Genesis 1-11

[Jemand]

Why is Genesis 1-11 written in a genre of literature that is not found anywhere else in the Bible?

[Athanasius]

Why is Genesis 1-11 written in a genre of literature that is not found anywhere else in the Bible?

Want to expand on that?

[Fenris]

Why is Genesis 1-11 written in a genre of literature that is not found anywhere else in the Bible?

Because we don't meet the first Jew until Genesis 12?

[Jemand]

Why is Genesis 1-11 written in a genre of literature that is not found anywhere else in the Bible?

Because we don't meet the first Jew until Genesis 12?

Thank you for your reply!  Yes, Abraham is introduced in Genesis 12:1 and we have in this verse the beginning of a long, consecutive account of the Israelites up through the death of Joshua and Eleazar the son of Aaron.  This long, consecutive account of the Israelites is in stark contrast to the many short stories that we read in Genesis 1-11 and thus we have two distinctly different genres of literature in Genesis 1-11 compared with the rest of Genesis (and the rest of the Hextateuch).  This long, consecutive account belongs to the genre of Biblical literature commonly known as the Historical Narrative.

But . . . how about Genesis 1-11?  To what genre of literature do these chapters belong?  Some scholars of Genesis use the term “mythological narrative” thereby attributing the stores in Genesis 1-11 to myths.  It is true that this genre of literature is found in epic tales, sagas, myths, and legends, but does that mean that the stories in Genesis 1-11 are merely epic tales, sagas, myths, and legends?  I am confident that they are not.  I believe that the stories in Genesis 1-11 are the inspired word of God given to us by God in the genre of literature found in epic tales, sagas, myths, and legends to bring to our attention that the stories are not to be understood as literal, accurate accounts of past events, but rather fundamental spiritual truths clothed in literature that could be understood by the original recipients of the stores. 

[Athanasius]

Some scholars of Genesis use the term “mythological narrative” thereby attributing the stores in Genesis 1-11 to myths

Myth doesn't mean "not true", cf. N.T. Wright. You pretty much say this with:

"I believe that the stories in Genesis 1-11 are the inspired word of God given to us by God in the genre of literature found in epic tales, sagas, myths, and legends to bring to our attention that the stories are not to be understood as literal, accurate accounts of past events, but rather fundamental spiritual truths clothed in literature that could be understood by the original recipients of the stores."

Maybe you'd prefer a term like "mytho-history"?

[Jemand]

Some scholars of Genesis use the term “mythological narrative” thereby attributing the stores in Genesis 1-11 to myths

Myth doesn't mean "not true", cf. N.T. Wright. You pretty much say this with:

"I believe that the stories in Genesis 1-11 are the inspired word of God given to us by God in the genre of literature found in epic tales, sagas, myths, and legends to bring to our attention that the stories are not to be understood as literal, accurate accounts of past events, but rather fundamental spiritual truths clothed in literature that could be understood by the original recipients of the stores."

Maybe you'd prefer a term like "mytho-history"?

Thank you for sharing with us!

Personally, I would not use the term “mytho-history” because there is no use of figurative language in Genesis 1-11, neither is there any use of poetical or allegorical language.   Indeed, the language in Genesis 1-11 is purely literal, but it does not tell the reader of actual, historical events.  The days (יוֹם) are real 24-hour days; the dome (רָקִיעַ) is a real, strong solid structure that separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome; and the windows (אֲרֻבָּה) are real, solid structures that function as floodgates. 

[Athanasius]

Personally, I would not use the term “mytho-history” because there is no use of figurative language in Genesis 1-11, neither is there any use of poetical or allegorical language.   Indeed, the language in Genesis 1-11 is purely literal, but it does not tell the reader of actual, historical events.  The days (יוֹם) are real 24-hour days; the dome (רָקִיעַ) is a real, strong solid structure that separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome; and the windows (אֲרֻבָּה) are real, solid structures that function as floodgates.

Very curious

[Fenris]

But . . . how about Genesis 1-11?  To what genre of literature do these chapters belong?  Some scholars of Genesis use the term “mythological narrative” thereby attributing the stores in Genesis 1-11 to myths.  It is true that this genre of literature is found in epic tales, sagas, myths, and legends, but does that mean that the stories in Genesis 1-11 are merely epic tales, sagas, myths, and legends?  I am confident that they are not.  I believe that the stories in Genesis 1-11 are the inspired word of God given to us by God in the genre of literature found in epic tales, sagas, myths, and legends to bring to our attention that the stories are not to be understood as literal, accurate accounts of past events, but rather fundamental spiritual truths clothed in literature that could be understood by the original recipients of the stores.

It's uh, not clear to me what you're trying to do here. What prevents those stories form being literal? Why can't they be literal and also contain fundamental truths about the human condition?

[teddyv]

I'm not sure what Fenris might say, but I see these stories as setting the history of the fledgling Israelite nation. Assuming the typical YEC history of 6000 years, the first 11 chapters cover about a third of all human history.

There is so much common imagery with other ANE stories, but radically different, particularly with respect to the monotheism and the placement of humanity within the created order, which stands against many other contrmporary myths.

There are certain things like Noah being instructed about taking clean and unclean animals well before these were defined for the Israelites that suggest at least a later collation and editing of probable oral history.

[Fenris]

Thank you for sharing with us!

Who is "us"?

Personally, I would not use the term “mytho-history” because there is no use of figurative language in Genesis 1-11, neither is there any use of poetical or allegorical language.

There most certainly is poetic language in Genesis 1-11.

A great example in Gen 4:

Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
    wives of Lamech, hear my words."

That's poetic langauge.

Indeed, the language in Genesis 1-11 is purely literal, but it does not tell the reader of actual, historical events.  The days (יוֹם) are real 24-hour days; the dome (רָקִיעַ) is a real, strong solid structure that separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome; and the windows (אֲרֻבָּה) are real, solid structures that function as floodgates.

So it's "purely literal" when it describes objects, but not "purely literal" when it describes historical events? How do you know this?

"יוֹם" does indeed mean day, but how do you know that it's 24 hours?

רָקִיעַ can be translated many ways, but none of it means that it's a "solid dome". KJV of the pertinent verses: And God said, Let there be a firmament (רָקִיעַ) in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament (רָקִיעַ) Heaven.

Or the NIV: And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.”


Or in the original Klingon, I mean, Hebrew:  וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם, וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל, בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם.
 וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-הָרָקִיעַ, וַיַּבְדֵּל בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ, וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ; וַיְהִי-כֵן
וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ, שָׁמָיִם

The "firmament" or "vault" is the sky itself, as the text makes clear. Not a "solid dome".

I can go to the beach and look at the ocean, and the heavens, and there is no solid dome separating them.

and the windows (אֲרֻבָּה) are real, solid structures that function as floodgates.

Gen 7:11 says "וַֽאֲרֻבֹּ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם נִפְתָּֽחוּ" "the windows of the heavens opened up". In English we might say that "It was raining cats and dogs", which doesn't mean that actual mammals are falling from the sky. It's an expression, just like "the windows of the heavens opened up".

[Fenris]

I'm not sure what Fenris might say, but I see these stories as setting the history of the fledgling Israelite nation. Assuming the typical YEC history of 6000 years, the first 11 chapters cover about a third of all human history.

But interestingly enough, written history goes back about 6000 years.

I'm not saying that the stories need to be read literally or not literally. But the OP wants the language descibing objects to be read hyper literally while the language discussing history to be read as completely figurative. Without explaining why this should be so.

[Fenris]

Now, in a more general sense, if we're going to say that the Hebrew Bible is the story if the Jewish people, (and it is!) then anything prior to our main characters coming onscene is going to be backstory, and more vague by design. Which doesn't mean that it doesn't have anything interesting or important to teach is, because it does.

[Fenris]

(and the rest of the Hextateuch)

Whoops, I just noticed this. This is a modern term, only coming into use after 1870 or so. I'm not aware of any Jewish or Christian sects who believe that the book of Joshua is part of the five books of Moses.

[shepherdsword]

Why is Genesis 1-11 written in a genre of literature that is not found anywhere else in the Bible?

Because we don't meet the first Jew until Genesis 12?

First Hebrew that is 

[Fenris]

First Hebrew that is 

I confess that the term is anachronistic, but it is also very descriptive. And so I use it.