Genesis 2:1-11:26

Nick Meyer

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Handout

Creation and Violence Before the Deluge, Gen 2:4-6:8

Behind the text

Sources: A combination of what two literary sources, according to nearly all source critics? ___ & ___ Which source is most prominent? Where is the other found?

Literary parallels: See last handout; also the Sumerian King List for the extraordinary age of the antediluvian flood heroes in Gen 5

Within the text

The Eden Narrative, Gen 2:4b-3:24

(see previous handout)

What themes initiated here develop in the remainder of the primeval history? What new themes emerge?

Two Murderers, or Cain and His Genealogy, Gen 4:1-25

How does the story of Cain and Abel represent “an augmentation of the estrangement and disorder that began in chapter 3”? (Mann, Torah, 28), Gen 4:1-16

Cain’s challenge, Gen 4:7, how does it echo the Eden narrative?

Cain response to God’s challenge: murder and deflection, Gen 4:8-10; how does it related to the Eden narrative?

Why God prefers Abel’s offering over Cain’s is unclear, but the divine preference for the younger son over the older will manifest repeatedly through Genesis.

Genealogy, Gen 4:17-26

Cain’s line is noted for its cultural and technological achievements, suggesting their ambiguous potential

“Lamech reallly represents … an increase in unrestrained violence and an extension of revenge ‘seventy-sevenfold.’ Lamech supplants God’s law with his own, and thus stands in the line of his ancestors who also wanted to be ‘like God,’ providing a kind of climax to the literary unit 2:4-4:26.” (Mann, Torah, 29)

A brief recitation of the line of Seth concludes the section, with a religious (rather than technological) “innovation,” Gen 4:25-26

A Geneology, through Seth, Gen 5:1-32

Gen 5:1-3 establish what important insight?

Notes on the geology: the longs lives are dwarfed by those of the Sumerian King List! The repeated mention of “sons and daughters” is unique to this and the genealogy of ch. 11; what might be the point? Seth’s son, Enosh = “humankind.” Enoch is given the most attention and he became a figure of much speculation and myth (Gen 5:21-24), especially in relation to Gen 6:1-4 and the flood; what does the text say? Of Noah, we have a saying in Gen 5:29; what might it refer to (see also Gen 3:17)? There is a play on words between “Noah” and “rest”.

The World of Noah, Gen 6:1-8

Irregular sexual unions, Gen 6:1-4. Who are the sons of God, v. 2? (Divine or Sethite figures? see “sons of God” in other texts: Job 1:6; Ps 29:1, etc.; against this view see the CCHS; CIHB) What does the LORD’s decree mean, v. 3? Who are they and how are the Nephilim (“fallen ones”; LXX gigantes, 2x in v. 4) related to the events, v. 4? (cf. Num 13:33; Deut 1:28; 2:10-12, 20-21; 3:11; 9:2; Josh 11:21-22, etc.) How do the Nephilim survive the flood?

Divine verdict on humankind leading to the flood and the divine notice of Noah, Gen 6:5-8. More plays on Noah’s name, now with the words “sorry” but especially “favour” (n-h; h-n). This paragraph gives the explicit reason for the flood (v. 5, yetser; cf. Mann, Torah, 31 on the “tragic element … in the inner life of God”; see also Gen 8:21; Gen 2:7) but the previous paragraph seems also to set up the divine verdict against the continued history of humankind, as then known (so, too, Mann, Torah, 31).

Re-creation through the Deluge and the Spreading out of Humanity, Gen 6:9-11:26

Behind the text

Sources: the flood account is a parade example of the success of source criticism, which detects the interweaving of two independent J and P narratives.

Literary parallels: A flood myth is prominent in Atrahasis as well as Gilgamesh and many other texts; but these two have striking resemblances to Genesis.

Archaeology: the tower of Babel story almost certainly polemicizes against the Babylonian ziggurats, including the temple of Marduk, the Esagila, whose construction is narrated at the conclusion of the Enuma Elish (XI 60-64)

Within the text

The Flood Narrative, Gen 6:9-9:19

A scond explanation is given for the flood, Gen 6:11-13 “all flesh had corrupted its ways . . . the earth is filled with violence”; cf. Mann, Torah, 31

There is an intricate literary pattern in 7:4-8:12 at the center of which is the statement “God remembered Noah” (8:1)

The account has many echoes of Gen 1, which help create the picture of the undoing of creation (note both the waters above and below the earth are loosed, turning back the work of the second and third days of creation, e.g., Gen 7:11).

Noah’s sacrifice confirms the LORD’s will to never curse the ground again, since human nature is what it is! Gen 8:20-22

God blessses Noah, Gen 9:1-17. In what ways does this text recall and recast the original blessing in 1:26-30? What key new word is introduced in this text? Why a rainbow (cf. Mann, Torah, 34)?

“A covenant—or better, ‘treaty’—is a formal agreement or contract between two parties”; Mann, Torah, 32

Noah and His Sons, their Geneology, Gen 9:20-10:32

How does the text carry on the theme of Noah as a new Adam?

Does the text reflect poorly on Noah, despite Gen 6:8, 9?

What does Ham do wrong? (cf. Lev 18:6, 24-30)?

Why does Noah curse Canaan, the son of Ham?

The “table of nations” relates how Noah’s children multiply over the earth (names here often represent entire peoples), Gen 10:1-32

The Tower of Babel, Gen 11:1-9

The narrative apparently backs up in time and picks up on several previous themes, including what? Cf. Mann, Torah, 37, on what is new here.

What note of irony is struck in v. 5?

Babylon (Heb. bavel), in the native tongue, means “gate of God” but v. 9 relates it to the Hebrew balal (to confuse).

The Descendants of Shem, Gen 11:10-26

The line of Shem is picked up again, but now traced down to Abram and his siblings; it resembles the genealogy of ch. 5: Ten generations, ending with three sons, but lifespans are notably shorter.

What are the dominant recurring themes of the Primeval History?

B____________ and related motifs: image of God; multiplication; rule (Gen 1:26-30; 5:1-3; 9:1-19)

Evil _____________/_____________ (Gen 6:5; 8:21; cf. Gen 2:7)

V____________

Transgression of ________-________ ______________; seeking autonomy

Premonitions of Israelite cult: Gen 2:1-3; 3:21; 4:3-4; 8:20-21 (for P the cult and its distinctions between clean and unclean are future revelations)

In front of the text

The ark is given Christian significance in the NT and later Christian interpretation as a prefiguration of baptism; cf. 1 Peter 3:18-22; the text also implies an interpretation of Gen 6:1-4.

The curse of Ham has more recently been interpreted to justify racial slavery; but this is an obvious misreading. While Ham’s descendants are said to populate North Africa, it is specifically Canaan who is cursed, and he represents the Canaanites.