An Ark on the Nile

Beginning of the Book of Exodus

Keith Bodner

Provides an authoritative reading of Exodus 1-2.
Explores the characterization of Pharaoh, and reflect on the concluding moments of Genesis 50 as a transition to the book of Exodus.
Evaluates several narratives in Genesis where Egypt is the central locale and where Egyptian characters are featured.

An Ark on the Nile

Beginning of the Book of Exodus

Keith Bodner

Description

The opening sector of the book of Exodus is a powerful narrative and a striking example of the artistic qualities of the Pentateuch, a facet of the text that occasionally is neglected in high-level scholarship. Exodus 1-2 is finely choreographed work that compresses a vast amount of material onto a limited textual canvas, creating a story that appeals to readers of every age. Resuming where the book of Genesis leaves off--the last image of Genesis 50 is a coffin in Egypt, primed for a sequel--the first two chapters of Exodus combine a fast-moving plot with some unique shades of characterization: Israel's growth in Egypt, the rise of a malevolent new king, the birth of a hero and early experiences of adversity for the main character in the story to come. The burden of slavery and miracle of salvation are introduced in this sector of text, and become paradigmatic examples of divine redemption that reverberate throughout the Hebrew Bible and beyond. An Ark on the Nile: The Beginning of the Book of Exodus is a close-reading of Exodus 1-2 that analyzes the story as a reasonably self-contained unit, but suggesting that major plot movements in the book of Exodus are foreshadowed and anticipated here. Applying a number of insights from literary theory, Keith Bodner offers an illustration of further integration of biblical studies with cross-disciplinary narrative interpretation.

An Ark on the Nile

Beginning of the Book of Exodus

Keith Bodner

An Ark on the Nile

Beginning of the Book of Exodus

Keith Bodner

Author Information

Keith Bodner is Professor of Religious Studies at Crandall University in New Brunswick, after teaching for a number of years at Tyndale University College & Seminary in Toronto. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, and is a former section chair (Bakhtin and the Biblical Imagination) for the Society of Biblical Literature. His 2008 book 1 Samuel: A Narrative Commentary (Sheffield Phoenix Press) was awarded the R. B. Y. Scott Award from the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, and his recent books include Jeroboam's Royal Drama (2012) and Elisha's Profile in the Book of Kings: The Double Agent (2013), and After the Invasion: A Reading of Jeremiah 40-44 (OUP, 2015).

An Ark on the Nile

Beginning of the Book of Exodus

Keith Bodner

Reviews and Awards

"In this narrative analysis, Bodner offers many literary observations and identifies a multitude of connections between Exodus 1-2 and other biblical texts." -- David A. Bosworth, Catholic Biblical Quarterly

"Fluently written and painstakingly researched, Bodner has successfully shed new light on often-neglected connections between Exodus 1-2 and other biblical texts: this on its own is a commendable achievement. After all, Exodus 1-2 is part of one of the most foundational events in the Judeo-Christian heritage and hence a frequent site for scholarly endeavor and creative imagination I recommend it to any student of this important passage."--Kirsi Cobb, Reading Religion

"[Bodner's] primary purpose is to demonstrate the hermeneutical fecundity of a literary approach focused on the text's final form. Within these parameters, Bodner clearly succeeds. This brief but packed volume demonstrates the richness of biblical narrative in general, the strategic importance of Exodus 1-2 in particular, and the enduring value of close readings of scriptural texts."--Ched Spellman, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

"Keith Bodner has written an insightful literary-critical study of Exodus 1-2, mining the many aesthetic elements such as irony, characterization, plot reversals, point of view, as well as the rich intertextual relationships that emerge from the narrative. Through the journey he draws the readers into the larger theoretical notion of beginnings of a literary work, exploring to what extent the opening chapters of Exodus represent the ideological beginning of the book of Exodus."-- Thomas B. Dozeman, Professor at the United Theological Seminary

"Informed by recent developments in literary theory, An Ark on the Nile offers a highly creative, intertextual reading of Exodus 1-2. Bodner demonstrates well the extent to which an attentive reader can find deep connections between these chapters and the foregoing stories in Genesis as well as the unfolding narratives in Exodus and beyond. In so doing, he sheds important light on these texts' enduring impact."-- Jeffrey Stackert, Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible, University of Chicago