Reading assignments are on the web board and a lot more.
How to get to the web board? You are here! Yes just click on this and that until it appears. It’s magic, as good as Moses and his staff!
Read about Moses in the “Hebrew bible = Tanakh, which is also the Protestant bible = the Old Testament. The Tora are the first 5 books of the bible. Have you ever seen the movie “Tora , Tora, Tora” ? LOL

Comparison of Genesis 1 & Genesis 2
Genesis 1
Elohim (God) depending on the text is a plural. “IM” = “s” Usage is with a single verb.
This only a word the people only believed in one God.

Genesis 1 is less detailed and the account of how woman was created from man is not addressed.

The order of creation ended in man.

Man is the ruler, of the creation. He is more important in this story.

Genesis 1 is more grandiose or “cosmic” (or should it be comic? Talking snakes and magic fruit? No that’s genesis 2) This story is more structured and sophisticated.

God is above all. Not a “warm friendly” and personable being.

Genesis 2
Yahweh, (Mr. Yahweh Elohim) the God Yahweh, this is his personal name. Like the movie with John Denver.

This story is more detailed and the creation of man and woman is more explained.

Man was alone. God made animals to fill this loneliness, but the animals were not the right kind of companion for man. God puts Adam to sleep (he may have been tired of his complaining) and removed a rib from Adam. He then fashioned woman from Adam’ s rib. Is this bio engineering? Refer to your wife a “Rib” and see what happens, not me. I did and she replies “Hey dirt”.

Man is God’s gardener. Man is the center of this story. God is anthropomorphic ( human –like) he speaks, walks, displays emotions, and doesn’t seem omniscient.

God is immanent. More like “George Burns” he could make it rain inside an American Motors Pacer.

Babylonian creation stories
“Enoma Elish”
The world is created when Marduk slays the dragon Tiamat. Out of Tiamat’s corps the world is created.
Many creation stories have in common sex and violence (not sex, drugs and Rock and Roll). In many stories the gods fight other gods and the winner is the creator. In the Hebrew bible the birth of God is not mentioned.
“The story of Gilgamesh & his side kick Enkidu”
These two heroes fight the gods. Enkidu gets killed. Gilgamesh tries to find the secret to immortality. Upnapishtem (Babylonian Noah) knows the secret. He tells Gilgamesh it is a plant that is found at the bottom of the sea. Gilgamesh is so tied by the time he finds the plant that a serpent eats the plant. The snake becomes immortal. (He them gets a part in the Hebrew bible to sell apples.)


The fall of humanity Genesis 3
God said in the day that you eat of the tree you will die, the fruit was poisoned
The serpent or snake said you will not die your eyes will be open and you will become like God. You will no good and evil and you will be wise

Etiological Stories.
Genesis stories show how things are today.
Some of the things that are explained are:
The pain of childbirth is one of the first curses.
Why men have to work so hard another curse.
Why farming is so difficult another cures.
Patriarchy and why women put up with it.
How people came to wear clothes. Modesty and nudity had a great taboo and why they continue to be.
Death and the length of life.
The sin of disobedience to God.
The stories outline what 'is considered the sinful nature of man.
The stories also show why there are different languages and nations.
They explain the fear of snakes and why snakes weather on the ground
Why there's a bad relationship between man and snakes.
God made a rainbow, which signify there will be no more wiping out of mankind the face of earth.
The stars the sun and the moon are markings of time and place.

The story of Noah God was upset with man because he had become so evil. He went to wipe out all of mankind and his creations with a great flood but there was one man who was good and gods eyes and that was no. Noah had three sons’ Ham, Shem and Jepeth. From Ham came Cannan, which were the peoples that God cursed. Ham was the one who saw the nakedness of his father and told his brothers. The brothers put a blanket between their shoulders and walked backwards to cover their father.

Abraham is known as the “father of Judisam”. He may have not been a real person and could be just a figure in a story.
God told him he would be the father or a mighty nation.
Abram meaning exalted (exhausted) father had his name changed by God to Abraham, father of a multitude (many).

God made what is known as the first two-way covenant with Abraham. God ordered him to cut off the foreskin of the penises of all the males in his family and all males in his keeping. This is to signify that they are the chosen of God. Abraham is considered the first Jew. It should be noticed that with nakedness taboos this operator would hardly be noticed.

The patriarchal fathers are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob had 12 sons which became the 12 tribes of Israel.

Abraham and his wife Sarah were having a hard time having a baby. Sarah told Abraham of have sex with her handmaid Hagar. Hagar had a son Ishmael, when he grew up he settled in northern Arabia. Sarah did have her own son Isaac, he became the father of the many nations.

God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. This was a kind of loyalty test. At the last minuet God proved an animal to take the boys place and Abraham passed the test.

(One of are questions) The three men that were with Abram were God and two angels.

The name of Jacob’s son Israel means, “he wrestled with God” the “el” of the name is god. Like Michael means, “ one who is liken unto god”.

Moses asked God “ What god am I dealing with and what shoal I tell the people that you name is” . God told him “I am I” he is the only God and very jealous of this fact.
This is early Judaism worship of one God. Even thought other gods many have existed.

Anthropomorphic God, later monotheistic God. Only one God exists and God is transcendent all powerful, all knowing spirit.

Remember to add Exodus 20 to your reading.