1. An Introduction to the Pentateuch: Genesis

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1. An Introduction to the Pentateuch Genesis

• BOT630/BHE630 Exegesis of Genesis

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Hebrew Canon

• hrwt
• yaybn
• ybwtkw

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Content of the Pentateuch

• 1. "The OT Pentateuch, or Torah, combines
  narratives and legal materials with occasional
  poetic sections. The narrative material tells the
  story of human history from Adam to Abraham, then
  recounts the fate of Abraham and his descendants
  (primarily the ancestors of Israel) until the
  period just before the conquest of the territory
  west of the Jordan River. The legal material
  primarily appears as two large blocks the
  revelations given while the people are encamped
  at Mt. Sinai (Ex 19-40 Lev Num 1.1-10.10) and
  Moses' proclamation of the laws in Moab just
  before the conquest (Num 22-36 and Deut). At
  other places, laws, commands, and legal
  ordinances appear (see Gen 1.28-29 9.1-7
  17.9-15 and throughout the journeys recorded in
  Num 10.10-21.35)." Hayes, An Introduction to OT
  Study, 157-8

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Content of the Pentateuch

• 2. "The Pentateuch narrates God's dealings with
  the world especially with the family of Abraham
  from creation to the death of Moses." D. A.
  Hubbard, "Pentateuch," The New Bible Dictionary,
  ed. J. D. Douglas, 958

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Content of the Pentateuch

• 3. The Pentateuch... has six major parts
  Friedman, "Pentateuch," ABD
• (1) The primeval history Gen 1-11
• (2) The patriarchs Gen 12-50
• (3) The liberation from Egypt Ex 1.1-15.21
  (interim 15.22-16.36)
• (4) The stay at Sinai/Horeb Ex 17-40 Lev
• (5) The journey Num
• (6) Moses' farewell Deut

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The Canonical Form Function

• The Five as Separate
• The Five as One

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NOTH'S MAJOR THEMES

• a. Guidance out of Egypt
• b. Guidance into the Arable Land
• c. Promise to the Patriarchs
• d. Guidance in the Wilderness
• e. Revelation at Sinai

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NOTH'S NARRATIVE FILL

• a. The Egyptian Plagues and the Celebration of
  the Passover
• b. Episodes Connected with the Occupation
• c. Baal Peor and Balaam
• d. Jacob at Shechem
• e. Jacob in East Jordan
• f. Isaac and Abraham

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NOTH'S NARRATIVE FILL

• g. Thirst, Hunger, and Enemies in the Wilderness
• h. The Murmuring of the People
• i. Caleb in Hebron
• j. The Mountain of God and the Midianites
• k. Covenant and Apostasy at Sinai

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CLINES THE THEME OF THE PENTATEUCH

• "The theme of the Pentateuch is the partial
  fulfillment - which implies also the partial
  non-fulfillment - of the promise to or blessing
  of the patriarchs. The promise or blessing is
  both the divine initiative in a word where human
  initiatives always lead to disaster, and a
  re-affirmation of the primal divine intentions
  for man. The promise has three elements
  posterity, divine-human relationship, and land.
  The posterity - element of the promise is
  dominant in Genesis 12-50, the relationship-elemen
  t in Exodus and Leviticus, and the land-element
  in Numbers and Deuteronomy." Clines, The Theme
  of the Pentateuch, 29

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CLINES THE THEME OF THE PENTATEUCH APPLIED TO
GENESIS

• The promise of descendants
• Gen 12.2, 7 13.15 15.4f, 13, 16, 18 16.10
  17.2, 4-7, 16, 19f 21.12f, 18, 16ff 26.3f, 24
  28.13f 35.11 46.3.
• The promise of relationship
• Gen 12.2f 17.1-11, 16, 17ff 26.2f, 24 28.13,
  15 35.9f 46.3 48.21.

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CLINES THE THEME OF THE PENTATEUCH APPLIED TO
GENESIS

• The promise of land
• Gen 12.1, 7 13.14f, 17 15.7, 13, 16, 18 17.8
  22.17 26.2ff 28.13.15 35.12 46.3f.
• Allusions to the promise
• Gen 18.19f 21.1 24.7, 60 26.3 283f, 13ff
  31.5, 42 32.9, 12 MT 32.10, 13 35.3, 12
  47.27 48.3f, 15f, 21 50.24.

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LITERARY QUALITIES OF THE PENTATEUCH

• Ambiguities
• Irony
• Character Development
• Paronomasia
• Unity and a collection of small unites

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