by side . </P>

Who established a legal code beginning with the ten commandments