PATTERNS of GENESIS: A Structural Analysis

A series of analyses of the literary structure and thematic contents of the Book of Genesis was undertaken to enhance the understanding and appreciation of how this sacred text was written.

Dozens of specific patterns have been revealed, which the writers of this classical text had incorporated and studiously followed to effectively construct the series of intertwining stories that have proven so popular over the millennia.

Patterns observed include those involved in story structure; in specific locations for placement of genealogies, stories of sexual misconduct, and tales of divine intervention; of presence and variations of multiple parallel stories and of doublets; of alternating major and minor stories; of themes and variations; of conversational techniques, etc.

The ancient authors' use of repetitive words, repetitive phrases with inversions, presence of keywords, placement of multiple action verbs to quicken the pace to conclude stories, revealed in Patterns of Genesis, all with appearing referenced verses, contributes to the object of this study.

Jonah Jaffe was born in New York, obtained his PhD at the University of Maryland, and after a career in scientific research and management, turned his research interests to the application of an objective literary criticism and structural analysis of the Book of Genesis. He currently lives in Cherry Hill, N.J.