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 Exodus
1.2 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
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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 Exodus
1.3 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 Exodus
1.4 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*
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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
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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
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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
Torah I - Genesis and Exodus
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 Exodus
2.2 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
Torah I - Genesis and Exodus
• 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
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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
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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 Exodus
2.3 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
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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
Torah I - Genesis and Exodus
Day
Form
Day
“Filling”
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Light (vv. 3-5)
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Lights (vv. 14-19)
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Firmament – sky &
seas (vv. 9-10)
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Fish and birds (vv. 2023)
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Dry land (vv. 9-10)
Vegetation (vv. 11-12)
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Land animals (vv. 24-26)
Humanity (vv. 27-30)
• 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’
Torah I - Genesis and Exodus
• Genesis relates the origins of
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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
Torah I - Genesis and Exodus
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 Exodus
3.2 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 Exodus
3.3 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…
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Egyptian kings recorded only victories
Muddy Delta does not preserve evidence
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Moses’ name Egyptian – “child” often associated
w/ a god [Ptah-mose; Ra-mose]  why such name?
• Later witnesses & Exodus
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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/ancientisrael/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
Torah I - Genesis and Exodus
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)
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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 Exodus
3.5 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)
Plague
Reference
Possible Egyptian deity
Nile turned into blood
Ex 7:14-25
Khnum: guardian of the Nile
Hapi: spirit of the Nile
Osiris: Nile as bloodstream
Frogs
8:1-15
Heqt: form of frog; god of
resurrection
Gnats
8:16-19
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Flies
8:20-32
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Plague of cattle
9:1-7
Hathor: mother-goddess, form of cow
Apis: bull of god Ptah (fertility)
Boils
9:8-12
Imhotep: god of medicine(?)
Hail
9:13-35
Isis: goddess of life
Seth: protector of crops
Locusts
10:1-20
Isis: goddess of life
Seth: 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
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)
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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
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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