This exciting series of books for the general reader explores the basic themes and messages of the Bible for our time. Each title explores a different aspect of the Bible through an introduction and analysis by a noted biblical scholar followed by the actual Bible text. In addition, each contains a foreword by a well-known writer, which makes the Bible even more relevant to our world.The Book of Genesis begins with the magnificent depiction of God creating the cosmos, and ends with the story of Joseph and the settlement of the Israelites in Egypt. These superbly crafted narratives -- along with the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, Noah and the Flood, the Tower of Babel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Esau -- are among the greatest in world literature, and have inspired some of the most powerful and enduring works of art. This book for the general reader contains the text of Genres, along with essays exploring its major themes and characters.