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The Beginning: Genesis Chapter One, An Overview
In The Beginning God
Genesis Chapter One: An Overview
The Hebrew name for the Book of Genesis, Bereshit, is derived from its opening word, meaning “In the beginning.” Scholars generally agree that the structure of Genesis is shaped around the recurring Hebrew phrase elleh toledot (“these are the generations”). This phrase serves as a literary device dividing the text into major sections. It appears eleven times throughout Genesis, beginning with “the generations of the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 2:4) and continuing with references to key patriarchs such as Adam (Genesis 5:1). Each use of toledot marks a transition to a new narrative unit and thematic development.
Authorship and Sources
The events recounted in Genesis predate Moses by several centuries, raising questions about the sources available to him. Since no human witnesses existed at the time of creation, some scholars propose that Moses relied on earlier written records or oral traditions. However, a widely held theological view is that Moses was divinely inspired. As 2 Peter 1:21 states, “Prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Moses is also identified as a prophet in…
