Genesis 1-11 is structured in such a way to reflect certain Essay

Genesis 1-11 is structured in such a way to reflect certain distinctive Israelite articles of faith. Discuss - Essay Example and as, it introduces not only the beginnings of the world but specifically, the formation of Israel as God’s chosen people giving them a sense of religious identity (Gooder 2000, p. 2). The book of Genesis, which in Hebrew is ‘Bereshit’, generally translated as ‘In the beginning’ (Zucker 2005, p. 31), can be divided topically into two parts: the Primeval History (1-11) and the Patriarchal History (12-50) or genealogically into 11 parts: general creation (1:1-11: 3), man’s creation (2:4-4:26),Adam-Seth’s generation (5:1-6:18), Noah-Shem’s generation (6:9-9:29), Noah’s sons’ generation (10:1-11:9), Shem’s generation (6:10-11:26), Terah- Abraham, the chosen seed (11:27-25:11), Ishmael’s generation (25:12-25:18), generation of Isaac-Jacob, chosen seed (25:19-35:29, Esau’s generation (36:1-37:1) and generations of Jacob-Joseph, chosen seed (37:2-50:26); or according to general subject analysis: generation (1-2), degeneration (3-11), and regeneration (12-l); or into its 2 major divisions: Human Race History (1-11) and Israel’s – the chosen nation’s history (12-50) (Evan s 2009, pp. 11-14). Generally, seven major themes characterise the Book of Genesis: origins, order/meaning in history, blessing, covenant, punishment, sibling conflict, and test of faith. It is filled with various tensions that essentially centre on individual survival: ‘fertility and barrenness’; antagonistic sibling rivalry; hostile interfamilial struggles; jealousy; wives competing for attention from the same husband; starvation; ‘incest, rape and murder;’ threatened and real total destruction; ‘love and exile’. (Zucker, 2005, p. 32-33) For the Israelites, the Book of Genesis stands out from the rest of Torah, and between its topical parts, its Primeval History (Gen 1-11) provides the very foundation of the Israelites monotheistic religion. Genesis 1-11 sets Judaism apart from all other religions with regards to its belief in one omnipotent, omniscient,