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The Pentateuch The Pentateuch comprises the first five books of the Old Testament (from pente, the Greek for ‘five’ as in ‘pentagon’). In Hebrew they are referred to as the Torah or the ‘Law.’” In epic dimensions, they provide the foundation for the rest of scripture by recounting the creation of the world, the lives of the Patriarchs, and the discovery of monotheism. Most important, they record the birth of the nation of Israel, the establishment of the covenant between it and God, and God’s promise of a full life in the Promised Land in exchange for Israel’s fidelity. Biblical scholars trace the marks of four historical traditions in the Pentateuch (the Yahwist, the Elohist, the Priestly, and the Deuteronomic), each representing a different school of thought about Israel’s relationship with God as it developed over the centuries before. Genesis, the first book of the Pentateuch, bridges the period between the creation of the world and the Patriarchs. The first eleven chapters concern primeval history. The principal characters are, of course, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah. These accounts relate to the pre-existence of God, the creation of the world, our original innocence, the appearance of evil, our eviction from Paradise, the great flood, the Tower of Babel, and the multiplication of nations and languages. Even in the mists of pre-history, the concept of the covenant between God and man emerges. After the Fall there is the intimation of a first promise of a redeemer. Referring to Eve, God tells the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” (Gn. 3:15) And then after the flood, the Lord says to Noah: “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendant after you…” (Gn 9:9) This theme of covenant persists throughout the Old Testament. With the twelfth chapter of Genesis begins the age of the Patriarchs, a period that seems to have occurred between 1900 and 1700 B.C. The larger than life figures are Abraham, his son, Isaac, and Isaac’s sons, Esau and Jacob. The women, too, are powerful personalities: Sara, Hagar, Rebecca and Rachel. The world at the time only knew polytheism until Abraham (actually his pre-conversion name was ‘Abram’ and Sara’s was ‘Sarai’) heard the call of the one God and introduced monotheism. Because of his obedience, God entered into an everlasting covenant with Abraham, saying, “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations… I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you.” (Gn 17:4-6) The mark of the covenant, the physical sign between God and Abraham was the circumcision of every male. Among the more memorable events in these passages are: the extraordinary birth of Isaac to the very elderly Sara and Abraham; the test of Abraham’s faith when God instructed him to sacrifice Isaac; the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the fate of Lot’s (Abraham’s nephew) wife; the deception Jacob (Isaac’s son) perpetrated on his older twin brother; and Jacob’s labored courtship of the beautiful Rachel. Perhaps the most poignant part of the patriarchal stories appears at the end of Genesis. This is the account of the twelve sons of Jacob (now renamed Israel, hence the twelve tribes of Israel). Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, is sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers. He rises to power under the Egyptian pharaoh and years later is responsible for the migration of his people from their famine stricken land to the fertile Nile Valley. For the Hebrews, as they had become known, what began as a welcomed settlement in a foreign land would become hundreds of years of bondage. The remaining books of the Pentateuch: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, are of great importance, because they recount the deliverance of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt under the inspired leadership of Moses (around the thirteenth century B.C.) to the edge of the Promised Land, known today as Palestine. During this time of wandering in the desert – a trek traditionally considered to have lasted for forty years – the Israelites became a nation bound together in a covenant established between them and God. At Mount Sinai, they received the Law handed down to them from God through Moses. They also became a People with a common heritage and common destiny. They were now God’s Chosen People: “Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine.” (Ex. 19:5) Their most sacred object was the Ark of the Covenant in which were enshrined the tablets on which God’s Ten Commandments were inscribed. While most of the story is told in Exodus, the books of Leviticus and Numbers set forth the moral, sacrificial, religious, and ritual laws of the covenant. Deuteronomy repeats the story of the escape from Egypt and the journey to the Promised Land, stressing the theme of covenant and the importance of fidelity to God. It is at the end of this last book of the Pentateuch that the death of Moses – the great leader and lawgiver – is recorded. Because of his sin at Meribah where he doubted God’s mercy in the presence of the rebellious Israelites, Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Nm. 20:12). However, God did permit him to gaze into it across the Jordan River before he died. His exhortation to his people at that time continues to stir the hearts of those who read it: “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.” (Dt. 30:19-20) This admonition is no less pertinent or compelling today.

The Pentateuch

The Pentateuch comprises the first five books of the Old Testament (from pente, the Greek for ‘five’ as in ‘pentagon’). In Hebrew they are referred to as the Torah or the ‘Law.’” In epic dimensions, they provide the foundation for the rest of scripture by recounting the creation of the world, the lives of the Patriarchs, and the discovery of monotheism. Most important, they record the birth of the nation of Israel, the establishment of the covenant between it and God, and God’s promise of a full life in the Promised Land in exchange for Israel’s fidelity. Biblical scholars trace the marks of four historical traditions in the Pentateuch (the Yahwist, the Elohist, the Priestly, and the Deuteronomic), each representing a different school of thought about Israel’s relationship with God as it developed over the centuries before.

Genesis, the first book of the Pentateuch, bridges the period between the creation of the world and the Patriarchs. The first eleven chapters concern primeval history. The principal characters are, of course, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah. These accounts relate to the pre-existence of God, the creation of the world, our original innocence, the appearance of evil, our eviction from Paradise, the great flood, the Tower of Babel, and the multiplication of nations and languages.

Even in the mists of pre-history, the concept of the covenant between God and man emerges. After the Fall there is the intimation of a first promise of a redeemer. Referring to Eve, God tells the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” (Gn. 3:15) And then after the flood, the Lord says to Noah: “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendant after you…” (Gn 9:9) This theme of covenant persists throughout the Old Testament.

With the twelfth chapter of Genesis begins the age of the Patriarchs, a period that seems to have occurred between 1900 and 1700 B.C. The larger than life figures are Abraham, his son, Isaac, and Isaac’s sons, Esau and Jacob. The women, too, are powerful personalities: Sara, Hagar, Rebecca and Rachel. The world at the time only knew polytheism until Abraham (actually his pre-conversion name was ‘Abram’ and Sara’s was ‘Sarai’) heard the call of the one God and introduced monotheism. Because of his obedience, God entered into an everlasting covenant with Abraham, saying, “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations… I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you.” (Gn 17:4-6) The mark of the covenant, the physical sign between God and Abraham was the circumcision of every male.

Among the more memorable events in these passages are: the extraordinary birth of Isaac to the very elderly Sara and Abraham; the test of Abraham’s faith when God instructed him to sacrifice Isaac; the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the fate of Lot’s (Abraham’s nephew) wife; the deception Jacob (Isaac’s son) perpetrated on his older twin brother; and Jacob’s labored courtship of the beautiful Rachel.

Perhaps the most poignant part of the patriarchal stories appears at the end of Genesis. This is the account of the twelve sons of Jacob (now renamed Israel, hence the twelve tribes of Israel). Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, is sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers. He rises to power under the Egyptian pharaoh and years later is responsible for the migration of his people from their famine stricken land to the fertile Nile Valley. For the Hebrews, as they had become known, what began as a welcomed settlement in a foreign land would become hundreds of years of bondage.

The remaining books of the Pentateuch: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, are of great importance, because they recount the deliverance of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt under the inspired leadership of Moses (around the thirteenth century B.C.) to the edge of the Promised Land, known today as Palestine. During this time of wandering in the desert – a trek traditionally considered to have lasted for forty years – the Israelites became a nation bound together in a covenant established between them and God. At Mount Sinai, they received the Law handed down to them from God through Moses. They also became a People with a common heritage and common destiny. They were now God’s Chosen People: “Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine.” (Ex. 19:5) Their most sacred object was the Ark of the Covenant in which were enshrined the tablets on which God’s Ten Commandments were inscribed.

While most of the story is told in Exodus, the books of Leviticus and Numbers set forth the moral, sacrificial, religious, and ritual laws of the covenant. Deuteronomy repeats the story of the escape from Egypt and the journey to the Promised Land, stressing the theme of covenant and the importance of fidelity to God. It is at the end of this last book of the Pentateuch that the death of Moses – the great leader and lawgiver – is recorded.

Because of his sin at Meribah where he doubted God’s mercy in the presence of the rebellious Israelites, Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Nm. 20:12). However, God did permit him to gaze into it across the Jordan River before he died. His exhortation to his people at that time continues to stir the hearts of those who read it: “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.” (Dt. 30:19-20) This admonition is no less pertinent or compelling today.