The events described in these books, from the calling of [[Abraham]] to the death of [[Moses]], probably took place sometime in the second millennium before [[Christ]] (2000-1200 BC). According to Orthodox tradition, based on summing the years from Scripture's chronologies, the period of time from the creation of the world until Christ's incarnation is of 5508 years.

Although academic scholars believe that the Law was not written by the personal hand of Moses, and that the books show evidence of being the result of a number of oral and written traditions and time periods, the Church connects the Law with Moses, the great man of [[God]] to whom "the Lord used to speak ... face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11).