Difference between revisions of "Genesis"

<p> Contents The first eleven chapters of [[Genesis]] provide the universal setting for Israel's story. Taking up themes and motifs prominent in the literature of their neighbors, the inspired writer showed how only one God participated in creation of the whole world and in directing the fortunes of all its nations. The focus narrows from creation of the universe to creation of the first family (&nbsp;Genesis 1:1-2:25 ). [[Trust]] in a wily serpent rather than in God brings sin into the world and shows God's judgment on sin. Thus human life is lived out in the suffering, pain, and frustration of the world we know (&nbsp;Genesis 3:1 ). In that world God continues to condemn sin, bless faithfulness, and yet show grace to sinners (&nbsp;Genesis 4:1-15 ). From the human perspective, great cultural achievements appear, but so does overwhelming human pride (&nbsp;Genesis 4:16-24 ). Thus humans multiply their race as God commanded; they also look for a better life than that of pain and toil (&nbsp;Genesis 4:25-5:32 ). Help comes, but only after further punishment. Through the flood, God eliminates all humanity except the family of Noah, then makes a covenant with that family never again to bring such punishment (&nbsp;Genesis 6:1-9:17 ), but human sin continues on the individual and the societal levels, bringing necessary </p> <p> divine punishment of the nations at the tower of [[Babel]] (&nbsp;Genesis 9:18-11:9 ). God thus establishes a plan to redeem and bless the humanity that persists in sin. He calls one man of faith—Abraham—and leads him to a new beginning in a new land. He gives His promises of land, nation, fame, and a mission of blessing for the nations. This works itself out in blessing nations that help Abraham and punishing those who do not. It climaxes in God's covenant with Abraham in which Abraham shows faithfulness in the sign of circumcision and God renews His promises. </p> <p> New generations led by Isaac and Jacob find God continuing to lead them, to call them to be His people, and to renew His promises to them. Human trickery and deception personified in Jacob do not alter God's determination to carry out His redemptive plan. Even when crafty Jacob appears to meet his match while returning to Abraham's homeland, God leads him back to the [[Promised]] Land and back to safety. [[Reconciliation]] with his brother [[Esau]] is followed by deception on the part of his sons. They sell favored brother Joseph into slavery in Egypt. There God mysteriously works even in a prison cell to raise Joseph to power, demonstrating His authority over the highest political authority of the world. Finally, the family is reunited in Egypt and look forward to God's deliverance so they can return to the land of promise. </p> <p> Thus is established the heritage of God's people in the triad of patriarchal fathers—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God's promises and revelation to them became the foundation of Israel's religious experience and hope. See [[Creation]]; [[Flood]]; [[Sin]]; [[Humanity]]; [[Anthropology]]; Earth; [[Image Of God]]; [[Abraham]]; [[Isaac]]; [[Jacob]]; [[Joseph]]; [[Adam And Eve]]; [[Noah]]; [[Names Of God]]; [[God Of The Fathers]] . </p> <p> Critical Problems Critical scholars have raised many questions as they have sought reverently to study and understand the Book of Genesis. [[Comparison]] with other creation and flood stories, especially those coming from Sumeria, Babylon, and Assyria, have shown striking similarities to the biblical narrative. Why does the biblical account follow the same basic outline of other creation and flood narratives? Has one copied the other? Does God inspire a writer to react to other literature and write the authentic version? What role does oral tradition play in one nation learning of the literature of another nation? The least that can be said is that Israel's creation and flood narratives present a consistent picture of a sovereign God concerned with and in control of all nations. It shows a realistic picture of humanity in their great strengths and weaknesses. It has proven itself true through the centuries and millennia, whereas the other stories have become relics of a past civilization, recovered only by the accident of the archaeologists' spadework. See Creation; Flood . </p> <p> Genesis has given rise to theories of the origin and compilation of the book and of the Pentateuch or first five books of the Bible. Do use of later names such as land of the [[Philistines]] (&nbsp;Genesis 21:32 ), closely resembling, almost duplicate stories (&nbsp;Genesis 12:10-20; &nbsp;Genesis 20:1-18; &nbsp;Genesis 26:1-11 ), the use of different names for God (Yahweh in &nbsp;Genesis 15:1; [[Elohim]] in &nbsp;Genesis 17:1 ), the use of different facts (man made with woman in &nbsp;Genesis 1:27 but man made, then the animals, then woman in &nbsp; Genesis 2:1 ) point to different authors of parts of the book, sources used by an author, or literary and theological techniques used to deliver the divine message? </p> <p> In the 1960s many scholars thought they had reached agreement on the answers. The 1980s opened the questions anew with widely differing theories. The theories each try to explain how God produced and provided this book. The constant fact is that Genesis is both a classic piece of literature and the word of God inspired to teach His people about Him, His plan of redemption, and the nature of the world and people He created. See [[Pentateuch]] . </p> <p> Teachings A brief article can merely list a few of the important teachings of Genesis. Human reflection upon the book from the point of its origin onward has not completely understood its theological richness and its call to covenant faithfulness and hope. God is [[Creator]] and Redeemer. He provided the best of all possible worlds for the best of all possible creatures, humanity created in His image. Human sin, inspired by a tempting part of the creation, brought divine judgment, resulting in the world of pain, labor, and frustration we now experience. </p> <p> God is Judge and Savior. He takes human sin seriously but works constantly to form permanent relationships with people of faith. He calls people to follow and serve Him, promising them blessings suited for their needs and His purposes. God's judgment is limited by His covenant promises. God's salvation is limited only by human refusal to trust and believe. People of faith are not perfect. They deceive and connive, but they leave themselves open to God's leadership and become instruments of His plan. </p> <p> God is universal sovereign and individual God. He created and directs the nations, blessing and cursing according to His purposes. He reveals Himself to, calls, enters into covenant with, and promises to bless individual people. Such work with individuals is part of His plan to bless nations. </p> <p> Outline </p> <p> I. The Nature of Human Life (&nbsp;Genesis 1:1-11:9 ) </p> <p> A. Humans are made in His image and are the climax of His creation (&nbsp;Genesis 1:1-2:4 ). </p> <p> B. Human nature has needs and limits (&nbsp;Genesis 2:2-25 ). </p> <p> C. Human sin brings alienation and punishment (&nbsp;Genesis 3:1-24 ). </p> <p> D. God punishes human pride and irresponsibility, yet His grace protects the sinner (&nbsp;Genesis 4:1-15 ). </p> <p> E. Human nature produces astonishing cultural achievements and deadly pride (&nbsp;Genesis 4:16-24 ). </p> <p> F. Humans respond to God, develop into a large society, but seek relief from their burdens (&nbsp;Genesis 4:25-5:32 ). </p> <p> G. God punishes sinful society but preserves a faithful remnant (&nbsp;Genesis 6:1-8:22 ). </p> <p> H. God renews His commission to the creature made in His image and makes a covenant not to repeat the disastrous punishment of the flood (&nbsp;Genesis 9:1-17 ). </p> <p> I. Sin and disrespect set the pattern for international relations (&nbsp;Genesis 9:18-10:32 ). </p> <p> J. [[Pride]] and failure to trust God and other people bring separation and loss of communication (&nbsp;Genesis 11:1-9 ). </p> <p> II. The [[Mission]] and Nature of God's Family (&nbsp;Genesis 11:10-50:26 ) </p> <p> A. The Lord has a redemptive plan for His world (&nbsp;Genesis 11:10-25:18 ). </p> <p> 1. God's family originated in a foreign land (&nbsp;Genesis 11:10-32 ). </p> <p> 2. The Lord calls people to Himself (&nbsp;Genesis 12:1-9 ). </p> <p> 3. God plagues the nations which misuse God's people (&nbsp;Genesis 12:10-20 ). </p> <p> 4. God renews His promises and blessings when His family blesses the nations (&nbsp;Genesis 13:1-15:21 ). </p> <p> 5. The promises depend on God's grace, not human cunning (&nbsp;Genesis 16:1-17:27 ). </p> <p> 6. God's faithful servant intercedes with God for the wicked nations (&nbsp;Genesis 18:1-19:38 ). </p> <p> 7. Even deception by God's servant can result in blessing to God-fearing nations (&nbsp;Genesis 20:1-18 ). </p> <p> 8. God fulfills His promises both to His family and to the nations (&nbsp;Genesis 21:1-21 ). </p> <p> 9. God's obedient servant wins recognition from the nations (&nbsp;Genesis 21:22-34 ). </p> <p> 10. God tests His servant and renews His promises to the faithful servant (&nbsp;Genesis 22:1-24 ). </p> <p> 11. God's people begin to own the land (&nbsp;Genesis 23:1-20 ). </p> <p> 12. God proves His faithfulness for the next generation (&nbsp;Genesis 24:1-67 ). </p> <p> 13. God cares for the [[Arabian]] tribes (&nbsp;Genesis 25:1-18 ). </p> <p> B. God works through human conflicts to protect His people and His land (&nbsp;Genesis 25:19-36:43 ). </p> <p> 1. God works His purpose even in family conflicts (&nbsp;Genesis 25:19-34 ). </p> <p> 2. God renews His promises because of obedience of the old generations (&nbsp;Genesis 26:1-5 ). </p> <p> 3. God works through international conflict to preserve His people (&nbsp;Genesis 26:6-35 ). </p> <p> 4. God directs and blesses His people and the nations despite their family disputes (&nbsp;Genesis 27:1-33:20 ). </p> <p> 5. Human revenge and trickery accomplish nothing (&nbsp;Genesis 34:1-31; compare &nbsp;Genesis 49:5-7 ). </p> <p> 6. Recommitment to God brings renewal of His covenant promises (&nbsp;Genesis 35:1-15 ). </p> <p> 7. Death and sin do not mean the end of God's covenant people (&nbsp;Genesis 35:16-29 ). </p> <p> 8. God's leadership is evident even in the history of neighboring nations (&nbsp;Genesis 36:1-43 ). </p> <p> C. God brings reconciliation even in exile in an enemy land (&nbsp;Genesis 37:1-50:26 ). </p> <p> 1. Human jealousy brings hatred, separation, and grief (&nbsp;Genesis 37:1-36 ). </p> <p> 2. God works out His purposes despite human sin, injustice, and conniving </p> <p> (&nbsp;Genesis 38:1-30 ). </p> <p> 3. God's presence is the only blessing His servant needs (&nbsp;Genesis 39:1-23 ). </p> <p> 4. God leads through hardship to blessing and responsibility (&nbsp;Genesis 40:1-41:52 ). </p> <p> 5. God brings reconciliation through trial, confession, acceptance of responsibility, and forgiveness (41:53lb—&nbsp;Genesis 45:28 ). </p> <p> 6. God leads and rules even in a foreign kingdom (&nbsp;Genesis 46:1-47:31 ). </p> <p> 7. The patriarchal blessings belong to the tribes of [[Israel]] (&nbsp;Genesis 48:1-49:33 ). </p> <p> 8. Israel must responsibly fulfill the charges of the patriarchs (&nbsp;Genesis 50:1-14 ). </p> <p> 9. God renews His promises to a forgiving, faithful people (&nbsp;Genesis 50:15-26 ). </p> <p> [[Trent]] C. [[Butler]] </p>

<p> <strong> GENESIS </strong> </p> <p> 1. Name, Contents, and [[Plan]] . The name ‘Genesis,’ as applied to the first book of the Bible, is derived from the LXX [Note: Septuagint.] , in one or two MSS of which the book is entitled <em> Genesis kosmou </em> (‘origin of the world’). A more appropriate designation, represented by the heading of one Greek MS, is ‘The Book of Origins’; for Genesis is pre-eminently the Book of [[Hebrew]] Origins. It is a collection of the earliest traditions of the [[Israelites]] regarding the beginnings of things, and particularly of their national history; these traditions being woven into a continuous narrative, commencing with the creation of the world and ending with the death of Joseph. The story is continued in the book of Exodus, and indeed forms the introduction to a historical work which may be said to terminate either with the conquest of [[Palestine]] (Hexateuch) or with the [[Babylonian]] captivity (2Kings). The narrative comprised in Genesis falls naturally into two main divisions (i) <em> The history of primeval mankind </em> (chs. 1 11), including the creation of the world, the origin of evil, the beginnings of civilization, the Flood, and the dispersion of peoples. (ii.) <em> The history of the patriarchs </em> (ch. 12 50), which is again divided into three sections, corresponding to the lives of Abraham (&nbsp; Genesis 12:1 to &nbsp; Genesis 25:18 ), Isaac (&nbsp; Genesis 25:19-34 ), and Jacob (37 50); although in the last two periods the story is really occupied with the fortunes of Jacob and Joseph respectively. The transition from one period to another is marked by a series of genealogies, some of which ( <em> e.g. </em> chs. 5, &nbsp; Genesis 11:10 ff.) serve a chronological purpose and bridge over intervals of time with regard to which tradition was silent, while others (chs. 10, 36, etc.) exhibit the nearer or remoter relation to Israel of the various races and peoples of mankind. These genealogies constitute a sort of framework for the history, and at the same time reveal the plan on which the book is constructed. As the different branches of the human family are successively enumerated and dismissed, and the history converges more and more on the chosen line, we are meant to trace the unfolding of the [[Divine]] purpose by which Israel was separated from all the nations of the earth to be the people of the true God. </p> <p> <strong> 2. Literary sources </strong> . The unity of plan which characterizes the Book of Genesis does not necessarily exclude the supposition that it is composed of separate documents; and a careful study of the structure of the book proves beyond all doubt that this is actually the case. The clue to the analysis was obtained when (in 1753) attention was directed to the significant alternation of two names for God, <em> [[Jahweh]] </em> and <em> Elohim </em> . This at once suggested a compilation from <em> two </em> pre-existing sources; although it is obvious that a preference for one or other Divine name might be common to many independent writers, and does not by itself establish the unity of all the passages in which it appears. It was speedily discovered, however, that this characteristic does not occur alone, but is associated with a number of other features, linguistic, literary, and religious, which were found to correspond in general with the division based on the use of the Divine names. Hence the conviction gradually gained ground that in Genesis we have to do not with an indefinite number of disconnected fragments, but with a few homogeneous compositions, each with a literary character of its own. The attempts to determine the relation of the several components to one another proved more or less abortive, until it was finally established in 1853 that the use of <em> Elohim </em> is a peculiarity common to two quite dissimilar groups of passages; and that one of these has much closer affinities with the sections where <em> Jahweh </em> is used than with the other Elohistic sections. Since then, criticism has rapidly advanced to the positions now held by the great majority of OT scholars, which may be briefly summarized as follows: </p> <p> (1) Practically the whole of Genesis is resolved into three originally separate documents, each containing a complete and consecutive narrative: ( <em> a </em> ) the <em> Jahwistic </em> (J [Note: Jahwist.] ), characterized by the use of ‘Jahweh,’ commencing with the Creation (&nbsp; Genesis 2:4 b ff.) and continued to the end of the book; ( <em> b </em> ) the <em> Elohistic </em> (E [Note: Elohist.] ), using ‘Elohim,’ beginning at ch. 20; ( <em> c </em> ) the <em> Priestly Code </em> (P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] ), also using ‘Elohim,’ which opens with the first account of the Creation (&nbsp; Genesis 1:1 to &nbsp; Genesis 2:4 a). (2) In the compilation from these sources of our present Book of Genesis, two main stages are recognized: first, the fusion of J [Note: Jahwist.] and E [Note: Elohist.] into a single work (JE [Note: [[Jewish]] Encyclopedia.] ); and second, the amalgamation of the combined work JE [Note: Jewish Encyclopedia.] with P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] (an intermediate stage; the combination of JE [Note: Jewish Encyclopedia.] with the Book of Deuteronomy, is here passed over because it has no appreciable influence on the composition of Genesis). (3) The oldest documents are J [Note: Jahwist.] and E [Note: Elohist.] , which represent slightly varying recensions of a common body of patriarchal tradition, to which J [Note: Jahwist.] has prefixed traditions from the early history of mankind. Both belong to the best age of Hebrew writing, and must have been composed before the middle of the 8th cent. b.c. The composite work JE [Note: Jewish Encyclopedia.] is the basis of the Genesis narrative; to it belong all the graphic, picturesque, and racy stories which give life and charm to the book. Differences of standpoint between the two components are clearly marked; but both bear the stamp of popular literature, full of local colour and human interest, yet deeply pervaded by the religious spirit. Their view of God and His converse with men is primitive and childlike; but the bold anthropomorphic representations which abound in J [Note: Jahwist.] are strikingly absent from E [Note: Elohist.] , where the element of theological reflexion is come-what more pronounced than in J [Note: Jahwist.] . (4) The third source, P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] , reproduces the traditional scheme of history laid down in JE [Note: Jewish Encyclopedia.]; but the writer’s unequal treatment of ‘the material at his disposal reveals a prevailing interest in the history of the sacred institutions which were to be the basis of the Sinaitic legislation. As a rule he enlarges only on those epochs of the history at which some new religious observance was introduced, viz., the Creation, when the [[Sabbath]] was instituted; the Flood, followed by the prohibition of eating the blood; and the Abrahamic Covenant, of which circumcision was the perpetual seal. For the rest, the narrative is mostly a meagre and colourless epitome, based on JE [Note: Jewish Encyclopedia.] , and scarcely intelligible apart from it. While there is evidence that P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] used other sources than JE [Note: Jewish Encyclopedia.] , it is significant that, with the exception of ch. 23, there is no single episode to which a parallel is not found in the older and fuller narrative. To P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] , however, we owe the chronological scheme, and the series of genealogies already referred to as constituting the framework of the book as a whole. The Code belongs to a comparatively late period of Hebrew literature, and is generally assigned by critics to the early post-exilic age. </p> <p> <strong> 3. Nature of the material </strong> . That the contents of Genesis are not <em> historical </em> in the technical sense, is implied in the fact that even the oldest of its written documents are far from being contemporary with the events related. They consist for the most part of traditions which for an indefinite period had circulated orally amongst the Israelites, and which (as divergences in the written records testify) had undergone modification in the course of transmission. No one denies that oral tradition may embody authentic recollection of actual occurrences; but the extent to which this is the case is uncertain, and will naturally vary in different parts of the narrative. Thus a broad distinction may be drawn between the primitive traditions of chs. 1 11 on the one hand, and those relating to the patriarchs on the other. The accounts of the Creation, the Fall, the Flood, and the Dispersion, all exhibit more or less clearly the influence of Babylonian mythology; and with regard to these the question is one not of trustworthy historical memory, but of the avenue through which certain mythical representations came to the knowledge of Israel. For the patriarchal period the conditions are different: here the tradition is ostensibly national; the presumed interval of oral transmission is perhaps not beyond the compass of the retentive Oriental memory; and it would be surprising if some real knowledge of its own antecedents had not persisted in the national recollection of Israel. These considerations may be held to justify the belief that a substratum of historic fact underlies the patriarchal narratives of Genesis; but it must be added that to distinguish that substratum from legendary accretions is hardly possible in the present state of our knowledge. The process by which the two elements came to be blended can, however, partly be explained. The patriarchs, for instance, are conceived as ancestors of tribes and nations; and it is certain that in some narratives the characteristics, the mutual relations, and even the history, of tribes are reflected in what is told as the personal biography of the ancestors. Again, the patriarchs are founders of sanctuaries; and it is natural to suppose that legends explanatory of customs observed at these sanctuaries are attached to the names of their reputed founders and go to enrich the traditional narrative. Once more, they are types of character; and in the inevitable simplification which accompanies popular narration the features of the type tended to be emphasized, and the figures of the patriarchs were gradually idealized as patterns of Hebrew piety and virtue. No greater mistake could be made than to think that these non-historical, legendary or imaginative, parts of the tradition are valueless for the ends of revelation. They are inseparably woven into that ideal background of history which bounded the horizon of ancient Israel, and was perhaps more influential in the moulding of national character than a knowledge of the naked reality would have been. The inspiration of the Biblical narrators is seen in the fashioning of the floating mass of legend and folklore and historical reminiscences into an expression of their Divinely given apprehension of religious truth, and so transforming what would otherwise have been a constant source of religious error and moral corruption as to make it a vehicle of instruction in the knowledge and fear of God. Once the principle is admitted that every genuine and worthy mode of literary expression is a suitable medium of God’s word to men, it is impossible to suppose that the mythic faculty, which plays so important a part in the thinking of all early peoples, was alone ignored in the Divine education of Israel. </p> <p> J. Skinner. </p>

<p> Originally the first five books of the Bible were one. They were divided into their present form for convenience, and collectively are known as the Pentateuch (meaning ‘five volumes’). The books are also commonly referred to as the books of Moses, because Moses has traditionally been regarded as the author (see [[Pentateuch]] ). </p> <p> '''Purpose of the book''' </p> <p> The name Genesis means ‘origin’ or ‘beginning’, and comes from the title given to the book by those who first translated the Hebrew Old [[Testament]] into Greek. The book speaks of the origins of the universe, of the human race, of human sin and of God’s way of salvation. </p> <p> Although the Bible mentions matters relating to the beginnings of the universe and the early days of the human race, its main concern is not with the scientific aspect of these matters (see [[Creation]] ). The Bible is concerned rather with the relationship between God and the people he placed in the world he had made. It shows in the opening chapters of Genesis how human beings, though created sinless, rebelled against God and corrupted human nature. Their sin brought with it God’s judgment, but the judgment contained an element of mercy, as God repeatedly gave them the opportunity to start afresh. Still they rebelled, and still God did not destroy them. </p> <p> This leads Genesis into its second and major section, which shows how God worked in human affairs to provide a way of salvation. God chose to work through Abraham, one of the few surviving believers. He promised to make from Abraham a nation, to make that nation his people, and to give them [[Canaan]] as a national homeland. From that nation God would bring a Saviour, through whom the blessings of God’s salvation would go to all peoples of the world (&nbsp;Genesis 12:1-3; &nbsp;Genesis 13:14-16). The book goes on to record the birth of this nation and the events that helped prepare it for its occupation of the promised land. </p> <p> '''Outline of contents''' </p> <p> Genesis begins with the story of creation (1:1-2:3) and the rebellion of Adam and [[Eve]] (2:4-4:26). As the human race spread, so did human sin (5:1-6:4), till the rebellion became so widespread and so resistant to reform that God sent a flood that destroyed the entire generation, except for a few believers (6:5-8:19). From these believers, God made a new beginning and repopulated the devastated earth (8:20-10:32), but as people became more secure and independent, so did they become more rebellious against God (11:1-9). [[Judgment]] inevitably followed, but in his grace God again preserved the faithful. One of these was a man from [[Mesopotamia]] named Abram, later renamed Abraham (11:10-26). </p> <p> After God announced to Abraham his promise of blessing (11:27-12:3), Abraham and his household moved into Canaan. When a famine hit the land, they went to Egypt, but in due course they returned and settled at Hebron, west of the [[Dead]] Sea (12:4-14:24). (For a map and other details relevant to Abraham’s varied experiences see [[Abraham]] .) </p> <p> God made a covenant with Abraham, in which he promised to give him a multitude of descendants (15:1-21); but the birth of [[Ishmael]] had no part in the fulfilment of that promise (16:1-16). God then confirmed the covenant with Abraham, giving the rite of circumcision as the sign and seal of the covenant (17:1-27). Some time later the promised son Isaac was born (18:1-21:34). God tested the faith and obedience of Abraham, but Abraham proved himself totally committed to God, no matter what the circumstances (22:1-23:20). </p> <p> Isaac married and produced two sons, Esau and Jacob (24:1-25:26). In accordance with God’s will, the blessing of Abraham passed to Jacob instead of to Esau. That, however, was no excuse for Jacob’s ruthlessness and deceit in obtaining the blessing (25:27-28:9). </p> <p> Jacob moved from Canaan to Mesopotamia to obtain a wife among his parents’ relatives. He stayed in Mesopotamia for twenty years, during which he built up a large family. He then left to settle again in Canaan (28:10-31:55). But first he had to be reconciled to his brother Esau, who by this time had developed a prosperous settlement in neighbouring territory to the south-east (32:1-36:43). </p> <p> Troubles arose among Jacob’s twelve sons, with the result that one of them, Joseph, was sold as a slave and taken to Egypt. But God was controlling the affairs of his people, and through a series of remarkable events, Joseph eventually became governor over Egypt. When the entire region was devastated by a famine, his wise administration saved the nation (37:1-41:57). More than twenty years after Joseph’s brothers had sold him as a slave, they met him in Egypt when they went there to buy food. The result was that the whole of Jacob’s household migrated to Egypt and settled in the fertile Nile Delta (42:1-47:26). </p> <p> In the specially marked-off area that [[Pharaoh]] had given them, Jacob’s large family could live together and multiply without being corrupted by [[Egyptian]] ideas. Jacob saw that a prosperous future lay ahead for his descendants and announced his blessings on them before he died (47:27-49:33). </p> <p> Years later Joseph died, but before his death he expressed his unwavering faith in God’s promises. He knew that just as God’s promise to Abraham of a nation had been largely fulfilled, so his promise of a homeland would also be fulfilled. The Israelites’ increasing prosperity in Egypt was rapidly preparing them for the day when they would be strong enough to move north and take possession of the promised land (50:1-26). </p>

<p> [[Genesis]] (''Jĕn'E-Sĭs'' ). The first book of the Bible. The term signifies "beginning" or "origin." Genesis gives us a history of the origin of the world, of the human family, of sin, of the promise of redemption, and of the Jewish people. The first eleven chapters describe the creation of things, the history of Adam, the deluge, and the confusion of tongues at Babel. With the twelfth chapter begins the history of the patriarchs and Israel. There are no good grounds for doubting that Moses was the author. With the use of older documents and traditions, he compiled, under divine direction, the history as we have it. The order of created things in Genesis is substantially the order of geology and biology. Both begin with the formation of the earth and proceed from the vegetable to animal life; both stop with man. The word translated "day" probably means an indefinite period. The "seventh day," which has no evening, Chron. 2:2, cannot refer to a day of 24 hours, but to the long redemptive period in which we are living. Few if any existing documents have a more venerable age than has Genesis. Covering nearly 2500 years, it gives us the account of the preparation of this planet as an abode for man and the first annals of the race. Its value cannot be overestimated as a fragment of literature or as a work of history, and it has been well observed that in the first page of Genesis a child may learn more in an hour than all the philosophers in the world learned without it in a thousand years.—''Schaff.'' </p>

<p> The first book of the Pentateuch (q.v.) is called by the [[Jews]] Bereshith, i.e., "in the beginning", because this is the first word of the book. It is generally known among [[Christians]] by the name of Genesis, i.e., "creation" or "generation," being the name given to it in the LXX. as designating its character, because it gives an account of the origin of all things. It contains, according to the usual computation, the history of about two thousand three hundred and sixty-nine years. </p> <p> Genesis is divided into two principal parts. The first part (1-11) gives a general history of mankind down to the time of the Dispersion. The second part presents the early history of Israel down to the death and burial of Joseph (12-50). </p> <p> There are five principal persons brought in succession under our notice in this book, and around these persons the history of the successive periods is grouped, viz., Adam (1-3), Noah (4-9), Abraham ((10-25:18),), Isaac ((25:19-35:29),), and Jacob (36-50). </p> <p> In this book we have several prophecies concerning Christ (3:15; 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; 49:10). The author of this book was Moses. Under divine guidance he may indeed have been led to make use of materials already existing in primeval documents, or even of traditions in a trustworthy form that had come down to his time, purifying them from all that was unworthy; but the hand of Moses is clearly seen throughout in its composition. </p>

<p> GEN'ESIS, n. See Gender. </p> 1. The first book of the sacred scriptures of the Old Testament, containing the history of the creation, of the apostasy of man, of the deluge, and of the first patriarchs, to the death of Joseph. In the original Hebrew, this book has no title the present title was prefixed to it by those who translated it into Greek. 2. In geometry, the formation of a line, plane or solid, by the motion or flux of a point, line or surface.

<p> Gen´esis, the first book of the Pentateuch. This venerable monument, with which the sacred literature of the Hebrews commences, and which forms its real basis, is divided into two main parts; one universal, and one special. The most ancient history of the whole human race is contained in Genesis 1-11, and the history of Israel's ancestors, the patriarchs, in Genesis 12-50. These two parts are, however, so intimately connected with each other, that it would be erroneous to ascribe to the first merely the aim of furnishing a universal history. The chief aim which pervades the whole is to show how the theocratic institution subsequently founded by Moses was rendered possible and necessary. The book, therefore, takes its starting-point from the original unity of the human race, and their original relation to God, and proceeds thence to the interruption of that relation by the appearance of sin, which gradually and progressively wrought an external and internal division in the human race for want of the principles of divine life which originally dwelt in man in general, but which had subsequently been preserved only among a small and separate race—a race which in progress of time became more and more isolated from all the other tribes of the earth, and enjoyed for a series of generations the special care, blessing, and guidance of the Lord. The mosaical theocracy appears, therefore, by the general tenor of Genesis, partly as a restoration of the original relation to God, of the communion of man with God, and partly as an institution which had been preparing by God himself through a long series of manifestations of his power, justice, and love. Genesis thus furnishes us with the primary view and notion of the whole of the theocracy, and may therefore be considered as the historical foundation without which the subsequent history of the covenant people would be incomplete and unintelligible. </p> <p> The unity and composition of the work, which is a point in dispute among the critics in regard to all the books of the Pentateuch, have been particularly questioned in the case of Genesis. Some suppose that Genesis is founded on two principal original documents, distinguished by the terms Elohim and Jehovah, the names which they respectively give to God. That of Elohim is closely connected in its parts, and forms a whole, while that of Jehovah is a mere complementary document, supplying details at those points where the former is abrupt and deficient, etc. These two documents are said to have been subsequently combined by the hand of an editor, so able as often to render their separation difficult, if not altogether impossible. Others maintain that Genesis is a book closely connected in all its parts, and composed by only one author, while the use of the two different names of God is not owing to two different sources on which Genesis is founded, but solely to the different significations of these two names. The use of each of the two names, Jehovah and Elohim, is everywhere in Genesis adapted to the sense of the passages in which the writer has purposely inserted the one name or the other. This point of view is the more to be considered, as it is the peculiar object of the author to point out in Genesis the gradual and progressive development of the divine revelations. The opponents have in vain attempted to discover in Genesis a few contradictions indicative of different documents in it; their very admission, that a fixed plan and able compilation visibly pervade the whole of the book, is in itself a refutation of such supposed contradictions, since it is hardly to be conceived, that an editor or compiler who has shown so much skill and anxiety to give unity to the book should have cared so little about the removal of those contradictions. The whole of Genesis is pervaded by such a freedom in the selection and treatment of the existing traditions, such an absence of all trace of any previous source or documents which might in some measure have confined the writer within certain limits of views and expressions, as to render it quite impracticable to separate and fix upon them specifically, even if there were portions in Genesis drawn from earlier written documents. </p> <p> That first question concerning the unity of the book is closely connected with another question, respecting its authenticity, or whether Moses was the author of Genesis. We confine ourselves here to only a few remarks on the authenticity of Genesis in particular, and refer the reader for further information to the article Pentateuch. Some critics have attempted to ascertain the period when Genesis was composed, from a few passages in it, which they say must be anachronisms, if Moses was really the author of the book. Among such passages are, in particular,;; 'And the [[Canaanite]] was then in the land.' This remark, they say, could only have been made by a writer who lived in Palestine after the extirpation of the Canaanites. But the sense of the passage is not that the [[Canaanites]] had not as yet been extirpated, but merely that Abraham, on his arrival in Canaan, had already found there the Canaanites. This notice was necessary, since the author subsequently describes the intercourse between Abraham and the Canaanites, the lords of the country. According to the explanation given to the passage by the opponents, such an observation would be quite a superfluous triviality. Also the name [[Hebron]] , they say, was not introduced till after the time of Moses . This, however, does not prove anything, since Hebron was the original Hebrew name for the place, which was subsequently changed into [[Arba]] (by a man of that name), but was restored by the Israelites on their entrance into Canaan. The opponents also maintain that the name of the place Dan was given only in the post-Mosaical period . But the two last passages speak of quite a different place. There were two places called Dan; [[Dan-Jaan]] , and Dan-Laish, or Leshem. In Genesis, they further add, frequently occurs the name [[Bethel]] (;; ); while even in the time of Joshua the place was as yet called [[Luz]] . But the name Bethel was not first given to the place by the Israelites in the time of Joshua, there being no occasion for it, since Bethel was the old patriarchal name, which the Israelites restored in the place of Luz, a name given by the Canaanites. Another passage in Genesis , 'Before there reigned any king over the children of Israel,' is likewise supposed to have been written at a period when the Jews had already a king over them. But the broachers of these objections forget that this passage refers to those promises contained in the Pentateuch in general, and in Genesis in particular (comp. ), that there should hereafter be kings among the Israelites as an independent nation. In comparing Israel with [[Edom]] (Genesis 36), the sacred writer cannot refrain from observing that Edom, though left without divine promises of possessing kings, nevertheless possessed them, and obtained the glory of an independent kingdom, long before Israel could think of such an independence; and a little attention to the sense of the passage will show how admirably the observation suits a writer in the Mosaical period. The passage where the land of Israel is described as extending from the river of Egypt (the Nile) to the great river (Euphrates), it is alleged, could only have been penned during the splendid period of the Jews, the times of David and Solomon. Literally taken, however, the remark is inapplicable to any period, since the kingdom of the Jews at no period of their history extended so far. That promise, must, therefore, be taken in a rhetorical sense, describing the central point of the proper country as situated between the two rivers. </p> <p> With regard to the historical character of the book, Genesis consists of two contrasting parts: the first part introduces us into the greatest problems of the human mind, such as the Creation and the fall of man; and the second, into the quiet solitude of a small defined circle of families. In the former, the most sublime and wonderful events are described with childlike simplicity; while, in the latter, on the contrary, the most simple and common occurrences are interwoven with the sublimest thoughts and reflections, rendering the small family circle a whole world in history, and the principal actors in it prototypes for a whole nation, and for all times. The contents in general are strictly religious. Not the least trace of mythology appears in it. It is true that the narrations are fraught with wonders. But primeval wonders, the marvelous deeds of God, are the very subject of Genesis. None of these wonders, however, bear a fantastical impress, and there is no useless prodigality of them. They are all penetrated and connected by one common leading idea, and are all related to the counsel of God for the salvation of man. This principle sheds its lustrous beams through the whole of Genesis; therefore the wonders therein related are as little to be ascribed to the invention and imagination of man as the whole plan of God for human salvation. The foundation of the divine theocratical institution throws a strong light upon the early patriarchal times; the reality of the one proves the reality of the other, as described in Genesis. </p> <p> The separate accounts in Genesis also manifest great internal evidence of truth if we closely examine them. They bear on their front the most beautiful impress of truth. The cosmogony in Genesis stands unequalled among all others known in the ancient world. No mythology, no ancient philosophy, has ever come up to the idea of a creation out of nothing. All the ancient systems end in Pantheism, Materialism, emanation-theory, etc. But the Biblical cosmogony occupies a place of its own, and therefore must not be ranked among, or confounded with, any of the ancient systems of mythology or philosophy. The mythological and philosophical cosmogonies may have been derived from the Biblical, as being later depravations and misrepresentations of Biblical truth; but the contents of Genesis cannot, vice versa, have been derived from mythology or philosophy. The historical delineation also of the Creation and of the fall of man does not bear the least national interest or coloring, but is of a truly universal nature, while every mythus bears the stamp of the national features of the nation and country where it originated and found development. All mythi are subject to continual development and variations, but among the Hebrews the accounts in Genesis stand firm and immutable for all times, without the least thing being added or altered in them for the purpose of further development, even by the New Testament. What a solid guarantee must there be in this foundation of all subsequent revelations, since it has been admitted and maintained by all generations with such immovable firmness! The ancient heathen traditions coincide in many points with the Biblical accounts, and serve to illustrate and confirm them. This is especially the case in the ancient traditions concerning the Deluge , and in the list of nations in the tenth chapter; for instance , Tarshish is called the son of Javan. This indicates that the ancient inhabitants of Tarshish or Tartessus in Spain were erroneously considered to be a Phoenician colony like those of other towns in its neighborhood, and that they sprang from Javan, that is, Greece. That they were of Greek origin is clear from the account of Herodotus. Also , Nimrod, the ruler of Babel, is called the son of Cush, which is in remarkable unison with the mythological tales concerning Bel and his Egyptian descent. Sidon alone is mentioned , but not Tyrus (comp. ), which arose only in the time of Joshua and that Sidon was an older town than Tyrus, by which it was afterwards eclipsed, is certified by a number of ancient reports. </p> <p> With the patriarchal history (Genesis 12. sqq.) begins an historical sketch of a peculiar character. The circumstantial details in it allow us to examine more closely the historical character of these accounts. The numerous descriptions of the mode of life in those days furnish us with a very vivid picture. We meet everywhere a sublime simplicity quite worthy of patriarchal life, and never to be found again in later history. One cannot suppose that it would have been possible in a later period, estranged from ancient simplicity, to invent such a picture. </p> <p> The fidelity of the author everywhere exhibits itself. Neither the blemishes in the history of Abraham, nor the gross sins of the sons of Jacob, among whom even Levi, the progenitor of the sacerdotal race, forms no exception, are concealed. </p> <p> The same author, whose moral principles are so much blamed by the opponents of Genesis, on account of the description given of the life of Jacob, produces, in the history of Abraham, a picture of moral greatness which could have originated only in facts. </p> <p> The faithfulness of the author manifests itself also especially in the description of the expedition of the kings from Upper to Western Asia; in his statements concerning the person of Melchizedek (Genesis 14); in the circumstantial details given of the incidents occurring at the purchase of the hereditary burial-place (Genesis 23); in the genealogies of Arabian tribes (Genesis 25); in the genealogy of Edom (Genesis 36); and in many remarkable details which are interwoven with the general accounts. In the history of Joseph the patriarchal history comes into contact with Egypt, and here the accounts given by ancient classical writers, as well as the monuments of Egypt, frequently furnish some splendid confirmations. For instance, the account given of the manner in which the Pharaohs became proprietors of all the lands, with the exception of those belonging to the priests, is confirmed by Herodotus, and by Diodorus Siculus. The manner of embalming described in Genesis 50 entirely agrees with the description of Herodotus, ii. 84, etc. </p> <p> For the important commentaries and writings on Genesis, see the article Pentateuch. </p>

(i) [[Decreasing]] Use of [[Yahweh]] <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These files are public domain and were generously provided by the folks at WordSearch Software. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Genesis'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/g/genesis.html. 1915. </p> </div>