A Reply to Tweedy's Critique of CFAH 1-5

in: Jaeyoung Jeon (ed.). Social Groups Behind the Pentateuch. AIL 44. Atlanta: SBL Press, 2021., 2021

The cardinal direction east appears often in the book of Genesis, much more so than in other biblical books. 1 The east serves as a place of intrigue for the story in Gen 2:4b-3:24, the narrative of Jacob and Laban, and probably also the story of the tower of Babel. Furthermore, the east often appears as the position of a main protagonist: the cherubim and the fiery ever-turning sword guarding the tree of life are situated at the east of the garden of Eden, and Cain, too, lives east of Eden. Lot chooses the region of the plain and the city of Sodom, located in the east, as a place to live. Finally, Abraham sends all of his sons borne by concubines to the east, away from his favorite son, Isaac. How can one explain this concentration of references to the cardinal direction east in the book of Genesis? Analysis of all these texts will reveal different if not contradictory images and appraisals of the east. One reason for the great number of texts mentioning the east seems to be the disagreement between the biblical authors on this point. This article seeks to clarify what is at stake in this disagreement and the role the latter played in the process of the formation of the primeval history and the Abraham narrative.

Cultural Borrowings and Ethnic Appropriations in Antiquity, ed. E. Gruen (Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, 2005), pp. 23-36.

OSF, 2025

In her 2023 paper comparing Pierce's Ussherian chronology to that of Thiele, Beckman defends Thiele's chronology of the Bible as modified by McFall, and Young as being the "only" biblical chronology that "can also claim agreement with historical records from surrounding ancient Near East nations like Assyria and Babylonia." The authors have composed a three-part response to Beckman, in which we address: 1) The views of early Jewish authorities on the Divided Kingdom chronology; 2) Assyrian synchronisms with the biblical record; and 3) The founding dates of Tyre and Carthage. We will show that Beckman's conclusion is false because the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Phoenician data can be interpreted to support Jones's divided kingdom chronology, and that Thiele's chronology suffers from several anachronisms with Assyria, Tyre, and Carthage. This is Part 1 of our reply to Beckman, which examines ancient Jewish authorities on the Divided Kingdom chronology.

2009

This document discusses the structure of Genesis with selected analysis in the footnotes.

2010

Analysis of the historical development of doctrines and theological motifs is a crucial but often neglected element of the interpretive process. Such investigations protect the interpreter from making the common mistake of reading later ideas back into the biblical text. This survey outlines the major views on Creation and the age of the earth advocated by Christians and Jews throughout history. I also analyzed the influence of scientific naturalism and evolutionary theory on biblical interpretation. Although the survey is by no means exhaustive, it is, nevertheless, intended to be a fair and faithful representation of the major views and their adherents.

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2019

Various evidences from astronomy, biology, and geology have given the scientific community confidence to declare that the world is billions of years old. The Christian community must decide how to respond to this assertion. The Hebrew word יום is translated into English as “day” in Genesis 1. For those who believe that this word is meant to be interpreted figuratively as an “age,” they see no contradiction between the assertion of the scientific community and the testimony of Scripture about the age of the earth. The traditional interpretation of יום understands the word to refer to a literal twenty-four-hour day. Therefore, the creation week consisted of six literal twenty-four-hour days. If the universe and humanity were formed during the same week, then the age of the earth could not be said to be more than a couple of hundred thousand years. Those holding this view have concluded that the majority of the scientific community is mistaken about the age of the earth. This writer recognizes that this is a difficult position to take and that this position requires biblical and theological warrant.

A Response to Walton's The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate, 2025

This paper critically examines John H. Walton’s The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate, evaluating his thesis that Genesis 1 should be interpreted as an ancient cosmological text rather than a modern scientific account of material origins. Walton argues that the creation narrative describes functional rather than material origins and presents the "cosmic temple inauguration" view, wherein God assigns roles and functions to creation rather than bringing matter into existence. While Walton’s use of Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) literature and his emphasis on functional ontology provide valuable insights, his argument downplays the material elements present in the biblical text. The paper highlights strengths in Walton’s comparative analysis with ANE texts and linguistic studies but critiques his selective use of evidence and potential theological implications, particularly concerning creatio ex nihilo. It proposes that a more balanced reading of Genesis 1—incorporating both material and functional aspects—offers a fuller understanding of the text. The study concludes that while Walton's approach is thought-provoking and enriches theological discourse, a nuanced perspective is necessary to maintain the integrity of biblical theology and traditional exegesis.

Bible and Spade, 2023

Part One of this book review highlights the comparisons that many critics make between the biblical record of Creation and other ancient Near Eastern (ANE) literature. Does Genesis borrow plot points? Does the terminology actually show that the Israelites believed the world was covered with a solid dome? How should we regard any similarities between pagan mythology and the Bible? Endnotes and Bibliography for part one are here: https://biblearchaeology.org/images/Smith-Documentation-Winter-2023.pdf