Genesis, Vol. 1: The College Press NIV Commentary

The first book of the Old Testament speaks of beginnings. It functions as the introduction to the Pentateuch and is foundational to the understanding of the rest of the Bible. Genesis explains how the people of Israel arose and were called to be God's people. The nation to which the Pentateuch is addressed is about to enter the promised land. There they will face the culture and religion of the inhabitants of Canaan. The polytheistic nature religion of the Canaanites is a great temptation to Israel, and the laws recorded in the Pentateuch are designed to prevent Israel from falling into the destructive patterns of life present in Canaan.

Genesis is designed to be read theologically. It is written to provide guidance to God's people about how to conduct their lives as they face the pressures of conformity to the culture and religion of Canaan. Its center of interest seems to be God's creational intentions for humanity and what He does in response to humanity's refusal to submit to those intentions and go his or her own way. God's desire is to bring humanity back to their created purpose and relationship with Him.

About the Series:

College Press NIV Commentary Series is formatted with a verse-by-verse explanation of the text. It was developed for both the scholar and the average Bible student. The College Press NIV Commentary Series is the only full commentary set in print from the Restoration Movement. Each volume (41 volumes for the Old & New Testament) contains the following helpful features:

• Biblically sound exegesis
• Clear exposition
• Objective approach
• Concise introduction
• New International Version of the Bible
• Key word translation
• Easy to use design format
• Practical footnotes
• And more!