How the Story of Jacob was Created
Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 4:32 am
The following represents several snapshots representing phases of the construction of the story of Jacob. We can see that it began with a parallel formation from a small section of Moses' life. From there the story grew many times its size. The result is that we can produce logical drafts of the writing process and thereby telling the story of the story making process.
Step 1: The creation of a story that has two parts to it, such as the marriage of Moses.
Step 2: Through parallel formation create a second story. In this case it is the marriage of Moses and the marriage of Jacob.
*Parallel elements out of order.
Step 3: Expand the second story, the marriage of Jacob, by parallel formation between the first half and the second half of the story.
Parallel formation shows us how the marriage of Jacob is larger than the marriage of Moses.
Step 4: Why have one story of Jacob when you can make two of them through parallel formation.
These parallels are taken from Journal of Higher Criticism, Vol 14, Issue 1.
Step 1: The creation of a story that has two parts to it, such as the marriage of Moses.
Step 2: Through parallel formation create a second story. In this case it is the marriage of Moses and the marriage of Jacob.
Moses' Marriage | Jacob's Marriage |
Prior to Moses’ Marriage | Prior to Jacob’s Marriage (Jacob Deceives -- see below) |
* Moses kills an Egyptian (Exod 2:12).
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Moses Encounters is Bride To Be | Jacob Encounters His Bride To Be (Jacob Deceived -- see below) |
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*Parallel elements out of order.
Step 3: Expand the second story, the marriage of Jacob, by parallel formation between the first half and the second half of the story.
Jacob Deceives | Jacob Deceived |
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Parallel formation shows us how the marriage of Jacob is larger than the marriage of Moses.
Step 4: Why have one story of Jacob when you can make two of them through parallel formation.
Jacob’s Flight From Esau to Laban | Jacob’s Flight From Esau to Laban |
Jacob Takes Esau’s Birthright (Gen 25:21-34) (J)
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Jacob Takes Laban’s Son’s Wealth (Gen 30:26 - 31:3) (J)
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Isaac, Rebekah, and Abimelech (Gen 26:1-34) (J)
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Jacob and Laban (Gen 31:4-19) (E)
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Jacob Takes Esau’s Wealth / Identity (Gen 27:1-45) (J)
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Jacob Sends All His Wealth to Esau (Gen 31:20 -55; 32:1 - 21) (JE)
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Isaac Warns Jacob not to Marry Canaanites Gen 27:46 - 28:9 (P)
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Laban Warns Jacob Not to Marry Anyone (Gen 31:45-55)
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Jacob’s Stairway (Gen 28:10-22) (JE)
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Jacob Wrestles with God (Gen 32:22 - 32) (E)
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Jacob Sees Rachael (Gen 29:1 - 30:25) (JE)
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Jacob Sees Esau (Gen 33:1-20) (E)
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These parallels are taken from Journal of Higher Criticism, Vol 14, Issue 1.