OTS 501 OLD TESTAMENT INTRO & LITERATURE Pentateuch I: Genesis & Exodus

OTS 501 OLD TESTAMENT INTRO & LITERATURE

Pentateuch I: Genesis & Exodus

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus

1.1 Introduction to Torah• The varying names of the first five books• Torah • Pentateuch [Gk. Five scrolls]• The Law of Moses; Book of the Law

• The first in the division of the canon• Primal place• Most sacred in Jewish tradition

• LXX – careful translation • Cf. Christian understanding of the Law and the prophets

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus1.2 Theme and General Content • General outline:• Five books or fivefold book

• 1.) Gen 1-11 2.) Gen 12-Deut 34• 1.) origins; nature & purpose of humanity; sin, its consequences & divine mercy• 2.) Abrahamic covenant & divine promises to Israel

• Gen: Creation – fall – judgment – divine election - preservation

• Ex: deliverance – covenant – Law & tabernacle• Lev: expansion of covenant Law for holiness • Num: Testing of God’s people in the wilderness• Deut: Covenant renewal & preparation for promised land

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus1.3 Genre and literary styles• Prose narrative• Historical reporting and theological interpretation

• Does Pentateuch include myths, folklore, legend?

• Ancient poetry• Prayers (Num 6:24-26); praise (Ex 15:21); covenant promises (Gen 12:1-3)

• Some of the most ancient sections of OT• Ex 15; Num 23-24; Gen 15; Deut 32-33

• Prophetic utterances• Forth-telling and foretelling

• Gen 15:12-16; Deut 1-4; 18:17-20

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Law • Affinities w/ Mesopotamian and Hittite law collections

• E.g. Laws of Eshnunna and Hammurabi (1800-1700 BC)• Esp. Ex 20-24 and Hittite Suzerain-vassal treaty

• OT Law – covenant law

• Most common types of laws• Casuistic law (case) “if…then…” (Deut 22:22)• Apodictic law – affirmative or prohibitive (Ex 20:3, 12)• Covenant blessings and curses (Deut 27-28)

• ANE law categories• Civil (marriage, inheritance, property, slaves etc.)• Ceremonial (murder, rape, theft, sex etc.)• Cultic (sacrifices, purity, festivals, worship etc.)

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus1.4 Historical and Critical Issues

• From creation to the border of promised land• Patriarchal period c. 2000-1600 BC• Moses and Exodus c. 1500-1200 BC

• More detailed chronology depends on • Biblical numerology (e.g. 1 Kings 6:1; Judg 11:26)• Interpretation and use of archaeological data• Use and evaluation of comparative ANE materials

• Face value vs. reconstructionist• Early or late date for Exodus

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Composition and authorship of Pentateuch • Torah anonymous w/ some sections attributed to Moses

• Sections attributed to Moses• Historical events (Ex 17:14; Num 33:2)• Laws (Ex 24:4; 34:27)• Song (Deut 31:22)

• Sections that cannot be attributed to Moses – Deut 34

• Later biblical books refer to “Law” (Josh 1:7-8); “Book of Moses/Law” (2 Kings 22:8; 2 Chron 25:4; Ezra 6:18; Neh 13:1)

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Traditional approach – Mosaic authorship

• Sir 24:23; Philo; Josephus; Mishnah & Talmud• Matt 19:7; 22:24; Mark 7:10; 12:26; Jh 1:17; 5:46; 7:23

• Passages that indicate post-Mosaic authorship/editing*• Deut 34 – death and burial of Moses• Gen 36:31 – kings in Israel “before any king reigned in Israel”• Gen 11:34 – Ur of the Chaldeans (not until1st millennium BC)• Gen 21:34 – mention of Philistines w/ Abraham narrative• Num 12:3 – Moses as the humblest man on earth• See also Gen 47:11; 6:19-20 and 7:2, 8-9

• Explicit sources• “Book of the Wars of the Lord” (Num 21:4) – post-conquest source• “Book of the covenant” (Ex 24:7) – by Moses?

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Critical theories of the composition

Documentary hypothesis (JEDP)• Origins in the 1700s w/ Spinoza and J. Astruc (1753)• J. Wellhausen (1883)• Four sources based on

• Divine names: Jahweh (J) and Elohim (E)• Narrative doublets (Gen 12:10-20; 20; 26)• Differences in style (Sinai-Horeb; Jacob-Israel; Jethro-Reuel)• Different theologies (e.g. Gen 1 and Gen 2)

• J – 9th century Judea; patriarchal faith and anthropomorphisms • E – 8th century Israel; moralistic and prophetic – focus on north• JE – combination of J & E after 722 BC• D – 7th cent. Deut. & Deut. history; central shrine & retribution• P – 6th cent. Liturgical & ritual texts w/ laws

Final form of Pentateuch put together in 500-400 BC by Ezra(?)

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Other critical approaches

• Fragmentary view• Sources (JEDP) did not original unity

• Supplementary approach • Single document supplemented by later document (e.g. E+J)

• Form and tradition history (esp. H. Gunkel)• Tracing forms of oral tradition

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Some critical comments on composition theories

• Hypothetical in nature• Literary approaches tend to be more in vogue currently• Little consensus among scholars• Does not acknowledge supernatural intervention of God

• Have pointed out important features in the Pentateuch• Doublets (see earlier) • Differing theological perspectives • Differences in style and vocabulary & anachronisms

• Is it possible to hold a Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch?

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• One author + later editor(s) approach

• ‘Essential authorship’ of Moses• Internal evidence of Pentateuch• External evidence within the Bible and later history

• Acknowledges the presence of pre-Mosaic sources• ANE sources and stories

• Post-Mosaic editing and glosses• Anachronistic glosses and Deut. 34

• The remaining questions• How extensive was the editing?• To what extent sources were used?

• Final form of the Pentateuch• Earliest date of composition during Joshua’s time• Latest during the time of Samuel or later


2.1 Introduction to Genesis • Why is Genesis such an important book?

• Many familiar stories

• Many doctrinal disputes hinge of Genesis

• Many puzzling passages and features

• Most commonly ‘preached’ sections?

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus2.2 Historical and Critical issues• Authorship and composition• Genesis is anonymous

• Came to be connected w/ Moses as part of Torah• Moses probably the author-editor + later editor finalized

• Toledoth formula [x11] composition (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2)

• Author organized the materials OR editorial seams

• Gen 1-11 & 12-50• God’s dealing w/ humanity• God’s dealing w/ one family to bless the nations


• ANE background and parallels• Literary parallels undeniable (Sumerian, Babylonian etc.)

• Creation stories• E.g. Enuma Elish & Atra-hasis epic

• Flood stories etc.• E.g. Gilgamesh Epic tablet 11

• ANE flood stories and Gen flood story - an example• Gen. flood story and the Atra-Hasis Epic (also in Gilg. Epic tab. 11)• Similarities and differences

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Similarities – compare w/ Gen 6:11-8:22

• Similar storyline to Genesis flood story• Uthnapistim warned of impending flood disaster by the gods• Builds a boat to be saved – boat comes to a halt on a Mt. top• Birds set out to check about the waters• Sacrifice to deities and blessing

• Differences • Dissimilarities are notable as well• Type of boat and length of flood• Landing place of the boat• Civilization saved – not family • The role of the gods

• betrayal by one of the gods led to salvation• gods become afraid when flood waters rise

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Brief evaluation and critical questions

• Babylonian literature is generally considered older than Gen.• Is biblical material dependent on Mesopotamian epic?

• Common source adapted to both• Common myth or historical event?

• Mesopotamian roots of the Bible (e.g. Gen 11:28; Josh 24:2)

• Common conceptual world & cultural environment• God used human authors and culture to

• Reveal Himself• Common / similar aspects and differences

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus2.3 Purpose, Storyline, Themes• Purpose• Beginnings – story of creation and human sin• God’s judgment and mercy • Establishment of covenant and preparation for Exodus

• Storyline of Genesis• Gen 1-11

• Gen 1-3• Creation – purpose, function & order; original connection w/ God• Fall – disobedience, judgment, and consequences

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Gen 4-11• Increase in sin – mercy in judgment• Wickedness of human beings (6:11-3, 17-18)• Mercy and election of Noah – further sin (Gen 9-11)

• Gen 12-36• Election of Abraham• Obstacles to covenant promises• Death of Sarah and purchase of land (Gen 23)• Wife for Isaac (Gen 24)

• Jacob and Esau• Resolution of conflict• Jacob the trickster gets tricked (Gen 27; 29; 37)

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Gen 37-50

• God’s providential protection of Joseph• Joseph in Egypt - “nations blessed by you”• Preparation for Exodus

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Themes of Genesis• Covenant, promises, and election

• Covenant w/ Noah & creation • Election of Abraham & covenant promises• Obstacles overcome by God’s faithfulness & trust in God

• Monotheism – worship of one God• Preference – practical/functional – philosophical• Abraham was worshipper of other gods (cf. Josh 24:2, 14)• He left everything – including local gods

• YHWH and El – Gen 4:26 vs. Ex 6:2-3• God experienced* primarily as El in Genesis • Moses’ generation experienced God primarily as YHWH

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Sin and its consequences

• Cycle of sin and punishment from Gen 3:16-19 onward• Cain & Abel; Lamech; ‘sons of God’; Flood; Tower of Babel• God’s mercy even in judgment

• Abraham’s frailty and sin• Jacob the trickster

• Creation and origins• Gen 1 – Who is in charge? Elohim • God the Creator – sovereign God who is over other gods & powerful forces

• Creation out of nothing & ordering of chaos material – Sabbath rest & everything good• Existence = function + roles, not material origins • How? - Through spoken word • When? “in the beginning” – seven day structural framework (cf. Gen 1&2)• Humans, goal of creation w/ roles and dignity – not afterthought or to be slaves of the

gods


• Gen 2 – Covenant God is close to His creation - YHWH • Order of creation in Gen 1-2 vary• E.g. Creation of Adam before planting of the garden (2:7-8)

• Mesopotamian animation* ritual and Gen 2• Critique of ANE myth: God making humans or humans making idols

• God depicted using anthropomorphic language• God ‘forms’, ‘plants’, ‘forms’, ‘builds’

Day Form Day “Filling”

1 Light (vv. 3-5) 4 Lights (vv. 14-19)

2 Firmament – sky & seas (vv. 9-10)

5 Fish and birds (vv. 20-23)

3 Dry land (vv. 9-10)Vegetation (vv. 11-12)

6 Land animals (vv. 24-26)Humanity (vv. 27-30)

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Genesis relates the origins of

• Cosmos and its rhythms• Human beings as God’s image bearers• Society and family• Sin and judgment• Continuing mercy of God despite sin & rebellion • God’s election of Abraham• Connection to Exodus through Joseph and Egypt


3.1 Introduction to Exodus• Second foundational book

• Exodus mentioned or alluded – nearly every page of OT

• Connection to Genesis narrative• Joseph & ‘sons of Israel’ in Egypt (Gen 46:8; 50:22-26; Ex 1:1-7)• Joseph’s bones back to Israel (Ex 13:19)

• Most preached sections of Exodus?

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus3.2 Authorship and Composition

• Traditional Mosaic authorship• Whole or major parts (17:14; 24:4; 34:27; cf. 15:1-21; 19:1-24:18)

• Moses + possible later editing• E.g. genealogy of 6:14-27; see also 11:3; 16:31-36; 15:23

• Oral traditions • Literary product of Joshua or Eleazar the priest

Final version written c. 1400-1000 BC (or a bit later)

• Documentary hypothesis • Ex 1-34 - J+E material• Ex 35-40 – P material

Final compilation c. 600-400BC

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus3.3 Historical and Critical Issues

• Exodus and history• No Egyptian record mentions Hebrews (in Egypt) or Moses• Documentary hypothesis & mythological aspects

• Merneptah stele (1205 BC) – earliest mention of Israel …Ashkelon is conquered, Gezer seized, Yanoam made nonexistent; Israel is wasted, bare of seed, Khor is become a widow for Egypt. All who roamed have been subdued. By the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Banere-meramun, Son of Re, Merneptah, Content with Maat, Given life like Re every day…

• Egyptian kings recorded only victories• Muddy Delta does not preserve evidence• Moses’ name Egyptian – “child” often associated

w/ a god [Ptah-mose; Ra-mose] why such name?

• Later witnesses & Exodus • Manetho the Egyptian priest (Ag.Ap. 1.228-52)*• Hecateus of Abdera**

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Realistic features of the biblical accounts• Israel, Moab, Edom as real people• Semitic people in all levels of Egyptian society during 19th dynasty

• Slave work of the Hebrews & others Why invent a myth of having been a slave?

• Place names (e.g. Rameses)• Ban on the northern Sinai route due to military presence (cf. Ex 13:17)

• Intra-biblical evidence• Book of Exodus – historical narrative • Exodus – the main saving event of the OT

http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/does-the-merneptah-stele-contain-the-first-mention-of-israel/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2vhrK6Wczs





Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Dating of the Exodus – four chronological systems

• Early date – 18th dynasty of the New kingdom era• Thuthmose III (1504-1450 BC) & Amenophis II (1450-1425 BC)

• Later date – 19th dynasty of the New Kingdom era• Ramseses I & Seti I (1320-1304 BC) & Ramses II (1304-1237)

• Some of the issues related to dating• Biblical numerology (Ex 12:40; 1 Kings 6:1; Judg 11:26)• Appeal to archaeological evidence• Harmony with the rest of the Bible & other evidence

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Routes of Exodus

• Northern• Ex 13:17

• Central• volcanoes

• Southern• Most likely


3.4 Purpose and structure• Purpose • Show God’s power and faithfulness in bring Israel out of Egypt

and make covenant with them

• Basic structure• God’s salvation and judgment (1-18)• Giving of the Law (19-24)• Preparation for worship & building of the Tabernacle (25-40)

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Covenant code of Ex & Hittite treaty• Suzerain-vassal treaty (powerful-weak)

• Preamble: 20:2a• Historical prologue: 20:2b• Stipulations: 20:3-17; 20:21-23:19• Deposit and public reading: 24:7• List of witnesses: 24:1-11• Blessings & curses: 23:20-33

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus3.5 Themes of Exodus

• YHWH – a new revelation of God• What about Gen 4:26 vs. Ex 6:2-3?• Anachronism (?) – El-Shaddai etc. in Genesis

• Continuity b/w YHWH and El - the same identity, not two different Gods • A new experience associated w/ Exodus & land

• What does YHWH mean?• I AM – Eternity; ever present• Personal name and all sufficiency• Ambiguity & sovereignty

• Other manifestations of God (3:2; 14:19; 19:18-20; 23:20; 24:1)• Angel of YHWH; fire, smoke, cloud of glory etc.

• Covenant God• Remembrance (2:24) & judgment and deliverance (12:27)• Unique, holy, powerful over other gods (15:11; 18:10-12)• Gracious and merciful (32:11-14)

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• 10 plagues and judgment of God

• Cosmic struggle b/w YHWH & Egyptian gods (12:12; 15:11; 18:11)• Moses as ‘God’ and Pharaoh manifest. of ‘sun god’ Aten/Re (cf. 7:1)

• Plagues of Egypt and the pantheon of Egyptian gods

• Supernatural event or providential timing?• Supernatural sign – direct act of God• Providential timing and intensification of natural processes• Sequence of events & Nile’s flood cycle - (cf. 14:21 “sea…by strong east wind”)

• What about darkness & death of the first-born? Plagues by magicians (7:22; 8:18-19)

• The powers of the Egyptian magicians• Inferior power compared to YHWH (cf. 8:19)

• Hardening of Pharaoh’s heart (3:19-20; 7:3-4; 7:8-8:32; 9:8-12)

Torah I - Genesis and ExodusPlague Reference Possible Egyptian deity

Nile turned into blood Ex 7:14-25 Khnum: guardian of the NileHapi: spirit of the Nile Osiris: Nile as bloodstream

Frogs 8:1-15 Heqt: form of frog; god of resurrection

Gnats 8:16-19 ---

Flies 8:20-32 ---

Plague of cattle 9:1-7 Hathor: mother-goddess, form of cowApis: bull of god Ptah (fertility)

Boils 9:8-12 Imhotep: god of medicine(?)

Hail 9:13-35 Isis: goddess of lifeSeth: protector of crops

Locusts 10:1-20 Isis: goddess of lifeSeth: protector of crops

Darkness 10:21-29 Re, Aten, Horus (sun gods)

Death of first-born 11:1-12:36 Pharaoh; Osiris, giver of life

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• The Passover

• Commemoration of YHWH’s deliverance• Passover – New Year [rel. calendar] – Feast of Unleavened bread

• Civil calendar: New Yr. 6 months later in Tishri (not Abib as above) • Passover meal and the festival(s)

• Education of children (12:24-27)• Dedication of the firstborn (12:23; 13:2; 22:29-30)

• The Ten Commandments & Law (Ex 20:1-17; Deut 5:6-21)• Directly from God (20:1, 22; 32:16) – God’s holiness • Two positives (20:8-12) & eight negatives• Strongest form of Hb. Negation • Format similar to Hittite suzerain-vassal treaty

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Decalogue – given after the deliverance from Egypt• Covenant code (Ex 20-23; cf. 24:7)

• Covenant obligations a response to YHWH’s graciousness • Rest of the law – application of 10 commandments

• The presence of God – YHWH amidst the people (25:8)• Remembrance of previous covenant & promises• Mighty act of deliverance – divine warrior (15:3)• “Cloud and pillar of fire” (13:21-22)• Miracles (15:22-26; 16:1-17:7)

• The Tabernacle – the active presence of YHWH• Special place of God’s presence (portable)

• Cf. Garden of Eden Gen 3:8

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• Patriarchs built altars (Gen 12:8; 13:18)

• Gradation of holiness & sections of the Tabernacle• Outside of the camp (unclean & gentiles)• Camp (clean Israelites)• Courtyard – progressive holiness (27:9-19)• Holy place (26:31-35)• The Most Holy Place (26:31-35)

• Design and materials & God’s holiness • Quality of tabernacle materials

• Four coverings (Ex 26)• Metallic and wood materials

• Furniture of the tabernacle (37-40)• Priesthood and the offerings (25-30)

The coming of the glory cloud (40:34-38)

Torah I - Genesis and Exodus• F

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OTS 501 OLD TESTAMENT INTRO & LITERATURE Pentateuch I: Genesis & Exodus