Table of Contents

• Preface
• Introduction
• Literary Structure and the Canaanite-Babylonian Background of Pentateuchal Narratives
• The Literary Structure
• Parallels Between the Pentateuchal Narratives and Ancient Near Eastern Literature

Part 1: Stories from Genesis and Exodus

• Chapter 1: Noah’s Drunkenness and the Behavior of His Sons (Genesis 9: 18-29)
  • The Literary Structure
  • The Canaanite Setting
  • Commentary

• Chapter 2: The Narrative of Abraham the Host (Genesis 18: 1-16a)
  • The Literary Structure
  • The Ugaritic Parallel

• Chapter 3: The Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22) – The Structure of the Narrative, its Link to Genesis 12 and its Canaanite Background
  • The Narrative Structure
  • Abraham’s Departure from Haran and the sacrifice of Isaac
  • The Canaanite Background of the Sacrifice of Isaac

• Chapter 4: The Wooing of Rebekah (Genesis 24) – The Structure of the Narrative and the Ugaritic Parallel
  • The Literary Structure
  • The Scene of Meeting at the Well and its Parallels
  • The Protagonists in the Story
  • The Canaanite Background
  • Babylonian Parallels to the Story

• Chapter 5: The Demonic Nature of the Tale of the Bloody Husband (Exodus 4: 24-26) – A Fresh Look in Light of the Midrash and of Beliefs in the Ancient Near East
  • The Midrashim on the Story of the Bloody Husband: The Beginning of Demonic Interpretation
  • Depictions of Two Incantation Inscriptions from Arslan-Tash
  • Babylonian Incantation for Desert Travellers
  • The Literary Form and Style of the Story

• Chapter 6: The Moses-Jethro Story (Exodus 18: 1-12) – The Literary Structure and Terminology in Light of the Ancient Near East Literature
  • The Formula for Good Relationships and the Structure of the Story
  • The Moses-Jethro Story and the Treaty Relationships between Solomon and Hiram of Tyre
  • More Treaty-Terms in the Story

• Chapter 7: The Structure of the Narrative of the Revelation at Sinai (Exodus 19-24)
  • The Chiastic Structure of the Narrative
  • The Traditions of the Revelation at Sinai in Light of the Structure of the Narrative
  • The Verses which do not Belong to the Chiastic Structure

Part 2: Common Literary Formulae and Patterns of Biblical Narrative and Ancient Near Eastern Literature

• Chapter 8: Ten Epic Literary Formulae Common to the Ugaritic Epics and the Genesis Narratives
  • (Hebrew)
  • (Hebrew)
  • (Hebrew)
  • (Hebrew)
  • A Formula to Describe Mourning and Lament
  • Formulae of Prostration
  • A Formula Announcing the Birth of an Important Personage
  • A Formula of a Threat Against an Old Man: To Bring Down the Gray Hairs in Blood (to Sheol)
  • The Vow Formula: Jacob’s Vow and Keret’s Vow
  • A Formula of the Payment of Jacob’s Vow at Bethel (Gen. 32: 1-7) and Similar Formulae in Aramaic and Phoenician

• Chapter 9: Literary Formula for Narration of Journeys in the Bible and in Ugaritic Literature

• Chapter 10: A Common Literary Formula to Describe the Canaanite Daniel and the Israelite Deborah as Judges

• Chapter 11: A Blessing Formula for Long Life (Genesis 15: 15-16) and its Parallels in Aramaic and Akkadian Literature

• Chapter 12: Literary Patterns in the Biblical Stories of the Conquest and their Background in the Canaanite and Akkadian Literature
  • The Literary Model of the Description of the Conquest of Seven Cities (or Peoples or Countries)
  • The Literary Model of Description of the Conquest of a City on the Seventh Day

• Supplement: The Genesis Narratives in Light of Modern Literary TheoryBibliography and Indexes
• List of Abbreviations
• Bibliography
• Indexes
• Index of Modern Authors
• Index of Sources
• Index of Literaty Devices
• Index of Names (Gods and Places)
• Index of Words, Pairs, Expressions and Formulae
• List of Publications Included in the Present Book