Re-Imagining Abraham
A Re-Assessment of the Influence of Deuteronomism in Genesis
Series:- Oudtestamentische Studiën, Old Testament Studies, Volume: 72
In
Re-Imagining Abraham: A Re-Assessment of the Influence of Deuteronomism in Genesis Megan Warner revisits the tradition that Genesis was edited by editors sympathetic to the theology of the Deuteronomist. On the basis of close, contextual readings of the four passages most commonly attributed to (semi-)Deuteronomistic hands, Warner argues that editorial use of Deuteronomistic language and themes points not to a sympathy with Deuteronomistic theology but rather to a sustained project to review and even subvert that theology. Warner’s ‘re-imagining’ of Abraham demonstrates how Israel’s forebear was ‘re-imagined’ in the post-exilic context for the purpose of offering the returning exiles a way forward at a time when all the old certainties, and even continued relationship with Yahweh, seemed lost.
Biographical Note
Megan Warner, DTheol (2012), University of Divinity (Melbourne), is Teaching Fellow at King’s College London. She has published widely on Genesis and the Pentateuch and is the author of
Abraham: A journey through Lent (SPCK, 2015).
Table of contents
Foreword by Mark G. Brett
Acknowledgements
List of Tables
1 The Deuteronomist in Genesis?
A Brief Overview of the History of Proposals concerning Deuteronom(ist)ic Editing in Genesis
Outline of the Present Study
The Four Passages as Additional to Their Context
The Four Passages as Deuteronom(ist)ic
The Characterization of Text as Post-Deuteronomistic/Post-Priestly
Structure of the Book
2 Land, People and Torah
Gen 26:1–11 The Ancestress in Danger – Again
Gen 26:12–22 ‘Now Yahweh has Made Room for Us and We Shall be Fruitful in the Land’
Gen 26:23–25 From There He Went Up to Beersheba
Gen 26:26–33 Abimelech and Isaac Exchange Oaths
Gen 26:34–35 And They Caused Bitterness of Spirit for Isaac and Rebekah
Gen 26:3–5 The Late Addition
Reading Gen 26:3–5 in the Context of Genesis 26
Final Observations
3 The Heir in Danger
Genesis 20 Ironies, Half-Truths and Flawed Assumptions
Gen 21:1–7 The Birth of Isaac
Gen 21:8–12 The Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael
Gen 21:22–34 Abimelech and Abraham Exchange Oaths
Gen 22:1–14 The Binding of Isaac
Gen 22:15–18 The Late Addition
Gen 22:19 So Abraham Returned to His Young Men …
Reading in Context
Final Observations
4 Righteousness and Justice
Gen 18:1–16 The Visitors
Gen 18:17–19 The Additional Passage
Gen 18:20–22 ‘I Must Go Down and See’
Genesis 19 Lot’s Hospitality and the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Gen 18:23–33 Then Abraham Came Near
Reading in Context
Final Observations
5 ‘And He Believed Him’
Preliminary Observations
Gen 15:1–6 Descendants
Gen 15:7–21 Land
Reading Genesis 15 in Context
Final Observations
6 Re-Imagining Abraham: A Deuteronom(ist)ic Project?
The Four Passages as a Group
Re-Imagining Abraham
Re-Imagining Abraham: A Democratizing Project
Re-Imagining Abraham: Abraham as Future Hope
Re-Imagining Abraham: Abraham and the Nations
Are the Four Passages Deuteronom(ist)ic?
If Not D, Then...?
Final Observations
Select Bibliography
Index of Ancient Sources
Acknowledgements
List of Tables
1 The Deuteronomist in Genesis?
A Brief Overview of the History of Proposals concerning Deuteronom(ist)ic Editing in Genesis
Outline of the Present Study
The Four Passages as Additional to Their Context
The Four Passages as Deuteronom(ist)ic
The Characterization of Text as Post-Deuteronomistic/Post-Priestly
Structure of the Book
2 Land, People and Torah
Gen 26:1–11 The Ancestress in Danger – Again
Gen 26:12–22 ‘Now Yahweh has Made Room for Us and We Shall be Fruitful in the Land’
Gen 26:23–25 From There He Went Up to Beersheba
Gen 26:26–33 Abimelech and Isaac Exchange Oaths
Gen 26:34–35 And They Caused Bitterness of Spirit for Isaac and Rebekah
Gen 26:3–5 The Late Addition
Reading Gen 26:3–5 in the Context of Genesis 26
Final Observations
3 The Heir in Danger
Genesis 20 Ironies, Half-Truths and Flawed Assumptions
Gen 21:1–7 The Birth of Isaac
Gen 21:8–12 The Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael
Gen 21:22–34 Abimelech and Abraham Exchange Oaths
Gen 22:1–14 The Binding of Isaac
Gen 22:15–18 The Late Addition
Gen 22:19 So Abraham Returned to His Young Men …
Reading in Context
Final Observations
4 Righteousness and Justice
Gen 18:1–16 The Visitors
Gen 18:17–19 The Additional Passage
Gen 18:20–22 ‘I Must Go Down and See’
Genesis 19 Lot’s Hospitality and the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Gen 18:23–33 Then Abraham Came Near
Reading in Context
Final Observations
5 ‘And He Believed Him’
Preliminary Observations
Gen 15:1–6 Descendants
Gen 15:7–21 Land
Reading Genesis 15 in Context
Final Observations
6 Re-Imagining Abraham: A Deuteronom(ist)ic Project?
The Four Passages as a Group
Re-Imagining Abraham
Re-Imagining Abraham: A Democratizing Project
Re-Imagining Abraham: Abraham as Future Hope
Re-Imagining Abraham: Abraham and the Nations
Are the Four Passages Deuteronom(ist)ic?
If Not D, Then...?
Final Observations
Select Bibliography
Index of Ancient Sources
Readership
Institutes, academic libraries, post-graduate students, practitioners and all those interested in Genesis and the Pentateuch, biblical interpretation and the history of Ancient Israel.