Dissection without comprehension!!

I got this book hoping to gain a really clear understanding of the events of Genesis before trying to teach my children the Creation story. I wanted to find answers to the inevitable questions like "who was Cain's wife?" The author picks apart every story in Genesis, exposing every inconsistency and explaining why there are several stories by different authors (including Hebrew priests ) relating to different tribes, circumstances and beliefs at the time of the ancient Hebrews in exile. Interesting, but so what? I wouldn't assume it was all written by one person at the same time - the events span hundreds and thousands of years, after all.
I learned where the different stories came from and why certain stories were used - all the background context. But such intricate dissection really for me serves only to question the whole idea of the Bible as God's word. What is missing is the part I was really looking for - WHY did certain events happen a certain way, what's the truth and what does it all mean???? Why does Abram say Sarai is his sister, not his wife? What would he gain from that? A kick up the arse, from the sound of it. So why not just tell the truth? How come they would kill him to steal his wife, but not kill him to take his sister??? In the beginning, is the snake representative of Satan, or not? If not, what's the point of having a random talking snake butting in? If it's not Satan, there's no motive. There's no helpful explanation of whether the seven days of Creation are actually days or epochs. Or whether God actually created all people simultaneously, or only two. The two stories by different authors are highlighted (the creation of "humankind" versus "Adam and Eve", and God merely speaking creation into being versus getting down and walking through the garden to shape Adam out of clay) but no conclusions are drawn about whether either is true. I just want my kids to learn and understand the REAL story! But this guy, famous learned scholar though he is, did not leave me very enlightened: he actually poked holes in my faith and left me wondering what is true and what is fable. 🤔🤨😟 No further forward in my search for truth to tell my kids!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!