Genesis: A Commentary (The Old Testament Library)

Unraveling creation, covenant, and family in a foundational biblical narrative.

In this thought-provoking addition to the Old Testament Library, David L. Petersen offers a fresh reading of the book of Genesis, understanding it to address the creation of the universe, the beginnings of human culture, and the origins of Israel, all of which are anchored in the central motif of family. Petersen traces the intricate lives and relationships of the ancestral families―from the story of Adam and Eve to the captivating narrative of Joseph. Accordingly, he illuminates the ways in which the stories and genealogies in Genesis portray diverse familial structures, values, conflicts, and religious behaviors.

Employing a rich array of critical approaches―source, form, and redaction criticism, along with literary and social-scientific analysis―Petersen explores the cultural and theological dimensions of Genesis. He highlights the way in which the book’s narrative arc transforms Abraham and Sarah’s family into a people, a foundational identity that shapes Israel’s self-understanding. This volume also engages contemporary scholarship on the formation of the Pentateuch, reassessing traditional theories about the origins of Genesis. Petersen reveals how the book emerged out of theological debates, integrating originally distinct literary traditions into a narrative through the unifying motif of family.

Both accessible and rich with scholarly insight, Genesis: A Commentary provides readers with a fresh translation and a comprehensive lens to understand the book of Genesis as a literary and religious masterpiece. This book is an essential resource for students, scholars, and others seeking to explore the profound themes of creation, covenant, family, identity, and theological dynamics in this foundational biblical text.

About the Old Testament Library

The Old Testament Library series provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing. The editorial board consists of William P. Brown, William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary; Brent A. Strawn, Professor of Old Testament and Professor of Law, Duke University; and C. L. Crouch, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism, Radboud University.

David L. Petersen is Franklin N. Parker Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Petersen served on the faculties of the University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign; Iliff School of Theology; and Emory University, where he was awarded the Emory Williams Distinguished Teaching Award. In addition, he taught at Aarhus University, Denmark, as a Fulbright Professor. He has written numerous books and articles and worked on many collaborative projects (Common English Bible [convener of the editorial board] and New Interpreter’s Bible [senior Old Testament Editor]) and editorial boards (Old Testament Library, Journal of Biblical Literature). He has already published two volumes in the Old Testament Library series. He was elected president of the Society of Biblical Literature in 2004. In 2010, he was presented with a Festschrift titled: Method Matters: Essays on the Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Honor of David L. Petersen.