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----{{Template:Catholic}} Go to [[GenesisCategory:Books of the Old Testament]] contents page
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Bearing in mind these general outlines of the contents and the literary structure of Genesis, we shall easily understand the following analytical table.
* ''Introduction (Genesis 1:1-2:3) -- '' Consists of the [[Hexaemeron]]; it teaches the power and goodness of [[God (Catholic Encyclopedia)|God]] as manifested in the creation of the world, and also the dependence of creatures on the dominion of the Creator. * ''General History (2:4-11:26) --'' Man did not acknowledge his dependence on [[God (Catholic Encyclopedia)|God]]. Hence, leaving the disobedient to their own devices, [[God (Catholic Encyclopedia)|God]] chose one special family or one individual as the depositary of His Revelation. * ''History of Heaven and Earth (2:4-4:26) --'' Here we have the story of the fall of our first parents, ii, 5-iii, 24; of the fratricide of [[Cain]], iv, 1-16; the posterity of Cain and its elimination, iv, 17-26. * ''History of Adam (5:1-6:8) --'' The writer enumerates the Sethites, another line of Adam's descendants, v, 1-32, but shows that they too became so corrupt that only one among them found favour before [[God (Catholic Encyclopedia)|God]], vi, 1-8. * ''History of Noe (6:9-9:29) --'' Neither the Deluge which destroyed the whole human race excepting Noe's family, vi, 11-viii, 19, nor [[God (Catholic Encyclopedia)|God'scovenant with [[Noah]] covenant with Noe and his sons, viii, 20-ix, 17, brought about the amendment of the human family, and only one of NoeNoah's sons was chosen as the bearer of the Divine blessings, ix, 18-29.
* ''History of the Sons of Noe (10:1-11:9) --'' The posterity of the non-chosen sons, x, 1-32, brought a new punishment on the human race by its pride, xi, 1-9.
* ''History of Sem (11:10-26) --'' The posterity of Sem is enumerated down to Thare the father of Abraham, in whose seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.
* ''Special History (11:27-50:26) --'' Here the inspired writer describes the special Providence watching over [[Abraham ]] and his offspring which developed in Egypt into a large nation. At the same time, he eliminates the sons of Abraham who were not children of [[God (Catholic Encyclopedia)|God's]] promise. This teaches the [[Israelites (Catholic Encyclopedia)|Israelites]] that carnal descent from Abraham does not suffice to make them true sons of Abraham. * ''History of Thare (11:27-25:11) --'' This section tells of the call of Abraham, his transmigration into Chanaan, his covenant with [[God (Catholic Encyclopedia)|God]], and His promises.
* ''History of Ismael (25:12-28) --'' This section eliminates the tribes springing from Ismael.
* ''History of [[Isaac ]] (25:19-35:29 --'' Here we have the history of Isaac's sons, [[Esau ]] and [[Jacob(Genesis)|Jacob]].
* ''History of Esau (36:1-37:1) --'' The sacred writer gives a list of Esau's posterity; it does not belong to the number of the Chosen People.
* ''History of Jacob (37:2-50:26) --'' This final portion of Genesis tells of the fate of Jacob's family down to the death of the Patriarch and of [[Joseph(Genesis)|Joseph]]. What has been said shows a uniform plan in the structure of Genesis, which some scholars prefer to call "schematism".
** The whole book is divided into ten sections.
** Each section is introduced by the same formula.
** When the life of the Patriarch is given more in detail, the account usually ends in an almost uniform way, indicating the length of his life and his burial with his ancestors (cf. ix, 29; xi, 32; xxv, 7; xxxv, 28; xlvii, 28). Such a definite plan of the book shows that it was written with a definite end in view and according to preconceived arrangement. The critics attribute this to the final "redactor" of the Pentateuch who adopted, according to their views, the genealogical framework and the "schematism" from the Priestly Code. The value of these views will be discussed later; for the present, it suffices to know that a striking unity prevails throughout the Book of Genesis.
{{returnto}} [[Genesis]]
