This novel tells the story of the scribes who produced the book of Genesis. It is narrated by Keziah, the wife of Jonathan, one of the scribes. They collected the stories and put them together according to a detailed plan. These same scribes worked in the Jerusalem Academy during the time of the Davidic monarchy about 1000 BCE. The scribes understood their work to be a Royal Epic, and it helped bring Judah and Israel together and legitimize the throne of David. This epic was performed at the...
Genesis «was a political document of the state, and its major function was to exalt David and his monarchy, not only with his own people but also among the other states of that world. The scribes of the monarchy used many sources for this work, and certainly the literary criticism of the past has helped us to isolate many of these sources. However, the view presented here is quite different from the older criticism in that the sources that were used in this work must date from before the exile....
