The Theme of Genesis: A key to resolving the place of Sarah in the Abrahamic Covenant (original) (raw)

2020, Stellenbosch University Library

Sarah’s covenantal status in Genesis is rendered ambiguous by God’s covenant-making speech in chapter 17: on the one hand, she is included by name in God’s plan for the first time, but on the other hand, God gives a sign of the covenant that is applied to men only. This has yielded various interpretations that attempt to reconcile this ambiguity, some of which consider her to be parallel to Ishmael—blessed but excluded from the covenant. Since the exegetical evidence leaves the discussion at an impasse, this paper suggests a long way around by which this problem may be resolved: the study of the theme of Genesis. In hermeneutics it is commonly observed that the parts of work shape the meaning of the whole and that the whole provides a paradigm by which to interpret the parts. This study proposes a rigorous methodology by which the thematic meaning of, in this case, Genesis can be sought, and thereby yielding that paradigm by which Sarah’s place in Genesis 17 can be better understood. This study should appeal to any reader with an interest in: - The study of structure, plot, and theme - The meaning of Genesis (both in parts and whole) - The place of women in Judeo-Christian theology - The meaning of circumcision in Genesis In this study, I provide an improved argument for the toledot structure of Genesis, a rigorous examination of the theme of Genesis (i.e., an account of the singular meaning and purpose of the book), an argument for the full membership of women in the covenant, and an argument for the meaning of circumcision that can explain how women are central to the covenant while not being recipients of its sign.