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Genesis
The word "Genesis" is derived from
the first Hebrew word of the book --
be-re'shith, usually translated, "In
the beginning." "Genesis" comes
from the Septuagint's translation of that word
and has several related meanings: origin, beginning,
becoming, birth, even descendants. Genesis is
the first of five books comprising the "Pentateuch,"
the "Torah" (Law), or the five
books of Moses, designated as such because they
were supposedly authored by him -- though few
believe that any more. It is now generally accepted
that Genesis had many authors since it is essentially
folk literature. These stories had a rich, traditional
oral history long before they were ever put down
in writing. The final editing probably was done
by the priestly writers during the 6th century.
There are two main divisions in the book.
- Chapters 1-11 are often referred to as the
Primeval History.
- Chapters 12-50 make up the Ancestral History
of Israel.
The Primeval History deals with true origins,
the beginning of everything. In it are
stated the central beliefs about God's creation
of the heavens and earth and what
happened afterwards.
- Bible Characters that other ancient cultures
(Egyptian, Babylonian, Sumerian) had similar
stories?
- The Enuma Elish is a Babylonian
creation story.
- The Gilgamesh Epic is a Babylonian
flood story.
But Genesis is unique because one characteristic
of the stories of all other cultures is the fighting
of the gods. The prevailing god would then impose
his will upon all the others, thereby bringing
order into the world. In Genesis, God acts alone
and creates with an economy of words, rather than
a plethora of weapons.
1:1-31 -- The six days of Creation
- This is a beautiful account of the progression
from chaos to cosmos.
- There are six units of time, perfectly balanced
into two parallel groups, describing four
creative acts in three days. Each day begins
with the formula "God says," and
ends with "evening and morning"
of that day. The first three days of creation
undo chaos through the progressive formation
of the heavens, the waters, and dry land.
The second three days of creation populate
these entities in identical order, culminating
in the creation of man made in God's image
and likeness.
2:1-3 -- The Seventh Day
- All of creation is pronounced good, and
God rests, thereby providing the essential
foundation for the Sabbath, though this word
does not appear.
2:4-25 -- The creation of Adam and Eve --
oftentimes referred to as the Second Creation
Story
- If it is a creation story, its focus is
totally different.
- God breathes the breath of life into this
creature of the dust (clay) and plants a garden
where man can live. Man was to care for the
garden but not eat of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil. Apparently he lived in the
garden, but he was lonely. So God fashioned
woman as a helper fit for him, to serve with
him in the garden.
3:1-24 -- commonly referred to as the "Fall",
but there is no such reference in the Hebrew
Bible, nor is there any other reference to Adam
and Eve in the OT.
- It is an attempt to explain why the human
condition is so different from the vision
of God's ideal world. It tries to answer the
question, "How did evil begin?"
It does not make a case for primordial evil;
evil was the result of man's poor choices.
- The mysterious serpent convinces Adam and
Eve that life will be better if they eat the
fruit from the forbidden tree. They're convinced.
God interrogates them, states the consequences,
and banishes them from Eden, but not before
making clothes for them.
4:1-26 -- Cain and Abel
- The children of Adam and Eve offer further
comment on human nature. Jealousy and strife
lead to the murder of Abel, and Cain's denial
of it to God. Further banishment is the result,
ending in Cain's genealogy, which passes into
extinction. Eve bears a son, Seth.
5:1-32 -- The Book of Genealogies
- Humanity is given a fresh start. Beginning
with Adam, it records ten generations, culminating
in Noah. This lays out an orderly and divine
unfoldment of history.
6:1-8 -- The Intermarriage of Celestial
and Terrestrial Beings
- What is one to make of this? This story
has many parallels in other ancient cultures.
Here, though, their activity remains under
God's control and introduces his judgment
of "great wickedness" and his "regret"
at making humans in the first place. Only
Noah remained faithful.
6:9-9:17 -- The Great Flood
- This is actually the undoing of creation.
But alongside judgment stands the promise
of renewal.
- God instructs Noah how to save himself by
building the ark. Noah follows those instructions
to the letter, and only his family is allowed
in. After it rained for forty days and nights,
it took almost a year for the earth to return
to its pre-flood condition.
- When dry land appears, Noah and his family
disembark and offer sacrifices to God symbolizing
the restoration of harmony between God and
humanity.
- God responds by making a covenant ratified
with the sign of a rainbow.
9:18-29 -- The Blessing and Cursing of Noah
and his Sons
- Noah was blessed with a vineyard and cursed
by the fact that he got drunk on its wine.
- While Noah was inebriated, his son, Ham,
did something to him, which is left unspecified.
- Upon awakening, Noah cursed "Canaan"
(Ham) and blessed his other two sons.
10:1-32 -- The Table of Nations
- Seventy peoples are listed, the number
suggesting completion. The entire human race
can be traced back to one of these three sons.
- The Japheth nations are to the north and
west.
- Ham includes Canaanites and Egyptians.
- Shem is the forerunner of the Israelites
and the people of Mesopotamia and Arabia.
11:1-9 -- The Tower of Babal
- In this final story, people have once again
turned from God. They intend to build a "tower"
to the heavens to honor themselves.
- God responds by confounding their speech
and scattering them over the whole earth.
11:10-32 -- Transition to the Patriarchs
- The incorrigible nature of mankind leads
the author to focus on one line of descent
-- Shem's.
- Ten generations lie between Shem and Abraham,
just as 10 generations separate Adam from
Noah.
- Previous stories have shown the breadth
of God's blessings to humanity.
- Now one family will be invited to know
God more intimately.
The Ancestral History of Israel
The ancestral history records
the traditions of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
The time is estimated to be roughly 2000 and 1500
BCE - the middle Bronze Age.
12:1-7 -- God chooses Abraham
- The command is abrupt, uncompromising --
"GO!...to the land I will show you."
- The promises (seven, in all) are equally
clear -- "you will be a blessing to others."
- Abram gets up and goes, leaving his father,
kin, and country.
12:9-25:11 - Chronicles the story of Abraham
12:10-20 -- Abraham and Sarah in Egypt;
Sarah in Pharoah's palace
13:1-18 - Arrival in the promised land,
separation of Lot and Abraham
14:1-24 - Abraham rescues Lot
15:1-21 - God makes a covenant with Abraham
16:1-16 -- Introduction of Hagar and the
birth of Ishmael
17:1-17 - God reiterates covenant, institutes
circumcision
18:1-15 - God promises a son to Sarah
18:16-33 -- God informs Abraham about problems
in Sodom
19:1-29 - Depravity and destruction of Sodom
and Gomorrah
19:30-38 -- Lot's daughters give birth to
Ammon and Moab
20:1-18 - Abraham and Sarah in Gerar; Sarah
in Abimelech's palace
21:1-21 - Birth of Isaac and explusion of
Hagar and Ishmael
21:22-34 -- Abraham's covenant regarding
the well at Beersheba
22:1-19 - The Binding of Isaac
22:20-24 -- Digression to Bethuel, introduces
Rebekah's father
23:1-20 - Death and Burial of Sarah
24:1-67 - Abraham sends servant to find
wife for Isaac
25:1-6 -- Abraham's descendants by wife,
Keturah
25:7-11 - Death and Burial of Abraham
25:12-18 -- Follows the line of Ishmael,
Abraham's first son
25:19-28:9 - The Story of Isaac, including
the birth of the twins: Jacob and Esau
25:19-28 -- Birth of Esau and Jacob
25:29-34 -- Esau sells his birthright
26:1-33 - God reiterates His promises and
recollections regarding Abraham and Sarah
26:34-45 -- Esau's Hittite wives
27:1-46 - Jacob deceives Isaac and receives
the blessing intended for Esau
28:1-22 - Jacob flees to Paddan-aram and
encounters God in a dream
29:1-35:27 - The Adventures of Jacob
29:1-30 - Jacob's marriages
29:31-30:24 -- Births of Jacob's sons and
daughter
30:25-43 -- Jacob and Laban make a new
contract
31:1-21 - Jacob and his wives and children
leave for Canaan;
Rachel steals the household gods
31:22-35 -- Laban pursues them
31:44-54 -- Jacob and Laban make a pact at Mizpah
32:4-33:31 - Jacob encounters Esau
34:1-31 - The rape of Dinah
35:1-15 - Jacob returns to Bethel
35:16-20 -- The death of Rachel and the
birth of Benjamin
35:21-29 -- Family issues and the death
of Isaac
36:1-43 - The Line of Esau
37:1-50:24 - The Trials and Triumphs of
Joseph
37:1-36 - Joseph is sold into slavery
38:1-30 - Digression involving Tamar and
Judah
39:1-23 - Joseph in Potiphar's household
in Egypt
40:1-23 - Joseph in prison
41:1-56 - Joseph is released from prison
and rises to power in Pharaoh's palace
42:1-28 - Joseph's brothers come to Egypt
to buy grain, Simeon remains
42:29-38 -- Brothers return to Jacob, ask
for Benjamin
43:1-34 - The Second Journey to Egypt;
Joseph and his brothers -- again
44:1-12 - Joseph plants his cup in Benjamin's
bag
44:13-34 -- Brothers return, plead for Benjamin's
life
45:1-28 - Joseph reveals his true identity
to his brothers
46:1-47:10 - Jacob and his family migrate
to Egypt
47:11-27 -- Joseph provides for his family
in Egypt
47:28-31 -- Jacob prepares for his death
48:1-22 - Jacob adopts and blesses Joseph's
two sons
49:1-33 - Last Will and Testament of Jacob
-- blessing of his sons
50:1-14 - Jacob dies and is buried
50:15-20 -- Joseph's brothers fear retaliation
upon Jacob's death
Joseph tells them: "Although you intended
me harm, God
intended it for good....."
This concludes the formative period of Israel's
history. The divine promises have been fulfilled.
They are a nation, though in a foreign land.
Next month we will examine the issue of slavery
and their nation's liberation through God's
saving acts in Exodus.
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