I’m going to arrange the Old Testament into a narrative. I have never actually written a novel, but I don’t have to write anything – it’s already written… and I am loving this project-in-four-phases.
[size=150]Phase One: [/size]
The narrative elements will be extracted from these books, and the rest will be placed in the appendix:
Genesis – leave in tact
Exodus – for appendix: 21-23:19; 25-31:11; 35:4-19; 36:8-39:43
Leviticus – for appendix except 8-10
Numbers – for appendix: 5-6:21; 18-19; 27-30
Deuteronomy – for appendix: 12-25:16
Joshua – for appendix: 12-13; 15-19
Judges – [b]leave in tact
Job will be braided into Genesis, coming to an end after Genesis 50:21; Ruth will be woven into Judges, coming to an end right before 1 Samuel 16. [/b]
I already have some idea of how the story goes, as you can see if you read this page:
jesuschristsonofgodsavior.blogsp … anaan.html
[size=150]Phase Two: [/size]
Synthesis of 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles – narrative only… the rest will be placed in the appendix (see outline in my post below this one).
Jonah and Amos [XI(G)(H)], Hosea [XI(G)-XII(A)], Micah and Isaiah [XI(N)-XII(A)], Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Obadiah, and Nahum (last 4) [XII(D)], Jeremiah and Lamentations [XII(D)-(F)], Daniel [XII(E)2] and Ezekiel [XII(E)3] (in that order) will be interspersed throughout the “synthesisâ€.
I have already synthesized and am now (tonight) typing up an outline.
[size=150]Phase Three:[/size]
Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra-Nehemiah will be a second synthesis, maintaining the link between the end of 2 Chronicles and the beginning of Ezra.
Esther will be placed before Ezra’s return to Jerusalem.
Malachi
Joel
Haven’t started on this phase. I’m a little worried that Malachi and Joel aren’t narrative-ish, but … to me, that doesn’t matter. I love their message. To me it will be like the music at the end of the movie… which foretells of a sequel.
[size=150]Phase Four:[/size]
Genealogies, rules, architectural description, Psalms, Song of Solomon, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes will be in the “appendix†– some will be sprinkled in the narrative when relevant.
Job, Ruth, Jonah and Esther will be interwoven with the main narrative (see above), occurring in the appropriate historical setting. The interwoven-ness will give a sense of “transcending the narrative†because it will be mildly out of chronological order – to show how God works within and beyond the narrative.
I haven’t started on this phase, either. The appendix idea reminds me of Lord of the Rings.