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The Literary Position and Storytelling of Genesis 22: From the Perspective of the Abrahamic Family Narrative

Dohyung Kim 1

1서울기독대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study suggests that Genesis 22 should be read from the perspective of the Abrahamic family narrative (Gen. 11:10-25:18). This chapter is divided into two parts (vv. 1-19 and vv. 20-24). Most readers have read the first part as “The Test of God”, “The Faith of Abraham”, and “The Sacrifice of Isaac.” Despite being a test of God, however, the development of the story of having to dedicate a son obtained in old age by the covenant is difficult to interpret from an ethical and an moral point of view. Above all, the way it proceeds in the absence of Abraham's wife, Sarah, raises curiosity right up to the end of the first part. In order to solve this structurally, the literary position of Genesis 22 in the Abrahamic family narrative can be understood as a chiastic pattern (ABCDEE′D′C′B′A′) or mirror imaging according to five themes (genealogy-selection-protection-selection-genealogy). Genesis 22 cannot be read separately from first part (vv. 1-19) and the second part (vv. 20-24). While the first part is centered on Abraham’s faith and Isaac’s sacrifice, the second part heralds the dawn of the next generation of patriarchs through the brith of Rebekah. When this chapter is re-read according to the storytelling technique, it can be seen as the composition of “Abraham and Isaac’s burnt offering and Nahor and Rebekah’s genealogical narrative.” In particular, the beginning (requiring life), the crisis (the urgency of life), and the ending (being givin life) have a common denominator under the theme of “life”, and the first and last parts show the appearance of the inclusio. Genesis 22, therefore, occupies a prelude to the Primary Narrative (Genesis~2Kings) as a precursor to the end of the first generation in the patriarchal narrative of Genesis to the next, and as a mata-narrative of the rise and fall of Israel in the Old Testament.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.