Lecture 3. The Hebrew Bible in Its Ancient Near Eastern Setting: Genesis 1-4 in Context

Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) (RLST 145) with Christine Hayes

In the first of a series of lectures on the book of Genesis, the basic elements of biblical monotheism are compared with Ancient Near Eastern texts to show a non-mythological, non-theogonic conception of the deity, a new conception of the purpose and meaning of human life, nature, magic and myth, sin and evil, ethics (including the universal moral law) and history. The two creation stories are explored and the work of Nahum Sarna is introduced.

00:00 - Chapter 1. The Creation Story in "Enuma Elish"
12:44 - Chapter 2. The Creation Stories in Genesis
28:30 - Chapter 3. Creation as God Imposing Order on the World
38:17 - Allusion to and Resonances of Ancient Near Eastern Themes

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://oyc.yale.edu

This course was recorded in Fall 2006.