Should Genesis rightly be identified as law—that is, as torah or legal
instruction for Israel? Peterson argues in the affirmative, concluding
that Genesis serves a greater function than merely offering a prehistory
or backstory for the people of Israel. As the introductory book to the
Torah, Genesis must first and foremost be read as legal instruction for
Israel. And how exactly is that instruction presented? Peterson posits
that many of the Genesis accounts serve as case law. The Genesis
narratives depict what a number of key laws in the pentateuchal law
codes look like in practice. When Genesis is read through this lens, the
rhetorical strategy of the biblical author(s) becomes clear and the
purpose for including specific narratives takes on new meaning.