Viewing them from a literary perspective, the five books of the Pentateuch have three divisions: Universal, Patriarchal, and National.

1. Universal Protohistory (Genesis 1.1–11.27a)
   • Creation prologue (1.1–2.4a)
   • Adam narratives (2.4b–5.1a)
   • Noahic narratives (5.1b–11.27a)(Noah and his sons)
2. Patriarchal History (Genesis 11.27b–50.26)
   • Abraham narratives (11.27b–25.19a)
   • Isaac and Jacob narratives (25.19b–37.2a)
   • Joseph narratives (37.2b–50.26)
3. National (Exodus – Deuteronomy)
   • Israel (Exodus–Deuteronomy) Exodus narratives (Exo 1.1–18.27)
   • Sinai narratives (Exodus 19.1 – Numbers 10.10)(Laws)
   • Wilderness narratives (Numbers 10.11–36.13)(Book of Deuteronomy)

Outline is also included in the BcR article: Evidence of Tablets in the Text of Genesis. This short article provides a partial support for this literary structure.