2.1 Introduction to Genesis

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2.1 Introduction to Genesis

• APTS-BOT620

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General Introduction

• Name tyvarb, gene,sewj, etc.
• Authorship
• Moses wrote it based on direct attribution in
  legal material in the Pentateuch (Ex 24.4 30.11,
  17 33.1, 5, 29 Lev 1.1 4.1 6.1 Num 4.1 Deut
  1.1, 5 5.1 31.22, 30 33.1)

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General Introduction

• Authorship
• Moses used oral and/or written sources, while
  allowing for copyists footnotes
• A work attributed to Moses
• Multiple authors and editors

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General Introduction

• "While Genesis is an anonymous work, as are the
  other four books of the Pentateuch, its
  attributive author is Moses. However, to what
  extent he wrote any of its contents, with the
  possible exception of all or part of the Joseph
  narratives, is unknown. In attributing Mosaic
  authorship to the Pentateuch as a whole,
  conservative scholars have pointed out that the
  Torah in its entirety must not necessarily be
  assumed to have been the work of his own hands,
  any more that any of the stelae of antiquity were
  the product of direct activity

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General Introduction

• on the part of their attributive authors. Some
  writers, such as Young, have not precluded the
  possibility that the writer drew on earlier
  written sources, but in general the ascription of
  Mosaicity to the Pentateuch implies its
  historicity and its formulation by Moses under
  divine inspiration, with the supposition that
  later editors may have revised the contents
  somewhat in accord with the traditions of the ANE
  scribes." R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the
  Old Testament, 542

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The Text of Genesis

• Masoretic text (MT)
• Samaritan Pentateuch (SP)
• Septuagint (LXX)
• Genesis fragments from Qumran
• Targumim

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Theories Concerning the Structure of Genesis

• Call Theory
• Genesis is structured around the same calls (a)
  Gen 1-11 concerns the affirmation that God calls
  the world into being to be his faithful world.
  (b) Gen 12-50 concerns the affirmation that God
  calls a special people to be faithfully his
  people. Brueggemann

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Theories Concerning the Structure of Genesis

• Toledoth and the Structure of Genesis
• 1.1-2.4 Origins of the Cosmos
• 2.5-5.2 Origins of Humanity
• 5.3-6.9a Histories of Noah
• 6.9b-10.1 Histories of the sons of Noah
• 10.2-11.10a Histories of Shem
• 11.10b-11.27a Histories of Terah

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Theories Concerning the Structure of Genesis

• 11.27b-25.12 Histories of Ishmael
• 25.13-25.12 Histories of Isaac
• 25.19b-36.1 Histories of Esau
• 36.2-36.9 Histories of Esau
• 36.10-37.2 Histories of Jacob
• Wiseman Harrison in Garrett, p. 95

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Theories Concerning the Structure of Genesis

• 5.1-32 Of Adam includes information on the years
  of each patriarch
• 6.9a, 10 7.6 Of Noah interrupted by flood
  narrative
• 9.18-19, 28-29 10.1-32 Of Noah's sons contains
  incidental details on Nimrod and Babylon
• 11.10-26 Of Shem contains information on the
  years of the patriarchs
• 11.27-33 Of Terah describes a family migration

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Theories Concerning the Structure of Genesis

• 25.12-18 Of Ishmael describes a family migration
• 25.19-20 Of Isaac interrupted by the Jacob
  narrative
• 35.22b-29 36.1-43 Of Esau describes a family
  migration and lists Edomite Tribal chiefs may
  have originated between two separate sources, as
  indicated in v9
• 37.1-2a Of Jacob interrupted by the Joseph
  narrative
• 47.8-27 Describes a family migration

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Theories Concerning the Structure of Genesis

• Kikawada Quinn, Before Abraham Was
• Prologue Primeval History 1.1-11.26
• Transition Genealogy 11.27-32
• Threat The Abraham Cycle 12.1-25.11
• Transition Genealogy 25.12-18
• Threat The Jacob Cycle 25.19-35.22b

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Theories Concerning the Structure of Genesis

• Kikawada Quinn, Before Abraham Was
• Transition Genealogy 35.22c-36.40
• Threat The Joseph Cycle 37.1-46.7
• Transition Genealogy 46.8-27
• Resolution Settlement in Egypt 46.28-50.26

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Outlines of Genesis

• Brueggemann
• 1.1-11.29 THE SOVEREIGN CALL OF GOD (Eph 1.9-10)
  Will God bring his creation to the unity he
  intends?
• 11.3-25.18 THE EMBRACED CALL OF GOD (Heb
  11.8,11,17,19) Will Abraham live faith?
• 25.19-36.43 THE CONFLICTED CALL OF GOD (1 Cor
  1.27-29) Will the younger rule the older?
• 37.1-50.26 THE HIDDEN CALL OF GOD (Rom 8.28-30)
  Will the dreamer keep his dream?

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Outlines of Genesis

• Wenham
• 1.1-2.3 Prologue
• 2.4-4.26 History of heaven and earth
• 5.1-6.8 Family History of Adam
• 6.9-9.26 Family History of Noah
• 10.1-11.9 Family History of Noah's sons
• 11.10-26 Family History of Shem

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Outlines of Genesis

• 11.27-25.11 Family History of Terah
• 25.12-18 Family History of Ishmael
• 25.19-35.29 Family History of Isaac
• 36.1-37.1 Family History of Esau
• 37.2-50.26 Family History of Jacob

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Kikawada Quinn's Atrahasis and Gen 1-11
Parallel Outline

• A. Creation (1.1-2.3)
• Summary of work of God
• Creation of man
• B. First Threat (2.4-3.24)
• Genealogy of heaven and earth
• Adam and Eve

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Kikawada Quinn's Atrahasis and Gen 1-11
Parallel Outline

• C. Second Threat (4.1-4.26)
• Cain and Abel
• 1. Cain and Able, genealogy
• 2. Lamech's taunt (in genealogy)
• D. Final Threat (5.1-9.29)
• Genealogy
• Noah's Flood, Salvation in ark

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Kikawada Quinn's Atrahasis and Gen 1-11
Parallel Outline

• E. Resolution (10.1-11.32)
• Genealogy
• Tower of Babel and Dispersion Genealogy, Abram
  leaves Ur

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Primeval History

• A Creation, Gods Words to Adam (1.1-3.24)
• B Adams Sons (4.1-16)
• C Technological Development of Mankind
  (4.17-26)
• D Ten Generations from Adam to Noah
  (5.1-32)
• E Downfall The Nephilim (6.1-8)
• A Flood, Gods Words to Noah (6.9-9.17)
• B Noahs Sons (9.18-29)
• C Ethnic Development of Mankind (10.1-32)
• E Downfall Tower of Babel (11.1-9)
• D Ten Generations from Noah to Terah
  (11.10-26)

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Abraham Cycle

• A Genealogy of Terah (11.27-32)
• B Start of Abrams Spiritual Odyssey (12.1-9)
• C Sarai in foreign palace ordeal ends in peace
  and success Abram and Lot part (12.10-13.18)
• D Abram comes to the rescue of Sodom and
  Lot (14.1-24)
• E Covenant with Abram Annunciation of Ishmael
  (15.1-16.16)

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Abraham Cycle

• E Covenant with Abraham Annunciation of Isaac
  (17.1-18.15)
• D Abraham comes to rescue of Sodom and Lot
  (18.16-19.38)
• C Sarah in foreign palace ordeal ends in peace
  and success Abraham and Ishmael part
  (20.1-21.34)
• B Climax of Abrahams Spiritual Odyssey
  (22.1-19)
• A Genealogy of Nahor (22.20-24)

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Jacob Cycle

• A Oracle sought, struggle in childbirth, Jacob
  born (25.19-34)
• B Interlude Rebekah in foreign palace, pact with
  foreigners (26.1-34)
• C Jacob fears Esau and flees (27.1-28.9)
• D Messengers (28.10-22)
• E Arrival at Haran (29.1-30)
• F Jacobs wives are fertile (29.31-30.24)

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Jacob Cycle

• F Jacobs flocks are fertile (30.25-43)
• E Flight from Haran (31.1-54)
• D Messengers (32.1-32)
• C Jacob returns and fears Esau (33.1-20)
• B Interlude Dinah in foreign palace, pact with
  foreigners (34.1-31)
• A Oracle fulfilled, struggle in childbirth,
  Jacob becomes Israel (35.1-22)

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Linking Material

• A Death and Burial of Sarah (23.1-20)
• B Marriage of Isaac (24.1-67)
• C Abrahams sons (25.1-6)
• D Death and burial of Abraham (25.7-11)
• E Ishmaels sons (25.12-18)

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Linking Material

• A ----
• C Jacobs sons (35.23-26)
• D Death and burial of Isaac (35.27-29)
• B Marriages of Esau (36.1-5)
• E Esaus sons (36.6-43)

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Joseph Story

• A Joseph and his brothers, Jacob and Joseph part
  (37.1-36)
• B Interlude Joseph not present (38.1-30)
• C Reversal Joseph guilty, Potiphars wife
  innocent (39.1-23)
• D Joseph hero of Egypt (40.1-41.57)
• E Two trips to Egypt (42.1-43.34)
• F Final test (44.1-34)

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Gary A.Rendsburg, The Redaction of Genesis The
Joseph Story

• F Conclusion of Test (45.1-28)
• E Two tellings of migration to Egypt
  (46.1-47.12)
• D Joseph here of Egypt (47.13-27)
• C Reversal Ephraim firstborn, Manasseh
  second-born (47.28-48.22)
• B Interlude Joseph nominally present (49.1-28)
• A Joseph and his brothers, Jacob and Joseph part
  (49.29-50.26)

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The Purpose of the Book of Genesis

• "The function of Genesis as a book of the Bible
  is to take those who read it and those who hear
  its message to the things of the beginning.
  Westermann

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The Purpose of Genesis 1-11

• Von Rad understands the purpose of these
  chapters to have been first determined by the
  Yahwist, who portrayed a history of increasing
  alienation from God. Starting with the expulsion
  from the Garden of Eden, sin expanded and grew,
  resulting in the murder of Abel, the illicit
  marriage of the angels and the flood. This
  history of sin reached its climax in the Tower of
  Babel which threatened to return the creation
  into a chaos. The key to von Rad's
  Heilsgeschichtliche interpretation lies in the
  call of Abraham (12.1-3). The election of Israel
  provides the perspective from which this
  universal history of divine judgment and mercy
  toward human sinfulness is viewed in Genesis. It
  provides the major theological Genesis by linking
  Israel's redemptive history to world history.
  Childs Introduction to the Old Testament as
  Scripture, 154

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The Purpose of Genesis 1-11

• "Westermann...does not believe that Gen 1-11
  should be subordinated to the patriarchal
  traditions of chs 12ff. but sharply distinguished
  in order to do justice to the integrity of the
  primeval history. Westermann stresses that these
  chapters do not move on the horizontal plane of
  history, but rather portray a vertical God-man
  dimension. They treat the universal reality of
  human existence which is not tied to a specific
  time or culture. Further, he makes the
  significant point that the biblical writers of
  chs. 1-11 have adopted texts which arose in the
  world outside of Israel and do not stem from the
  experience of Israel with Yahweh. He connect the
  theory that a growth of sin is intended, but
  argues for seeing only a portrayal of the variety
  and scope of the alienation. Finally, Westermann
  claims that the purpose of chs. 1-3 is not to
  portray a primeval age of innocence - there is no
  "fall" for Westermann - but rather to deal with
  the issue of human existence in its frailty and
  limitation." Childs, ibid., 154-155

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The Purpose of Genesis 12-36

• Promises
• Genealogy

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The Purpose of Genesis 37-50

• "The first observation to make is that the
  Toledoth formula in 37.2 introduces the family of
  Jacob. Judah's story is as much a part of the
  history as is Joseph's, and the disproportionate
  length assigned to each is of little importance.
  The intention to deal with the whole family Jacob
  is confirmed by the inclusion of all the twelve
  sons in Jacob is confirmed by the inclusion of
  all the twelve sons in Jacob's final testament in
  ch. 49. The "blessings of Jacob" also reveal an
  important perspective of the tradition. It is
  from the line of Judah, not Joseph, that Israel's
  redemption is to come. The point of this section
  seems to lie somewhere in the contrast between
  the stories of these two sons in relations to the
  promise. Joseph became the means of preserving
  the family in a foreign country (50.20), but also
  the means by which a new threat to the promise of
  the land was realized. Conversely, Judah
  demonstrated an unfaithfulness which threatened
  to destroy the promise of a posterity, which was
  only restored by the faithfulness of a Canaanite
  wife. In sum, the final section of the book of
  Genesis turns on the issue of the threat to the
  promise which leads inevitably to the book of
  Exodus." Childs, ibid., 156-157