Title
Genesis (Heb. Bere’shith, lit. “in the beginning”) is the first book of the Pentateuch or Torah (a designation for the first five books of the Old Testament). The title “Genesis” was first used in the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament).
Author
Though Genesis has no explicit authorship statement, its inclusion in the Pentateuch suggests Mosaic authorship. Other books—Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy—all assert Mosaic authorship (Ex 17:14; 24:4–8; 34:27; Nu 33:1–2; Dt 31:9,22). In the rest of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch is referred to collectively as “the Book of the Law of Moses” (Jos 8:31; 2Ki 14:6; Ne 13:1). The New Testament confirms this authorship (Mt 19:8; Lk 24:27; Jn 5:45–47; Ac 3:22; Ro 10:5; Rev 15:3). The familiarity of the writer of Genesis with Egyptian geography (Ge 45:10; 47:11) confirms that the author was well acquainted with Egyptian culture, as would have been Moses, who was reared in the household of Pharaoh. Some short sections of Genesis, such as the list of kings from the period of the Israelite monarchy, may have been added during the time of the divided kingdom (Ge 36); in the same way, cities are often given the names they bore during the time of the monarchy rather than their patriarchal names. These scribal additions could well have been made in the process of copying manuscripts and do not affect the book’s message other than to improve the clarity of Genesis for contemporary readers.
Date
The book tells the story of mankind from creation to the death of Joseph. Dating the events that relate to the creation, the flood, and the repopulation of the earth is impossible (Ge 1–11), but the remainder of the book deals with the patriarchal age, which is roughly the same as the Middle Bronze Age (1950–1550 BC). The customs found in Genesis bear striking parallels to laws and customs recorded in other documents of the second millennium, most notably those found in tablets discovered at the Hurrian city of Nuzi in northeastern Mesopotamia.
The Pentateuch as a whole was written between the exodus and the death of Moses (Dt 34). The exodus is variously dated, with 1445 BC as the earliest date. If this date is assumed, the death of Moses would fall around 1400 BC. Genesis was thus produced sometime in the late fifteenth century BC, several centuries after the patriarchs whose lives it describes.
Background
Setting
The setting is vast in scope since the book opens with the creation of the universe and closes with the small but growing number of the descendants of Jacob, now identified as Israel, who settled in the choice land of the Nile delta of Egypt. In between, the action focuses on the entire Fertile Crescent from the universal flood (which ended on the mountains of Ararat) and the tower of Babel (in the land of Shinar) to Abraham’s journeys throughout Canaan.
Purpose
Genesis answers the question, “Who are we, and where did we come from?” God as the only Creator presented himself to a people about to enter a land filled with false idols. God confirmed his selection and sovereign preservation of this nation facing hardships in a new land. Most importantly, Genesis reveals that Israel was set apart by God from the very beginning of creation. This knowledge provided a motivation for Israel to remain free from the idolatry and paganism surrounding the nation.
Audience
The Israelites were about to enter Canaan. Since the older generation (except Joshua and Caleb) had died in the desert, no others were left with a personal memory of God’s miraculous deliverance from the Egyptians. The young nation entering the promised land would be faced with an immense temptation to assimilate the idolatry, intermarriage and customs of the pagan nations around them. This same temptation faces God’s people in every generation; Genesis reveals that God’s plan for setting apart his people stretches back to creation.
Literary Characteristics
Genesis is a carefully structured book; its literary structure reinforces its explicit message. The first section, the story of creation (Ge 1:1–2:3), is set up in two segments of three days each. The creative works of the first and the fourth days are parallel, since during the first day God created light and darkness, while on the fourth day he created the sun and moon to govern the periods of light and darkness. On the second day, the firmament divided the waters; on the fifth day, the inhabitants of the sky and water were created. The third day dry land and vegetation appeared; the sixth day land-dwellers were created to consume the vegetation. The structure emphasizes God’s plan and control over all aspects of creation.
After the introductory section, the book is divided by the recurrent phrase “This is the account of” (Heb. toledoth). Each occurrence of this phrase marks a new stage in God’s development of a chosen people. The story of mankind is presented as a whole (Ge 2:4–4:26). After the judgment of mankind, the phrase appears repeatedly as a reminder that God chooses one man from each family (for example, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) to lead in preserving and carrying on the godly line. Also clear are the partnerships the patriarchs enjoyed with their wives—Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Rachel were part of God’s plan as well. The passing of God’s covenant promises from one generation to the next is emphasized by the parallel structure of the stories themselves. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all traveled to Egypt; all three endured tests followed by covenant renewals. Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel all suffered from barrenness, but each experienced God’s grace in bearing children who would play a major role in the building of a nation.
The primary theme of Genesis is God’s formation of the nation and his providential protection of a special people for himself. The methods God used to call out and shape this nation form the minor themes of the book.
God’s Sovereignty—God appears first as sovereign Creator and Ruler; his power over history and the actions of his people reappears throughout the book in his preservation of his chosen ones.
God’s Covenant—God uses the “covenant” (Heb. berith) continually to separate one man from the rest of mankind. The first covenant is made with Adam in the Garden of Eden (Ge 2:16–17; see chart, The Covenants of Genesis). After the fall, God continues to make covenants with each subsequent generation, selecting one man from each family to continue godly seed for the next generation. Covenants are made with Noah (Ge 9:9), Abraham (Ge 12:1–3), Isaac (Ge 26:2–5) and Jacob (Ge 28:13–15).
God’s Redemption—The story of the formation of the chosen people is the story of redemption. The “offspring,” the godly line of those faithful to the Lord, will eventually crush the “offspring” of the serpent, the wicked who live in rebellion against God (Ge 3:14–15). This prophecy was ultimately fulfilled in the coming of Christ. Since Israel was God’s chosen nation from whom the Messiah was to come, Israel’s story reveals God’s redemptive action in human history.
Themes
The Threat to God’s Plan—The fourth theme of Genesis is the struggle of the serpent and his offspring to destroy the chosen family. Sin, famine, war and the threat of national assimilation into the surrounding Canaanite culture conspired to block the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. These threats are continually diverted by God’s sovereign, preserving power.
Outline
I. Introduction: The Origins of the Heavens and the Earth (1:1–2:3)
A. The first day: light and darkness (1:1–5)
B. The second day: firmament (1:6–8)
C. The third day: seas and earth, vegetation (1:9–13)
D. The fourth day: sun, moon and stars (1:14–19)
E. The fifth day: sea creatures and birds (1:20–23)
F. The sixth day: land animals and mankind (1:24–31)
G. The seventh day: God’s rest (2:1–3)
II. The Generations of the Heavens and the Earth: The Entry of Man (2:4–4:26)
A. The placement of man in the garden (2:4–17)
B. The creation of woman (2:18–25)
C. The sin of the primal couple (3:1–7)
D. The pronouncement of God’s judgment (3:8–24)
E. The introduction of the family of Adam (4:1–26)
III. The Generations of Adam: The Chosen Line (5:1–6:8)
A. The godly line of Seth (5:1–32)
B. The great wickedness of the earth (6:1–8)
IV. The Generations of Noah: Judgment on the Earth (6:9–9:29)
A. The pronouncement of God’s judgment (6:9–7:6)
B. The preservation of Noah by the ark (7:7–8:19)
C. The making of a covenant with Noah (8:20–9:29)
V. The Generations of Noah’s Sons: The Spread of Mankind (10:1–11:9)
A. The descendants of Noah (10:1–32)
B. God’s division of the nations (11:1–9)
VI. The Generations of Shem: God’s Choice of Abram (11:10–25:11)
A. The godly line of Shem (11:10–32)
B. God’s choice of Abram (12:1–9)
C. Abram’s journey from his homeland (12:10–14:24)
D. The miraculous birth of Isaac (15:1–21:7)
E. The extension of God’s grace to Isaac (21:8–25:11)
VII. The Generations of Ishmael and Isaac: The Blessing of Abraham (25:12–35:29)
A. The sons of Ishmael (25:12–18)
B. God’s choice of Jacob (25:19–28:22)
C. Jacob’s journey from his homeland (29:1–33:17)
D. Jacob’s sojourn in Canaan (33:18–35:29)
VIII. The Generations of Esau: The Edomites (36:1–43)
IX. The Generations of Jacob: The Saving of Israel by Joseph (37:1–50:26)
A. The conflict among the sons of Jacob (37:1–38:30)
B. Joseph’s slavery in Egypt (39:1–40:23)
C. Joseph’s rise to power (41:1–57)
D. Joseph’s encounter with his brothers (42:1–45:28)
E. Jacob’s journey with his household to Egypt (46:1–47:26)
F. Jacob’s blessing on his descendants (47:27–49:28)
G. The deaths of Jacob and Joseph in Egypt (49:29–50:26)