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Literary Structure of Isaac’s Family Narrative (Gen. 25:19-37:1) and Its Storytelling

  • Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
  • Abbr : KJOTS
  • 2019, 25(4), pp.221-252
  • DOI : 10.24333/jkots.2019.25.4.221
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology
  • Received : October 15, 2019
  • Accepted : October 29, 2019

Dohyung Kim 1

1서울기독대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The phrase ‘God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’ is a typical expression in the patriarchal narrative of the Old Testament and even in the New Testament. In this patriarchal triad, however, Isaac the second patriarch’s name has been less considered compared to his father Abraham and his son Jacob. This article is to ascertain the text reading as ‘Isaac’s family narrative’ rather than Isaac narrative through the related materials of the patriarch Isaac in the biblical narrative. According to the toledoth-formula in the book of Genesis, it should be accepted that Isaac’s family narrative begins with the genealogy of Isaac in Genesis 25:19 and its range continues to the first verse of chapter 37 before the genealogy of Jacob the next generation in Genesis 37:2. The Isaac’s family narrative consists of eight units and four themes (genealogy – loss – travel – anxiety) and indicates a structural composition of chiastic pattern (ABCDD′C′B′A′). It also presents a dynamic storytelling with the five step development of narrative such as Exposition – Complication – Crisis – Climax – Ending. The position of Isaac’s family narrative has no obscure without any problem although the contents of Isaac character are shown partly and quite widely dispersed in many places and these can be evaluated as crisis conditions. Furthermore, Isaac’s family narrative reflects the difficult real things which the exile lost and wandered from their country or the people who returned to their homeland in the perspective of the Primary Narrative (Genesis ~ 2 Kings). The Isaac’s family narrative also plays a pivotal role in a crisis situation to overcome the difficulties to the modern readers as mental grounds and psychological consensus. It is the indispensable link between the patriarch Abraham and the patriarch Jacob in the Genesis narrative.

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