Genesis
In the Beginning
Published on 10. October 2013
236 pages
978-0-8146-8275-3 (ISBN)
Description
With the publication of Genesis: In the Beginning, one of today's most highly regarded Catholic Scripture scholars turns her attention to one of the most important, fascinating, and challenging books of the Bible. In this important new commentary, Bergant explores the biblical text but also points out some of the social biases of the original community, an awareness which is crucial for an adequate understanding of the text. She offers a wealth of insights into how the contemporary reader can best understand the biblical message.
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Person
Dianne Bergant, CSA, is the Carroll Stuhlmueller, CP, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Old Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She is a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association. Her many books include the Preaching the New Lectionary series, Scripture: History and Interpretation, the two New Collegeville Bible Commentary volumes on Psalms, and the two-volume Israel's Story, all from Liturgical Press.
Content
- Intro
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Introduction
- Literary Structure and Genre(s)
- Aesthetics of the Text
- Authorship
- Sources, Date, and Place of Composition
- Social Setting
- Theological Perspectives
- Contemporary Reading
- Part 1: "In the Beginning" (Gen 1:1-11:26)
- Chapter 1: "And God Saw That It Was Good" (Gen 1:1-3:24)
- A Cosmology (Gen 1:1-2:4a)
- The Garden (Gen 2:4b-25)
- The Sin (Gen 3:1-24)
- Contemporary Reading: Banished from the Garden
- Chapter 2: "Sin Is a Demon Lurking at the Door" (Gen 4:1-6:4)
- The Sons of Eve (Gen 4:1-16)
- Generation after Generation (Gen 4:17-26)
- From Creation to the Flood (Gen 5:1-32)
- Sin Abounds (Gen 6:1-4)
- Contemporary Reading: Invisibility and Blame
- Chapter 3: "How Great Was Their Wickedness" (Gen 6:5-9:29)
- Warning of a Flood (Gen 6:5-8)
- Building the Ark (Gen 6:9-7:5)
- The Flood (Gen 7:6-8:22)
- Covenant with Nature (Gen 9:1-29)
- Contemporary Reading: A New Creation?
- Chapter 4: "These Are the Descendants" (Gen 10:1-11:26)
- The Table of Nations (Gen 10:1-32)
- The Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9)
- Genealogy from the Flood to the Ancestors (Gen 11:10-26)
- Contemporary Reading: One Voice
- Part 2: "I Will Make of You a Great Nation" (Gen 11:27-50:26)
- Abraham and Sarah (Gen 11:27-25:18)
- Chapter 5: "Go from Your Country" (Gen 11:27-14:24)
- Origins in Haran (Gen 11:27-32)
- Migration from Haran (Gen 12:1-20)
- Travels through Canaan (13:1-14:24)
- Contemporary Reading: Limitations of the Household
- Chapter 6: "This Is My Covenant with You" (Gen 15:1-17:27)
- Cutting a Covenant (Gen 15:1-21)
- The Son of Hagar (Gen 16:1-15)
- Sign of the Covenant (Gen 17:1-27)
- Contemporary Reading: The Weak Are Strong
- Chapter 7: "By the Terebinth of Mamre" (Gen 18:1-20:18)
- The Promise of a Child (Gen 18:1-16)
- The Fate of the Cities (Gen 18:17-19:38)
- The Promise Preserved (Gen 20:1-18)
- Contemporary Reading: Women at Risk
- Chapter 8: "YHWH Took Note of Sarah" (Gen 21:1-23:20)
- Sarah's Child (Gen 21:1-34)
- A Test of Trust (Gen 22:1-24)
- Sarah's Death and the Purchase of Land (Gen 23:1-20)
- Contemporary Reading: Hardship Overcome
- Chapter 9: "The Woman Whom the Lord Has Decided Upon" (Gen 24:1-25:18)
- The Choice of Rebekah (Gen 24:1-66)
- The End of an Era (Gen 25:1-18)
- Contemporary Reading: The Importance of a Woman
- Isaac and Rebekah: Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah (Gen 25:19-36:43)
- Chapter 10: "Rebekah Became Pregnant" (Gen 25:19-27:46)
- The Children in Her Womb Struggled (Gen 25:19-34)
- A Trip to Gerar (Gen 26:1-35)
- A Resourceful Mother (Gen 27:1-46)
- Contemporary Reading: Protector of the Promise
- Chapter 11: "The Daughters of Laban" (Gen 28:1-30:24)
- Wives for Jacob and Esau (Gen 28:1-9)
- The Dream at Bethel (Gen 28:10-22)
- Arrival at Haran (Gen 29:1-14a)
- The Struggle between Rachel and Leah (Gen 29:14b-30)
- The Children of Wives and Maidservants (Gen 29:31-30:24)
- Contemporary Reading: Is Biology Destiny?
- Chapter 12: "Let Us Make a Covenant" (Gen 30:25-32:2)
- Laban Is Tricked (Gen 30:25-43)
- The Tricksters Escape (Gen 31:1-24)
- The Covenant at Mizpah (Gen 31:25-32:2)
- Contemporary Reading: Family Wisdom
- Chapter 13: "You Have Contended with [the] Divine" (Gen 32:3-33:20)
- Appeasement (Gen 32:3-22)
- Wrestling during the Night (Gen 32:23-33)
- Reconciliation (Gen 33:1-20)
- Contemporary Reading: The Women and Children Are Safe
- Chapter 14: "An Outrage in Israel" (Gen 34:1-36:43)
- A Sister Is Violated (Gen 34:1-12)
- Dinah's Honor Avenged (Gen 34:13-31)
- Return to Bethel (Gen 35:1-15)
- Wives and Concubines (Gen 35:16-29)
- The Edomites (Gen 36:1-43)
- Contemporary Reading: Honor and Shame
- Joseph (Gen 37:1-50:26)
- Chapter 15: "Family History" (Gen 37:1-38:30)
- The Dreamer (Gen 37:1-11)
- Human Trafficking (Gen 37:12-36)
- A Widow in Her Father's House (Gen 38:1-11)
- On the Road to Timnah (Gen 38:12-30)
- Contemporary Reading: Human Exploitation
- Chapter 16: "This Is Its Interpretation" (Gen 39:1-41:57)
- In the House of Potiphar (Gen 39:1-20)
- The Interpreter of Dreams (Gen 39:21-40:23)
- Pharaoh's Dream (Gen 41:1-32)
- Second in the Land (Gen 41:33-57)
- Contemporary Reading: God Lifts Up
- Chapter 17: "God Sent Me Here ahead of You" (Gen 42:1-45:28)
- The Trip to Egypt (Gen 42:1-24)
- Return to Canaan (Gen 42:25-38)
- A Second Trip to Egypt (Gen 43:1-34)
- The Test (Gen 44:1-34)
- The Truth Is Revealed (Gen 45:1-28)
- Contemporary Reading: Suspicion
- Chapter 18: "They Came into Egypt" (Gen 46:1-47:27)
- The Family in Egypt (Gen 46:1-47:12)
- Egypt's Agrarian Policy (Gen 47:13-27)
- Contemporary Reading: Management or Exploitation?
- Chapter 19: "I Am about to Be Gathered to My People" (Gen 47:28-50:26)
- Adoption and Blessing (Gen 47:28-48:22)
- Last Testament (Gen 49:1-28)
- Death and Burial (Gen 49:29-50:26)
- Contemporary Reading: Left Out
- Works Consulted
