thanks for a wonderful series. I am looking forward to the synthesis. A briefly discuss the genre of Genesis 1 on my site. The subject of genre trips up a lot of people. Not everyone will like the solution I offer, but at least I don’t sidestep the question as many do.

A couple of observations. First of all, the number of texts and realia from Mesopotamia and beyond that are relevant to Genesis 1-3 is immense. An excellent example of the kind of thing that remains to be done is provided by Andreas Schuele in his ZAW 117 (2005) 1-20 article entitled “Made in the ‘Image of God’: The Concepts of Divine Images in Gen 1-3.” This article is available online in PDF format free of charge at the ZAW site (how long that will last, I don’t know). As Cline’s old Tyndale Bulletin article (of which Schuele seems unaware; the article is available online at the author’s site) also demonstrates, it’s possible to approach Gen 1-3 very profitably against the background of a wide assortment of ancient near eastern texts and realia. You know that, of course, but perhaps it bears stressing.

Secondly, in terms of translations, I think you would do your readers a favor if you also listed relevant pages from Benjamin Foster’s Anthology. I have the 2005 Third Edition. I recommend Foster’s translations above all others. He also lists editions of the cuneiform texts, the most important secondary literature, and major translations in German and French, not just first publications and major translations in English as you do. I suppose that interests only me and other former students of Grayson and Sweet who read your weblog. But still.

Your site is about as good as it gets. Scholarly but readable. Thanks again.

John Hobbins
http://www.ancienthebrewpoetry.typepad.com