1. Forefathers and Foremothers
Genesis
Forefathers and Foremothers

2. The God of our fathers, The God of Abraham, Genesis 12:1 – 25:18
The God of Isaac,
Genesis 21:1 – 28:9 and
The God of Jacob
Genesis 25:19 – 49:33
{and Joseph (Gen 37:2 – 50:26)}

3. Question of Genre Form Criticism
What is this?
Question of Genre
Form Criticism

4. History – Recounting events as they happened
Legends – Tales of the heroes of old
cf. legenda of the saints
Saga – The community’s history personalized
compare Gen 49; Deut 33
others and/or mixed

5. Abraham Genesis 12:1-9 New Beginning Blessing for all nations Gen 12:3
Set forth not knowing where going Heb 11:8

6. Abraham’s Journeys

7. Sarai and Pharaoh Gen 12:10-17
Abraham risks losing the promise
Parallel stories
Gen 20 Sarah and Abimelech
Gen 26:1-11 Rebecca and Abimelech

8. Lot Division of land with Abraham (Gen 13)
Visitors to Abraham & Destruction of Sodom (Gen 18-19)
cf. Qur'an 11:70-84
Moabites and Ammonites (Gen 19:30-38)

9. Hagar and Ishmael Conception and birth of Ishmael (Gen 16)
Abraham & Sarai try to “help” the promise
Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael (Gen 21:9-21)
Isaac and Ishmael bury Abraham (Gen 25:9)
Ishmael and Arabs (see Gen 25:12-18; Islam)
Pauline allegory (Gal 4:21-31)

10. Isaac Shadowy figure linking Abraham & Jacob
Travels of Abraham and Isaac

11. Binding of Isaac Genesis 22:1-19 Binding or Sacrifice?
Compare Qur’an 37:
Role of Isaac/Ishmael for Islam?
“Text of terror”
Model for understanding atonement?
“Text of terror”
Model for understanding atonement?

12. Jacob (The Trickster) and Esau
Birth and birthright (Gen 25:19-34)
Stolen blessing and flight (Gen 27)
Reunion (Gen 32:4 – 33:20)
Esau and Edom (Gen 36)

13. Jacob’s Travels

14. Children of Israel {Jacob}
and of
Laban’s trickery (Gen 29:1-30)
Leah, Bilhah, Zilpah, Rachel (Gen 30)
The Tribes of Israel

15. Joseph (Gen 37-50) Within larger story:
Move to Egypt – tie Fathers to Exodus
compare flight of holy family
As separate story:
novella

16. The Ancestors Real-life persons, not heroes People of faith
Representatives of later groups of people
Related to, but separate from, other peoples
Sojourners in the land of promise