Comments on: Parallel Structures in Creation Stories http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2007/12/parallel-structures-in-creation-stories/ A biblioblog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:58:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Blue Cord » Whence the Priestly Narratives? http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2007/12/parallel-structures-in-creation-stories/#comment-35312 Blue Cord » Whence the Priestly Narratives? Thu, 13 Dec 2007 05:53:28 +0000 http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2007/12/parallel-structures-in-creation-stories/#comment-35312 [...] Getz and John Hobbins left comments on my prior post about parallel structures in creation stories. Both of them suggested that the priestly narrative materials in the Pentateuch are H, whereas I [...] […] Getz and John Hobbins left comments on my prior post about parallel structures in creation stories. Both of them suggested that the priestly narrative materials in the Pentateuch are H, whereas I […]

]]> By: JohnFH http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2007/12/parallel-structures-in-creation-stories/#comment-35274 JohnFH Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:24:55 +0000 http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2007/12/parallel-structures-in-creation-stories/#comment-35274 Enuma Elish begins in a similar way. "When on high . . ." To my mind, the structural parallelism is detailed enough to suggest that one text plays off the other. The parallelism involves both macrostructural and macrosemantic elements. Formal conventions, I think, are not quite a sufficient explanation for the mirror effect. I think that would be H - yes, I agree with Jim Getz - playing off pre-existent JE. P =instructions about ritual may be just as old and traditional as JE, though they didn't enter the national literature until H redacted them. Enuma Elish begins in a similar way. “When on high . . .”

To my mind, the structural parallelism is detailed enough to suggest that one text plays off the other. The parallelism involves both macrostructural and macrosemantic elements. Formal conventions, I think, are not quite a sufficient explanation for the mirror effect.

I think that would be H - yes, I agree with Jim Getz - playing off pre-existent JE. P =instructions about ritual may be just as old and traditional as JE, though they didn’t enter the national literature until H redacted them.

]]> By: Jim Getz http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2007/12/parallel-structures-in-creation-stories/#comment-35271 Jim Getz Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:49:06 +0000 http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2007/12/parallel-structures-in-creation-stories/#comment-35271 I'd say that the priestly narrative material in the Torah is actually H not P. That said, I also think that H is dependent on P, P knows about and was written concurrently to D and that JE is earlier than the lot of them. Leaving the latter aside, what do you do if Gen 1 is H not P? I’d say that the priestly narrative material in the Torah is actually H not P.

That said, I also think that H is dependent on P, P knows about and was written concurrently to D and that JE is earlier than the lot of them.

Leaving the latter aside, what do you do if Gen 1 is H not P?

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