Genesis 1:1-11; the Primeval History

The Primeval History:
Genesis 1-11 and it's Theme

David Judson

Old Testament & Its Context RS2003A
Dr. Stephen Dempster
December 1, 2011
Genesis 1-11, also known as Primeval History is the recorded text of the original creation of the earth, and all that we have.[i] Genesis 1-11 begins with the creation, followed by the fall, the story of Cain and Abel, the story of Noah and his sons, followed by the flood, then the tower of Babel, and ending with the line leading up to Abram/Abraham[ii]. These events in Genesis show an interesting chain of events. From a fall and expulsion from the garden, to a fruitful filling of the world, to a flood that destroys all except for Noah, then to a renewed world, and then to a spread all across the earth. One must wonder what exactly this structure of events represents, and what the theme, or themes of this history are exactly. There does seem to be a significant amount of underlying themes in these passages.
Who is the speaker in Genesis 1-11
The written literature of Genesis 1-11 portrays very effectively the theological symbolic way that the biblical authors express themselves.[iii] The bulk of most of the literature in Genesis 1-11 is assumed to be a cycle of tales that are presented either orally, or written by a Yahwist author, which is a biblical anonymous author. It is assumed that most of the primeval history is written by a Yahwist author, but some scholars tell you that it was Moses.[iv] The Yahwist literature in Genesis 1-11 accounts for the creation of the generic man, Adam and Eve in the garden, Cain and Abel, the flood, Noah and his family, and lastly the separation of man at the Tower of Babel. However the non-Yahwist literature recorded in Genesis 2-11, account for the cosmic creation (Genesis 1:1-2), the genealogy of Seth (Genesis 5:1-32), portions of the flood narrative (Genesis 6-8), and other minor genealogical information (Genesis 9:1-15).[v]
In an attempt to understand the narration in Genesis

Bibliography: Clines, J.A. David. “The Significance of the 'sons of God ' Episode,” Department of Biblical Studies, no.13 (1979):33-46. Clines, J.A. David. “Theme in Genesis 1-11,” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 38, no. 4 (1976): 483-507. Constable L. Thomas. “Notes on Genesis,” (2010): 1-318. www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/genesis.pdf Gnuse, K Major, J. Trevor.“The Meaning of 'Sons of God ' In Genesis 6:1-4,” Apologetics Press, (2011): 1-11. How it all Began: Genesis 1-11 (2001). 1-154. http://www.ibiblio.org/freebiblecomentary/pdf/EN/VOL01AOT.pdf Ramantswana, Hulisani Reed A.Y. “The Primeval History: Genesis 1-11,” Five Books of Moses, September 22, 2004: 1-2. Smith, Gary. “Structure and Purpose in Genesis 1-11,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, (1980):207-319. Wenham, Gordon. “Original Sin in Genesis 1-11,” Churchman, 104, no. 4 (1990): 1-23 --------------------------------- [ i ]. How it all Began: Genesis 1-11 (2001). 1-154. [ ii ]. A.Y. Reed., “The Primeval History: Genesis 1-11,” Five Books of Moses, September 22, 2004: 1-2. [ iii ]. Robert Karl Gnuse.,”A Process Theological Interpretation of The Primeval in Genesis 2-11,” Horizons 29, no. 1 (2002): 23-41. [ viii ]. Hulisani Ramantswana., “God Saw That it Was Good, Not Perfect: A Canonical-Dialogic Reading of Genesis 1-3,” Westminster Theological Journal, (2010): 433-434 [ ix ] [ xi ]. Gordon Wenham., “Original Sin in Genesis 1-11,” Churchman, 104, no. 4 (1990): 1-23 [ xii ] [ xvi ]. Gary V. Smith., “Structure and Purpose in Genesis 1-11,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, (1980):207-319. [ xvii ]. Trevor J. Major., “The Meaning of 'Sons of God ' In Genesis 6:1-4,” Apologetics Press, (2011): 1-11. [ xviii ]. David J.A. Clines., “The Significance of the 'sons of God ' Episode,” Department of Biblical Studies, no. 13 (1979): 33-46. [ xxii ]. David J.A.Clines., “Theme in Genesis 1-11,” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 38, no. 4 (1976): 483-507.