This chapter discusses the Table of Nations pattern and the motif of the ethnic groups issuing from the offspring of the Flood hero in both biblical lists (Gen 10) and Greek genealogical traditions. In striking contrast to both biblical literature and Greek genealogical traditions, the Mesopotamian Flood hero is not the father of a new lineage, but rather leaves this world to live among the gods, and his descendants are not heard of again.

Chapter 11 concedes a potential criticism of Post-Truth American Politics by noting that the supporting Stories for political and economic imbalance in America, cited in the essay, are mostly right-wing Stories. It insists, however, that they were not selected for discussion because the author is left-wing but because the two crises are so dangerous that they simply must be addressed. Therefore this chapter also notes, for the sake of analytical equivalence, the less-than-entirely-true character of some current left-wing Stories promoted by Danielle Allen, Noah Feldman, and Nikole Hannah-Jones.

Chapter I offers the concept of some very large stories -- or narratives, or social myths, or deep stories -- without which people living together cannot understand where they have come from, where they are now, and how they should go forward. In other words, people cannot live without large stories, which this chapter describes as Stories with a capital S. This point is buttressed by reference to writings and ideas of Neil Postman, Hannah Arendt, Yuval Noah Harari, Kwame Appiah, and other thinkers. The problem is that all of those necessary Stories are not entirely true -- are instead false. Later chapter explore the implications of this reality.

Chapter 2 examines 6:11–13 where creation had become saturated with violence. The Hebrew חמס often connotes systemic violence, and is thus an appropriate term for capturing the way that violence was understood to fill an environment. Once filled, the land could no longer sustain human, plant, or animal populations. Violence works like termites destroying the wood framing on the house. The house may appear reasonably solid from the outside until the moment before it collapses. There are several auditory terms writers use to describe creation in this crisis state. Some describe it in terms of acoustic tumult or uproar. The sound of violence also reverberates horizontally throughout creation in an ever increasing ‘tumult’, bringing creation to its breaking point. But the tumultuous sound of the violent also sends out shockwaves that reach God, because the basic impulse of violence is heavenward arrogance. This undermines the power of the arrogant because God responds decisively against arrogant claimants to Yhwh’s throne.

Chapter 3 explores divine responses to the ways God responds to the ruptures wrought by violence in the physical world, especially as presented in Genesis 8-9. In Gen 8:22, God assures humanity that he would uphold the cycles of creation in the face of human corruption, such that it would not sustain the impact of violence as it did before the flood. Psalm 74 portrays an analogous world in which God’s ongoing power over creation subdues the chaotic ruin that violence unleashes in the world. I also suggest that God’s promise to never again curse the land reverses the land curse arising from Cain’s act of violence (4:12). This chapter also addresses the ‘laws’ of Gen 9:1-6. Some understand Gen 9:1-6 to address humanity’s bloodlust for violence. God tolerates a modicum of violence against animals, but restrains it. I suggest by contrast that the ‘fear and dread’ reflects the fractured relationship between humans and animals. Also, the so-called ‘laws’ only point toward the need for law, and in the world of the story, indicate only what God himself will do. Moreover, the text restricts humanity’s power over the life(blood) of animals. Finally, the creation covenant (9:7-18) reflects ways that God restricts the use of divine violence in the post-flood world. This creation covenant anticipates God’s later covenants with Israel and the land.