Dear Rolf,
The opposition to the the evidence about diachronic development of BH,at least in this debate, did not seem take into account the evidence of Hebrew inscription which have been dated to pre-exilic times. Whether in the Lachish letters, the Arad material , the Yabneh letter, or many others smaller fragments, there is in them no scintilla of evidence of Mishnaic language.
One may bring as a further point, the evidence of dialogue, or direct speech which authors of many texts within the HB books used in their narrative, such as "Am I my brther's keeper?" This was done for various reasons, but the overriding one was to introduce the drama of live conversation. This was done in the living style familiar to the authors and their hearers or readers. Again, there is not the slightest trace of what would become Mishnaic language, such as is obvious in the style of Qohelet.
That the latter is a late book, can be deduced from its content alone.
Uri Hurwitz
( Please do not mix me up with Avi Hurvitz, not a relative )
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