Continued: Chapter I-The Chronological Suspension Bridge

This section properly ends with verse 11, which gives the data of the composition of this series of tablets in terms of Isaac's dwelling at Beer-lahai-roi. The last statement (vss. 9 and 10) tells of the burial of Abraham by his two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Moses added his colophon in the form of our formula in verse 12 and followed that with the postscript concerning Isaac. This addition is concluded with the colophon regarding Isaac in verse 19. In keeping with his usual custom, Moses recognized the priority of the birth of Ishmael and placed him before Isaac, just as he did in the case of Esau and Jacob in 36:1, 9 and 37:2. We see the same thing in Numbers 3:1 where Moses placed Aaron, his elder brother, before himself.

There are a vividness, a graphicness, and the personal touch throughout this section which show first-hand information concerning the most minute details of the various incidents recorded therein. It is just such an account as one would expect Abraham to recount to his sons, Ishmael and Isaac, especially to the latter. The original tablet must have been in possession of Ishmael and Isaac and finally reached the hand of Moses, who welded it with the other documents which came into his possession.

The final tablets, or series of tablets, are found in Genesis 25:20-36:1. There are two postscripts to this section as indicated by verses 1 and 9 of chapter 36.

Here again we have a vivid, graphic description of various epochs in the lives of Esau and Jacob. The personal touch is in evidence throughout the section. It finally concludes with the burial of Isaac by his two sons, Esau and Jacob. Chapter 36 constitutes, as stated above, the postscript to this section of the narrative. Finally in 37:2 we find a colophon which attributes this history to Jacob. Without doubt, therefore, the material forming this section of Genesis was the property of Esau and Jacob, which providentially was brought into the hands of Moses, and which he has incorporated in the account of this wonderful book of Beginnings.

The portraits of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as set forth in the last two sections discussed, are consistent in every detail. From this account we can see that the incidental references strewn throughout the text brighten the picture of Abraham. He was a man of influence and power, not only in Canaan but in Egypt. He had the respect of all with whom he associated. The same is true with reference to Isaac and Jacob, even though they did not tower in the public eye so much as Abraham did. Genuineness and historicity are stamped upon every chapter of this narrative as well as upon all the primitive oracles which later came into the hands of Moses.

In view of all the evidence which we have discovered during this study, we are driven to the irresistible conclusion that the first thirty-six chapters of Genesis form a composite document made up of primitive records which were in the hands of the leaders of the theocratic line, and which came finally into the possession of Moses. They were welded together by him into one continuous narrative as we possess them today.

The next question arising in this investigation is, Who wrote the last fourteen chapters of Genesis, or what connection did Moses have with this part of the record? In order to answer this question, one must study Genesis in connection with the other four books of the Torah. In the first two chapters of Exodus we have an account of the birth and miraculous preservation of Moses and his life at the court of Pharaoh. Following this narrative is the episode of his flight from Egypt to Midian where he met the girl whom he married. After forty years residence in that country God called him to deliver His people from the bondage of Egypt. The account is found in the third chapter. From this time onward God constantly spoke to him. In Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy we see the recurring statement, "and Jehovah spake unto Moses."

In striking contrast with this reiterated and emphasized statement as we have already seen, is the fact that not one single word is to be found in the book of Genesis which declares that God spoke to Moses. There is not even an intimation to this effect. This is a fact which demands consideration on the part of the one who is studying this question.

The liberal critics tell us that the expression, "Jehovah spoke unto Moses," was inserted into the materials which the imaginary redactors of the time of the Babylonian captivity inserted into the supposed original documents that they wove into the literary fabric now known as the Torah, or that the authors of the supposed original documents falsely inserted the great Law-giver's name into their writings. This was done, they assert, in order to give to these forged documents the authority and prestige of the name of Moses. Let us, for the sake of discussion, assume the correctness of this position. How is it, then, that they would with great profusion inject his name throughout the last four books of the Torah, but never once put it into the first one, Genesis? These imaginary editors would want his authority for this part of their work just as much as for the latter part. This fact is conclusive evidence that the critical theory evades the issue and is absolutely contrary to facts.

Since I have in this connection mentioned the false documentary theory of the composition of the Pentateuch, it might also be well to note the fact that Genesis refers to a primitive revelation which God made and which Abraham obeyed. It is found in 26:5; but, in order that the reader might see the connection, I will quote the first part of this chapter:

"And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar. 2 And Jehovah appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 3 sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4 and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; 5 because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws" (Gen. 26:1-5).

According to verse 5, God told Isaac that Abraham, his father, had obeyed His voice, had kept His charge, His commandments, His statutes, and His laws. Let us remember that Abraham lived approximately 400 years prior to the days of Moses, through whom God gave the Law at Sinai. Nevertheless the Lord stated to Isaac that his father had kept His commandments, statutes, and laws. Evidently He had given a primitive revelation, which was in effect at that time, and which Abraham obeyed. Who had those laws, statutes, and commandments? The order of the items of this verse gives a little hint. Abraham first obeyed God's voice and then kept His charge, His commandments, statutes, and laws.

Abraham was born into an idolatrous environment (Josh. 24:1,2). God gave him a call to leave his father's house and the land of his nativity and to go to the land which He would afterwards show him (Gen. 12:1-3). In obedience to this challenge to separation, Abraham journeyed northward into Haran and thence, when his father was dead, down into Canaan and finally located at Hebron. The facts recorded in Genesis 14 throw quite a bit of light on this question. After he had rescued Lot, Abraham came and paid tithes to Melchizedek, king of Salem, which was Jerusalem. At the same time he was also priest of God Most High. Being king of a petty city-state and priest, he evidently had the law and the services together with the ritual of God Most High. Obviously the Lord called Abraham out of his heathen environment and brought him over into this kingdom of Melchizedek in which the statutes of God were the laws of the land. Being a subject in the kingdom of Melchizedek, he obeyed these laws of God and worshiped Him according to the ritual over which Melchizedek presided.

Since there was a primitive revelation--statutes, commandments, and laws--which God originally committed to men, and which Abraham obeyed, where are they today? No one can answer this question absolutely. They have not been preserved to us, so far as we know. It is quite likely that the Lord through Moses incorporated the abiding elements of the primitive code in the law which he delivered to Israel at Mount Sinai. Let me illustrate this principle. My native state of Tennessee came to statehood in 1796. At that time a constitution was drawn up and adopted. This commonwealth functioned under it as long as it met the needs. When, however, the state developed so that the old constitution was not sufficient, another one was drawn up and adopted by the legislature. Under this it is operating at the present time. Doubtless there were many of the original statutes in the old document which have been brought over and incorporated into the new, because of their universal application and their adaptability even to the newly developed situation. In all probability a like situation existed in those primitive times. In fact, we see various sacrifices and offerings mentioned throughout the book of Genesis. In the Law delivered at Sinai a very elaborate, sacrificial ceremonialism was inaugurated. This doubtless consisted of much that was in this primitive revelation, and that was essential to make out the full message of the law.

We have already seen that Genesis 1-36 is the compilation of genealogies and histories which were attributed to Adam, Noah, Noah's sons, Shem, Terah, Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob. These documents, as we have already noted, reflect most vividly and accurately the conditions of the times during which the authors lived. They were taken by one person and welded into a continuous narrative. The one doing this work, I have hitherto assumed, was Moses but a little below I shall give the positive reasons for this conviction.

In order to support or bolster up the claims of the documentary theory, those holding it refer to such passages as I Chronicles 29:29,30:

"Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Samuel the seer, and in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the history of Gad the seer, 30 with all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries."

The writers of Kings and Chronicles in summing up the reigns of certain sovereigns make statements to this effect: "Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies?" (II Chron. 12:15). These passages are relied upon to prove that the material constituting the present books of Kings and Chronicles was taken over en masse by the sacred writers, edited, and welded into continuous documents. In like manner, the books of the Torah, according to this theory, came to their present form. These quotations and similar ones when accepted at their face value do not in the least support the documentary theory. They simply tell us that the things recorded of those concerning whom the statements are made may be found in certain books which were extant in that day and time. In other words, this is simply a reference note showing where the reader could find confirmation of the things recorded. Histories today in connection with each chapter often give a list of reference works where the first-hand information may be gained, but the authors do not wish the reader to understand that they have simply taken certain earlier documents and patched them together into a hotchpotch of a literary narrative.

On the contrary, the compiler of Genesis has told us that he took primitive documents and welded them together, has shown us exactly where he made the connections and has given us the names of the authors, or the ones in whose possession they were originally or by whom they were handed down.

These original documents were written by inspired writers who were guided infallibly by the Spirit of God to record the events narrated. Moses, the inspired lawgiver of Israel, collected these primitive documents, the oracles of the Living God, and united them into one continuous whole. Hence we may take our stand positively on the proposition that Genesis 1:1-37:2 was infallibly inspired by the Spirit of God in every detail and that every word is correct and accurate. Hence we can depend upon each statement therein contained.

All the Biblical writers in referring to the Scriptures written prior to their day as a rule are very accurate in ascribing a quotation to a given writer. This practice is seen throughout the Bible. For instance, various prophets and apostles in referring to Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy attribute certain statements to Moses, the servant of God, but in quoting the book of Genesis they never say that Moses spoke or wrote it. The reason is obvious; namely, that he did not do it originally, but simply took inspired records and, by the guidance of the Spirit, combined them into one continuous, glorious revelation.

Thus far I have assumed that Moses was the compiler, honored of God, to combine preexisting, primitive revelations into one continuous whole. Now let us investigate this question more thoroughly. There are four cogent reasons for believing that Moses was the compiler of the former revelations and the author of the last fourteen chapters of the book of Genesis. On this point I wish to quote from Commander Wiseman:

"What internal evidence then have we of the connection of Moses with the Book? In the first place, there is the obvious unity of plan which it presents. Secondly, there is the authorship of the story of Joseph in Egypt. Moses was learned in all the arts of the Egyptians, and his acquaintance with literature and the ability to write it was perhaps the greatest. He was born sixty-four years after Joseph had died. Joseph may have written a great part of his story, but we are not told that he did so, for there is no such phrase as, 'These are the origins of Joseph' at the end of Genesis. Besides, in this instance Joseph's death and embalming are recorded, and he would not have written that. The whole of the story contains numerous Egyptian expressions and shows an exact acquaintance with Egyptian customs. Every indication points to Moses as the writer of the narrative. Thirdly, there are the 'notes' and 'explanations' made by a compiler. These (as we have seen in Chapter VI) fit in exactly with the circumstances of a people on the edge of the Promised Land, for whom Moses was writing. The fourth piece of evidence is that the Book of Exodus commences just where Genesis leaves off, and is unintelligible without the explanation, given in Genesis, of the circumstances leading up to the state of affairs with which it opens."

In view of these four most cogent and powerful reasons, I am convinced that Moses was the servant, honored of God, to gather these primitive revelations, to weld them into one document, and to write the history of Joseph and the narrative of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage and of the giving of the Law and ritual at Sinai.

Conservative scholars call attention generally to the fact that Moses was the author of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy and say very little about his connection with Genesis. They seem to assume that he wrote it because his name is connected with it and because the first five Books are called "The Books of Moses." On this point Wiseman states, "Doubtless the reason why most have hesitated to say that he received the whole as we have it, as a direct revelation from God on Mount Sinai, is a very sufficient one, that he himself omits to say that he did so, and surely had he so received it, Moses would have stated the fact, just as he so constantly does in Exodus to Deuteronomy." Since he repeatedly stated that he received a revelation from God which he wrote down in Exodus to Deuteronomy, since he does not say one word as to his having received directly from God the revelation found in Genesis, and since all five books are spoken of as the Law of Moses, we naturally conclude that his relationship to the book of Genesis is different from that which he bore to the other four. In the light of all the facts which we have studied thus far, we see that this relationship to the first thirty-six chapters of Genesis was in the nature of the inspired editor who welded the previous revelations into a continuous narrative as an introduction to the oracles which he received directly from God both at Sinai and during the wilderness journeyings, and which terminated with the repetition of the Law, the book of Deuteronomy, received in the plains of Moab east of Jordan.

Possibly the reader is wondering why believing scholars have not called attention to the nature of the book of Genesis as here set forth. If this position is true, a number of outstanding conservative scholars have told us that Genesis was originally written on clay tablets but have not given us the information explaining in detail its composition. As to the reason why these experts have not given us this information, I wish to quote from Commander Wiseman again:

"There have been so many eminent scholars who have suggested, and some who have asserted, that Moses used previously written documents from which he compiled Genesis, but none, so far as I am aware, have even suggested the precise nature and contents of the documents which came into his possession, notwithstanding the fact this information is given in Genesis. There are three reasons for this: firstly, it is due, as we have seen in Chapter V, to a misunderstanding of the use of the phrase, 'These are the generations (or origins) of ...,' and secondly, to a lack of acquaintance with or oversight of the literary methods in use in the times of Genesis or a failure to apply these to the Book. These methods, such as dating, catch lines, titles, and colophons, are rarely referred to except in technical archaeological works. Thirdly, it is due to aquiescence in the now obsolete, but commonly accepted, opinion of the conservative school, that the contents of Genesis were handed down to Moses by word of mouth, and the long ages to which the pre-Flood Patriarchs lived is emphasized to show that oral transmission as far as Abraham would have entailed the narratives and genealogies passing through but few memories. There is nothing whatever in Genesis, or elsewhere, to support this opinion of an oral transmission, but it would seem that it was not possible until the results of the past few years excavations had become known, to read such a verse as chapter v. 1, 'This is the book (tablet) of ...,' as though it could mean precisely what it says. This oral transmission theory originated at a time when men were unacquainted with the facts concerning the early development of writing."

In view of the fact that archaeology has proved beyond a shade of a doubt that writing dates back to the beginning of the human race and in view of the further fact that records were kept of historical events, we must discard the obsolete theory that tradition concerning the creation of the world and man together with the history of the early patriarchs was transmitted from generation to generation by word of mouth. Moses did not collect floating stories and legends, as is usually supposed by some scholars, for he himself gives us the exact data as to the sources of his information, which he declares to have been written records, historical accounts in the possession of certain patriarchs of the theocratic line. These accounts, beginning from the dawn of creation, continued to increase in number as Noah, his sons, Shem, Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob added their tablets to the collection. On the transmission of these precious documents from one generation to another and their being brought together into one collection, let us see the graphic way in which Wiseman presents the case:

"How did these tablets get into the hands of Moses? They contain records from the creation of man to his own birth. We have seen that the tablet of Creation was in the possession of the sons of Adam, and we find that the record of the Garden and the Fall had been written by their time. These would descend to Noah, for we notice that in his own tablet (ch. v. 29) he makes a reference, chapter iii, 17, to Adam's account. Noah added the genealogical list contained in chapter v. Already several cuneiform tablets bearing some resemblance to this chapter have been found; they refer to ten men who 'ruled before the Flood.' Noah's tablet is simple and straightforward compared with these, and the ages given not a tenth of those stated in the Babylonian tablets. Noah also adds a short statement regarding the corruption existing in the world in his day. His sons, we are informed in Genesis, wrote the account of the Flood, Shem, the genealogical list which now occupies chapter x, and also the brief description of the building of the Tower of Babel. Thus we see how Noah, possessing Tablet I (The Creation) and Tablet II (The Fall), would pass these on to Shem, together with his own tablet, and as Shem already had the tablets relating to the Flood, these, including his own (Genesis x, and the Tower of Babel), would naturally pass down to Abraham with the genealogical tablet written by his father Terah, thus to him were committed these ancient 'oracles of God,' now Genesis i to xi, 27."*

Having seen that the first thirty-six chapters of Genesis consist of the oracles of God written by some of the leading patriarchs in the theocratic line, we will now give our attention to the question of the transmission and preservation of these various tablets from one generation to another until they came into the hands of Moses, the servant of God, inspired by the Spirit to weld these primitive oracles into one continuous narrative. In order to do this thing, we shall have to notice how these tablets are connected.

As stated before, we learn from the cuneiform tablets that there were several literary aids or devices whereby a series of tablets were connected. The methods employed were the repetition of the title of the document, the catchword and catchline, and the colophon consisting of the name of the writer and usually of the date together with other relevant material. The title consisted usually of the first word or words of the initial tablet, which were repeated at the beginning of each succeeding tablet. The catch-line or words appearing at the end of a given tablet were repeated at the beginning of the next one in order to indicate that these tablets were in serial order. Finally, the colophon consisting of the signature of the scribe or author together with the date was placed at the bottom of the tablets constituting the series and sometimes only at the end of the last of the set.

As an illustration of the use of the first few words of the book as its title, I wish to call attention to the book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible which is called Bereshith, the first word of the Book, and is printed at the top of every page of Genesis. The same thing is true of the rest of the books of the Hebrew Bible. In modern volumes the title of a given chapter is usually placed at the top of the right-hand page. At the top of the left-hand page, the title of the book appears. Of course, there are some variations from this well-established order, but I am calling attention to this practice only to show that we preserve even in modern books a remnant of the method employed by the ancients.

The first tablet in the oracles of God consists of Genesis 1:1-2:3. At the conclusion of this majestic account Moses gives us the statement that "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth" and concludes his sentence by saying "in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven." Let the reader note the fact that in the first verse of the passage our attention is called to the fact that God created the heavens and the earth. In order to weld the second tablet with the first one, Adam adopted the method of the use of the catchline by calling our attention to the fact that "the Lord God made earth and heaven." This is a repetition of the first line and since it is used after our regular formula to introduce the second chapter and since it uses the same words that appear as the first statement of the first tablet we are absolutely certain that this was used to connect the first two documents. An examination of the methods employed by the scribes to connect a series of documents which they copied illustrates that which was used by the writer of the second document, that is called the tablet of Adam.

Adam having this original tablet, giving the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth, thus tied his tablet to the one which God had given him by repeating the statement that the Lord God made earth and heaven. This fact shows that it was Adam's purpose to add his tablet (2:4-4:26) to the first one in beginning a series of these primitive Oracles of God.

According to 5:1, Moses tells us that the contents of 2:4-4:26 constituted, "The book of the generations (historical origins) of Adam." The writer of the third tablet began his record (5:2-6:8) by tying his tablet to the second. He did this by the catchline method. Adam had used the words "when they were created" in the beginning of his tablet; Noah inserted into the beginning of his tablet the same words, "when they were created," in the introduction to his tablet. Thus it becomes immediately apparent that Noah wished to indicate that his tablet belonged to this series of the Oracles of God.

The sons of Noah, realizing that their tablets were the Oracles of God and that the contribution which God was giving through them should be joined with the existing series, connected it to the tablet given by their father by the catchline method. The reader will note that from 5:28-6:8 Noah looms large in the picture. In the last verse of his section the statement occurs, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of God." The new tablet starts with the word, "Noah was a righteous man, and perfect in his generations; Noah walked with God." Noah is the catchword in this connection. The bond uniting these two tablets is further strengthened by a repetition of kindred thoughts. Since the former tablet speaks of Noah's having found favor with God, the latter is also emphasizing why he found favor with God; namely, that he was a righteous man, perfect in his generations and walked with God. Anyone living in the days of the sons of Noah and seeing these repetitions at the place where these tablets are joined would recognize them as constituting one united series of documents.

The section of the sons of Noah extends from 6:9 to 9:29. This division begins thus: "And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth" (6:10). In order to see the connection made at 10:1, uniting tablets four and five, I will give my own rendering of this verse: "Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah. Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and unto them were sons born after the flood." This translation is true to the grammar of the original text and brings out the connection much more clearly than the usual rendering which inserts the word namely into the text. This word is unnecessary and is rather misleading. Shem, the author of the fifth tablet, used the catchline method in uniting his tablet with the last of the series.

Tablets five and six are welded together at 11:10. The catchline method is here, likewise, employed as at 10:1. In this latter verse the phrase, "after the flood," is repeated in 11:10. The reader living in the days of Shem would instantly recognize this phrase as an indication that the following document was intended to be one of the series.

Isaac, doubtless the author of tablet seven, connected the contribution which God made through him to the former series by the catchline method. This is clearly seen by noting the fact that Terah concluded his tablet with this statement, "And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran." Isaac began his tablet by saying, "Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran." The reader of the day, being familiar with these literary devices for uniting a series of tablets in one continuous narrative, would instantly recognize this repetition as welding document seven to that of six.

Isaac's series probably ends with 25:11. Verses 9 and 10 tell of Abraham's being buried by his two sons. This tablet is dated, according to verse 11, at the time that Isaac dwelt at Beer-lahai-roi. A postscript is added in the form of verses 12-18 inclusive, which is connected with the main document by the expression, "Ishmael, Abraham's son."

The last of the series (25:19b-37:2a) is Jacob's document. He united it with that of his father by the catchline method. This is seen in the form of the term, "Abraham's son," (vs. 19). Here, again, the reader of the time of Jacob would instantly recognize the fact that this document was with design tied to that which Isaac had by the Spirit of God written.

Footnote:

* Since writing was prevalent from the dawn of history; i.e., from the Creation of man and since, as we learn from the clay tablets of Babylonia, many documents were copied, we may be absolutely certain that these sacred tablets were copied by interested people. That such is true is evident from the fact that we have the "seven tablets of Creation" and the tablets relating to the Flood, known as the Gilgamesh tales. These Babylonian accounts are evidently the outgrowth of copies that were made of the original. When men refused to retain God in their knowledge, He gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that were unseemly and absolutely sinful. Their minds became darkened. Their perverted imaginations began to work; philosophies sprang up; various cults and religious systems came into being, and speculations in every sphere became the order of the day. Hence there was injected into these copies of the true tablets, strange, weird, mythical, and idolatrous elements. Although these foreign additions all but covered up the originals, yet the faint outlines of the true copies are discernible underneath the rubbish of pagan myths and legends. All of these accounts when stripped of their legendary and pagan elements are recognized as copies of the original. Wherever there are counterfeits, we may be certain there is an original.

We are told by the critics that the Biblical writers copied from the Babylonian legends; then stripped from them all mystical, legendary, and polytheistic ideas, thus giving us the majestic account which we have in the form of the Holy Scriptures. No evidence which we have bears out such a theory but all of the facts which have been discussed in this section thus far prove that the originals which we have embedded in the text of Genesis were copied and corrupted by later generations.

Continued on the next page