The oldest Hebrew in the bible is contained in two songs.
The Song of the Sea. (Exodus 15) and the Song of Deborah (Judges 5)
Which is older?
Schoolars are unsure. Both have pros and cons and clues.
However I think the Song of the Sea is the oldest and was written in the 11th century BCE by a scribe that was exiled from Egypt and dwelt in Northern Canaan which was now called Israel and had a new warrior god replacing Baal.... Yahweh.
To understand the Song of the Sea we must realize it is in two parts.
Ex 15: 1b- 12 are original. The second section is a very obvious add on by later Judeans.
Before examining the text remember four things!
1. Very few people could write. This was an educated person putting into writting what was previously oral. Likely a priest of some sort educated in Egypt.
2. Yahweh was replacing Baal and as such Baal's stories became Yahweh's.
3. Yearly most Canaanite socities had had year festival to their gods. The Ugratic texts in Syria show many Baal hymns one of which we will eximine.
4. These people were still polytheistic. Yahweh was one of many gods.
Dating this song in 1100BCE as a starting point we will eximine a typical Baal hymn:
Yam wants to rule over the other gods and be the most powerful of all
Baal-Hadad opposes Yam and slays him
Baal-Hadad, with the help of Anath and Athirat, persuades El to allow him a palace
Baal-Hadad commissions Kothar-wa-Khasis to build him a palace.
King of the gods and ruler of the world seeks to subjugate Mot
Mot kills Baal-Hadad
Anath brutally kills Mot, grinds him up and scatters ashes
Baal-Hadad returns to Mount Saphon
Mot, having recovered from being ground up and scattered, challenges Baal-Hadad
Baal-Hadad refuses; Mot submits
Baal-Hadad rules again
Now lets eximine the Song of the Sea. (ALL TRANSLATIONS ARE BASED ON THE WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE WITH MY OWN ADDITIONS)
“I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed
gloriously.
The horse and his rider he has thrown
into the sea.
(This might indeeed be a literal referance. Withing these people lifetimes Rameses II had invaded with chariots into Syria in a famous battle)
15:2Yah is my strength and song.
He has become my salvation.
(Yah... The primitive for of Yahweh used by the Shashu. This is very likely to be a new Yeat Hymn.)
This is my El, and I will praise him;
my father’s El, and I will exalt him.
(I changed 'God' to 'El' to bring the origianl statement out. Yes.... Yahweh replaces El here)
15:3Yahweh is a man of war.
Yahweh is his name.
15:4He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
into the sea.
His chosen captains are sunk in the Sea of Reeds.
15:5The deeps cover them.
They went down into the depths like a
stone.
(This is a play on the Baal cycle with Yam. Only here Yam is Egypt. Literally Rameses II forces did sink into a river in Syria however this is morelikely a hatred for Egyptian overlords mixed with the Yam-Baal conflict.)
15:6Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in
power.
Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the
enemy in pieces.
(Like most gods of the time Yahweh is seen as humna-like)
15:7In the greatness of your excellency, you
overthrow those who rise up against
you.
You send forth your wrath. It consumes
them as stubble.
15:8With the blast of your nostrils, the waters
were piled up.
The floods stood upright as a heap.
The deeps were congealed in the heart of
the sea.
This is actually a direct quote form some Baal cycle stories.)
15:9The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will
overtake. I will divide the spoil.
My desire shall be satisfied on them.
I will draw my sword, my hand shall
destroy them.’
15:10You blew with your wind.
The sea covered them.
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
(A referance to a battle but it is very open. Yahweh is a war god.)
15:11Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods?
Who is like you, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?
(Very Polytheistic)
15:12You stretched out your right hand.
The earth swallowed them.
(Not exactly and exodus story yet)
It will be noted this became a main song and as such after 722BCE it came south to Judah and was expanded and after the exile placed in the narritive which was based in it.
However at this point it was a simple hymn for Yahweh sand as festivals.