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  • Essay / Bible Commentary: The Book of Genesis

    The Bible is a well-preserved portrait of ancient culture and history dating back thousands and thousands of years. This historical text contains not only stories but also poems, songs and letters. The Bible is made up of two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The book of Genesis is the first book of the Old Testament and the Hebrew Bible and does not come from any other source. This is also part of the formation of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). The book of Genesis tells the story and events of Israel's early history and Judaism's views on the creation of the world. In Genesis 22, he explains the story of when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, also known as the Bond of Isaac. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The author of the book of Genesis is not directly mentioned, but researchers have concluded that four authors contributed to the creation of the Pentateuch which includes the book of Genesis. The four sources, also known as the documentary hypothesis, are: Yahwist (J), Elohist (E), Priestly (P), and Deuteronomic (D). There are different forms in the Book of Genesis or how it was written and how it relates to how it is interpreted. One form is narrative and according to the Collegeville Bible Commentary it is “simply a story.” Furthermore, a key form of narrative is the saga and “sagas are stories which have a factual basis” and which are completed as they are transmitted orally. The time period in which the book of Genesis was written is not stated, but most scholars believe it to be the first book to be written. This would probably be around one to three thousand years ago. The story of Abraham almost sacrificing his son Isaac is accredited by the Elohist source or tradition. According to the Collegeville Bible Commentary, the commentary focuses on the emotional aspect of Abraham's response to God's command. The commandment was for Abraham to take his son, his only son, to a mountain in the region of Moriah and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. “Human sacrifice was commonly practiced… on few occasions in Israel but it was forbidden” [Viviano 38]. The burnt offering was first described in the Hebrew Bible and in Judaism it was a form of sacrifice usually involving animals. “We feel the silence as father and son walk together…the moment of ultimate decision” [Viviano 38]. This gives the reader a sense of suspense and raises questions about what will happen next. Additionally, this commentary focuses on how Abraham responds rather than the unimaginable fear of what was asked of him by God. Another example is when Isaac asks his father Abraham where the lamb for the burnt offering is. “We smile at Isaac's innocent question and sympathize with Abraham in his tender but evasive response” [Viviano 38]. This quote from the commentary shows the emotions most likely to arise when we read these lines. Isaac does not fully understand the situation, but Abraham continues to put his faith in God as he responds. Abraham is guided to “forsake the future and also promise” when it comes to sacrificing his son, Isaac. Harper's Bible Commentary focuses on the use of "highlighted dialogue" and literary elements that add more meaning to the story and ultimately grab the reader's attention. For example, “in which ‘father’ and ‘son’ are each used twice” [Kselman 96]. This quote takes up the, 1998.