Reading the Old Testament

1
Reading the Old Testament by Lawrence
Boadt Chapter 7 Gen 1250 The Patriarchs
2
Eponymous Writing

• Eponymous writing was a device used by ancient
  writers to help readers understand the roots of a
  hero.
• The Eponym is the person for whom a tribe or
  nation is named.

3
Patriarchal Stories

• The events of the patriarchal stories took place
  no later than the 14th century B.C. during the
  Bronze Age ( 22nd century B.C. to the 15th
  century B.C.)
• Many of the stories are about travel, semi
  nomadic life, and inheritance rights.

4
The story of Abraham

• The story of Abraham follows two themes
• 1) God made a promise to Abraham which will
  control all the events narrated in the
  Pentateuch.
• 2) God blessed Abraham and made him his chosen
  friend because he was faithful.
• The story is told as a journey in that Abraham
  moves through Canaan.

5
Promise and Covenant

• The Abraham cycle has connected a promise of land
  and of a son to a series of covenants.
• God promises to make Abraham a great nation (Gen
  1223)
• The promise is given through a theophany
  (appearance of God)

6
Abraham the Faithful

• Abrahams faith to Gods promise is summed up in
  Gen 156
• Abraham is not perfect
• Abraham always worshiped wherever he stopped, and
  he always listened to Gods commands to move on.

7
Three Stories of Jacob

• Stories of the personal struggle between Jacob
  Esau.
• Sagas that grew up around Jacobs marriages and
  adventures with Laban.
• Theophanies of God to Jacob at various shrines.

8
God our Fathers

• God of our fathers was used by clans or tribes
  who worshiped together.
• When together, the tribes realized that the Fear
  of Isaac, Bull of Jacob, or God most High
  were all the same.
• The use of God of our Fathers that these
  tribes were named after one leader and were
  united as one.