of Genesis during the modern era. Even though the question of the literary unity of Genesis is bound up with the nature of the entire Pentateuch, we will keep our focus on Genesis. The history of interpretation indicates that for centuries the book of Genesis was happily read as a literary and authorial unity. Indeed, it is likely that the vast majority of readers across the world today still read the book in this way. However, if we are honest, a close reading of the book raises questions. We might