C ONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
Notes on Terminology
Timetable of Biblical History
Part I - Myths of the Beginning
Myths of the Beginning: An Overview
1. In the beginning everything was without form and void
2. God initiated Creation with a spoken word
3. Creation began with the appearance of light
4. God separated light from darkness on the first day
5. A firmament arose out of the primeval waters
6. God called the firmament “heaven.”
7. God gathered the waters in one place
8. Vegetation appeared before the sun
9. God created the heavenly bodies
10. Birds emerged from the primeval waters
11. God created man and woman in his own image
12. God created Adam and Eve on the sixth day
13. God gave man dominion over the creatures
14. God created earth on the third day
15. God rested on the seventh day
16. God rested after the Creation
17. The heavens and the earth had children
18. Adam and Eve were the first humans
19. God formed Adam from the dust of the earth
20. God planted a Tree of Life and a Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
21. Adam would die if he ate from the Tree of Knowledge
22. God forbid Adam to eat certain fruit
23. Eve came from Adam’s rib
24. Adam gained wisdom without immortality
25. There were other beings in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve
26. God planted a garden eastward in Eden
27. Adam and Eve lived a simple primitive lifestyle while in the Garden of Eden
28. The serpent was more subtle than any beast
29. God punished Adam, Eve, and the serpent
30. Cain killed Abel
31. Cain built a city east of Eden
32. God sent a flood to destroy mankind
33. Ham was the father of Canaan
34. Noah released birds to determine if the land had dried
35. The flood occurred in the tenth generation of humanity
36. All earthly life had become wicked and had to be destroyed
37. The sons of God married the daughters of man
38. Noah saved only two of each species
39. The rain lasted forty days and forty nights
40. The flood covered the entire earth and all the mountains
41. After the flood, Noah sacrificed all the clean animals
42. All living creatures not on the ark perished
43. God confused the common language of humanity and scattered the people about the world
44. The Ark landed on the mountains of Ararat
45. The sons of Noah formed the nations of the world.
46. Nimrod conquered Babylon
47.The Sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan
Part II - Myths of the Founders
Myths of the Founders: An Overview
48. Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldees
49. Abraham left Egypt to go to Canaan
50. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah
51. Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt
52. Lot fathered Ammon and Moab
53. Abraham pretended that Sarah was his sister
54. Jacob and Esau fought in the womb
55. Jacob cheated Esau out of his birthright
56. Jacob dreamed about a ladder to heaven
57. Jacob wrestled with a stranger
58. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel
59. Esau is Edom
60. Jacob buried Rachel in Bethlehem
61. The prince of Shechem raped Dinah
62. Abraham named his son “He Laughed.”
63. Jacob’s sons became the Twelve Tribes of Israel
64. Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son
65. Jacob disqualified Simeon and Levi from leadership
66. Jacob awarded the sceptre to Judah
67. Benjamin was born in Canaan
68. Dan was an Israelite tribe
69. Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors
70. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery
71. Potipher’s wife tried to seduce Joseph
Part III - Myths of the Heroes
Myths of the Heroes: An Overview
72. Egypt enslaved Israel for four hundred years
73. Jochebed placed the infant Moses in an ark
74. Pharaoh’s daughter gave Moses a Hebrew name
75. God sent ten plagues against Egypt
76. Pharaoh’s army drowned in the Red Sea
77. Aaron fashioned a golden calf
78. Moses gave Israel the Ten Commandments
79.The Ark of the Covenant contained the Ten Commandments
80. Moses defeated King Sihon of Heshbon
81. God denied Moses entry into Canaan because he sinned against the Lord
82. Joshua parted the Jordan
83. Joshua tumbled the walls of Jericho
84. Rahab aided the Israelite spies
85. Joshua ruined Ai
86. The sun stood still upon Gibeon
87. Joshua captured Jerusalem
88. Joshua fought King Jabin of Hazor
89. Joshua conquered Canaan
90. Joshua led Israel after the death of Moses
91. Shamgar was the son of Anath
92. Deborah rallied Israel against the Canaanites
93. Samson judged Israel for twenty years
94. Samson pulled down a Philistine temple
95. Micah stole silver from his mother
96. David killed Goliath
97. King Saul committed suicide
98. The House of Judah fought the House of Saul at Gibeon
99. Solomon did not impose forced labor on Israel
100. Daniel predicted the future
101. Queen Esther saved the Jews of Persia
Conclusion
Suggested Reading
Table of Maps
About the Author