Laurence A. Turner – författare

The four narrative blocks which comprise Genesis are prefaced by statements (''Announcements'') which suggest ways in which the ensuing stories are likely to develop. The author concludes that the ''Announcements'' influence their narratives in many different ways and that they are misleading indicators of how plots will develop. Genesis is more concerned to present the ironies of human motive and divine providence than to recount the working out of any pre-ordained plan on God''s part. This original and refreshing monograph, written in a vigorous style, is certain to alter the way readers remember the Genesis stories.

This volume investigates the plots of the Genesis stories. Rather than fragmenting Genesis into hypothetical sources and reading each inisolation from the others, as has often been the case in scholarship, this final-form reading exposes the coherence and complexity of the book. Inparticular, the initial "e;announcements of plot"e;, prefacing each major block of the book are shown to exercise an intimate yet surprisinginfluence over the narratives they govern. The seemingly naive stories of Genesis, when read wholistically, offer profound insights into theinterplay between divine providence and human free will.