Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 165:659 (Jul 2008)
Article: Refusing God’s Blessing: An Exposition of Genesis 11:27-32
Author: George Van Pelt Campbell

BSac 165:659 (July-September 2008) p. 268

Refusing God’s Blessing:
An Exposition of Genesis 11:27-32

George Van Pelt Campbell

George Van Pelt Campbell is Associate Professor of Sociology and Religion, Grove City College, Grove City, Pennsylvania.

At first glance some parts of the Bible may seem lacking in spiritual content. Genesis 11:27–32 is such a passage. Yet a careful reading of the text, observing its features and seeing it in context, shows that it, like all Scripture, is inspired by God and is spiritually profitable (2 Tim. 3:16).

The Relationship of Genesis 11:27-32 to the Book of Genesis

The Book of Genesis1 is carefully structured.2 The creation story (1:1–2:3), which introduces the book, is followed by ten sections, each introduced by the heading תּוֹלְדוֹת (hereafter toledot).3 The term

BSac 165:659 (July-September 2008) p. 269

toledot, literally “generations,” refers to an “account of” someone or something “and that which proceeded from” that person or thing.4 Each section introduces a topic (typically a person, but in 2:4, “the heavens and the earth”) and then tells what became of him or it over time, usually by telling a series of stories that move toward a climax. Ross argues that the two dominant themes in Genesis are blessing and cursing. “We may also observe that the material within each toledot reflects the development of the book itself. Noting the motifs of blessing and cursing in the analysis of the sections, we discover within each toledot a deterioration from blessing to cursing until Genesis 12:1–2, from which point the trend moves to the promise of blessing.”5

For example the first toledot section, 2:4–4:26, describes “what became of ” the heavens and the earth (2:4). The series of stories begins with the sinless humans in the Garden of Eden (vv. 4–25), proceeds to the story of the fall into sin (3:1–7) and God’s reaction (vv. You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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