Genesis and the Moses Story

In Genesis and the Moses Story, Volume 1, scholar Konrad Schmid presents a transformative perspective on the origins of the Pentateuch. This work of biblical criticism and interpretation challenges the traditional Documentary Hypothesis by examining the relationship between the ancestor traditions in Genesis and the Moses narrative in Exodus. Schmid argues that these two distinct traditions were not originally unified, but were instead combined during the early Persian period through the Priestly Code. By analyzing the literary and theological divergences within these texts, the author provides a rigorous academic framework for understanding how these narratives were redacted.

This volume serves as a critical resource for students and scholars of ancient Jewish religion and Old Testament studies. Schmid situates the composition of Genesis through 2 Kings within the Persian period, viewing the collection as a historical introduction to the prophetic messages found in Isaiah through Malachi. This English translation of his influential research offers updated scholarship, expanded notes, and a comprehensive bibliography for those studying biblical biography and ancient history.