The Expulsion from the Garden by Gustave Doré
The Hebrew Bible, and more specifically the Book of Genesis, is made up of many texts from different periods, as well as a variety of sources. Stylistic features and inconsistencies show us that the Bible does not have one single writer but many.
Studying the books of the Hebrew Bible as literature–paying close attention to their narrative techniques, their imagery, characterization, and point of view–is not incompatible with religious faith. Close reading enriches our understanding and appreciation of these texts as supremely important cultural and historical documents, for readers of any religious background or belief.
From the Norton Anthology of World Literature
Genesis, unlike other ancient creation stories, begins not with earth, sky, and sea but with God himself, the originator of everything. Genesis is the Greek word for “origin” or “birth.” In opposition to the Enuma Elish and Theogony, human beings occupy the center of the story about the world’s creation. God himself can be seen as the most vivid and complex character of the book of Genesis.