The Plot-Structure of Genesis

In The Plot-structure of Genesis Todd L. Patterson argues that Genesis is organized by a development from complication to d nouement. The question 'Will the righteous seed survive?' drives the narrative to climax. Gen 4 sets up the complication. Cain and Abel are the seed of the woman who should lead humanity back to God's creation-sanctuary. Because Cain does not master sin, his unrighteousness threatens the survival of the seed. Each narrative t lĕd t division develops this theme until d nouement in the Joseph narrative when God ensures the survival of the promised seed. By showing how plot integrates with the widely recognized t lĕd t structure, prominent motifs, and enigmatic features of the text, Todd L. Patterson provides a surprisingly novel interpretation of Genesis.