The Composition of Genesis 37: Incoherence and Meaning in the Exposition of the Joseph Story

Genesis 37 is the exposition of the biblical Joseph Story and narrates the basis of Israel’s descent into Egypt. From the beginning of critical research into the Pentateuch, literary tensions and contradictions encountered in this chapter, including the question of who sold Joseph to whom, have given rise to several incompatible explanations. At present no solution to its complex problems enjoys agreement. On top of a thorough history of research, Matthew C. Genung provides a fresh literary critical analysis of Genesis 37, treated passage by passage, guided by the literary tensions in the narrative in dialogue with the most important solution models. This method has led to a new explanation of the compositional history of Genesis 37 that contributes to an understanding of the meaning of the actual text, solves its elements of tension and incoherence, and identifies their originating historical milieu. The results impact Joseph Story exegesis and fundamental questions current in Pentateuchal criticism.