An assessment of the origins of the book of Genesis. Garrett looks at the various possible sources of information that Moses drew on in putting together his account of the origins of the earth and the appearance of the history of Israel.

The documentary hypothesis has always been criticised from conservative theological circles. This has tended to be in the form of outright opposition to the concept and the insistence that Moses used no other source than inspiration by the Holy Spirit. The uniqueness of Garrett's approach is that he combines conservative theology with an investigation of the possible sources of information available to Moses.