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✨ The Creation Account

A comprehensive study of Genesis 1-2 exploring God's creative work, the Hebrew language of creation, and the theological foundations of Scripture.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
— Genesis 1:1 (KJ3)

The Seven Days of Creation

1

Light & Darkness

יוֹם אֶחָד — yom echad

God creates light and separates it from darkness, establishing the pattern of day and night.

  • 💡 Light (אוֹר — 'or) called into being
  • 🌓 Separation of light from darkness
  • 🌅 Day and Night named
Genesis 1:3-5
2

The Expanse

יוֹם שֵׁנִי — yom sheni

God creates the expanse (firmament/sky) to separate the waters above from the waters below.

  • 🌤️ Expanse (רָקִיעַ — raqia) made
  • 💧 Waters divided above and below
  • ☁️ Expanse called "Heavens"
Genesis 1:6-8
3

Land, Seas & Vegetation

יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי — yom shelishi

God gathers the waters, reveals dry land, and creates vegetation with seed-bearing plants and fruit trees.

  • 🌊 Waters gathered into Seas
  • 🏔️ Dry land (אֶרֶץ — eretz) appears
  • 🌿 Grass, plants, and fruit trees
  • 🌱 "According to its kind" — reproduction
Genesis 1:9-13
4

Sun, Moon & Stars

יוֹם רְבִיעִי — yom revii

God creates the luminaries to govern day and night, serving as signs for seasons, days, and years.

  • ☀️ Great luminary (sun) to rule day
  • 🌙 Lesser luminary (moon) to rule night
  • ⭐ Stars set in the expanse
  • 📅 Signs, seasons, days, and years
Genesis 1:14-19
5

Sea Creatures & Birds

יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי — yom chamishi

God creates the great sea creatures, all living things in the waters, and birds of the air. First blessing pronounced.

  • 🐋 Great sea monsters (תַּנִּינִם — tanninim)
  • 🐟 All living creatures in the waters
  • 🦅 Every winged bird
  • ✨ "Be fruitful and multiply" — first blessing
Genesis 1:20-23
6

Land Creatures & Man

יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי — yom hashishi

God creates land animals and, as the climax of creation, makes mankind in His own image to have dominion over the earth.

  • 🐄 Cattle and livestock
  • 🦎 Creeping things of the ground
  • 🦁 Beasts of the earth
  • 👤 Man (אָדָם — adam) in God's image
  • 👑 Dominion mandate given
Genesis 1:24-31
7

The Sabbath Rest

יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי — yom hashevii

God completes His work and rests (ceases), blessing and sanctifying the seventh day as holy.

  • ✅ Work completed (כָּלָה — kalah)
  • 🛑 God ceased (שָׁבַת — shabat)
  • 🙏 The day blessed and sanctified
  • ⭕ Pattern established for mankind
Genesis 2:1-3

📜 Hebrew Word Study

אֱלֹהִים
elohim
H430

God (Plural Majesty)

The primary name for God used throughout Genesis 1. A plural noun paired with singular verbs, pointing to the unity and plurality of God—a hint at the Trinity. Derived from el (power, might), emphasizing God as the Almighty Creator. Used 35 times in Genesis 1:1-2:3.

Key Occurrences
  • Gen 1:1 — "In the beginning God created..."
  • Gen 1:26 — "God said, let Us make man..."
  • Gen 1:27 — "God created man in His own image"
בָּרָא
bara
H1254

Created (Divine Creation)

A verb used exclusively of divine activity—only God "bara." It indicates creation out of nothing (ex nihilo) or the making of something genuinely new. Distinguished from asah (to make/fashion) and yatsar (to form/shape). Used at three key points: the universe (1:1), animal life (1:21), and mankind (1:27).

Three Uses in Genesis 1
  • Gen 1:1 — "God created the heavens and earth"
  • Gen 1:21 — "God created the great sea creatures"
  • Gen 1:27 — "God created man in His image" (3x)
יוֹם
yom
H3117

Day

The Hebrew word for "day." When used with a number (ordinal or cardinal) and the phrase "evening and morning," it consistently refers to a literal 24-hour day throughout the Old Testament. The pattern "evening...morning" reflects the Hebrew reckoning of a day beginning at sunset.

The Six Days Pattern
  • Gen 1:5 — "day one" (יוֹם אֶחָד)
  • Gen 1:8 — "a second day"
  • Gen 1:31 — "the sixth day" (with article)
רוּחַ
ruach
H7307

Spirit / Wind / Breath

In Genesis 1:2, "the Spirit of God" (רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים) hovers over the waters. Ruach can mean wind, breath, or spirit depending on context. Here, paired with Elohim, it clearly refers to the Holy Spirit actively present in creation—the third Person of the Trinity at work.

In Creation
  • Gen 1:2 — "The Spirit of God hovering"
  • Gen 2:7 — "breathed...the breath of life"
אָדָם
adam
H120

Man / Mankind / Adam

Used both generically for "mankind" and as the proper name of the first man. Related to adamah (ground/earth), reflecting that man was formed from the dust of the ground. Also possibly related to adom (red), referring to the reddish clay from which Adam was formed.

First Appearances
  • Gen 1:26 — "Let Us make man" (generic)
  • Gen 2:7 — "formed the man" (specific)
  • Gen 2:20 — "Adam" (proper name)
אֲדָמָה
adamah
H127

Ground / Earth / Soil

The ground or soil from which man (adam) was formed. The wordplay between adam and adamah establishes man's connection to the earth—both his origin and his responsibility to cultivate it. This connection is later reflected in the curse (Gen 3:17-19).

Key Occurrences
  • Gen 2:5 — "no man to till the ground"
  • Gen 2:7 — "dust from the ground"
  • Gen 2:9 — "out of the ground...every tree"
צֶלֶם
tselem
H6754

Image

"In Our image" — tselem refers to a representation or likeness, like a statue. Man is created as God's representative on earth, bearing His image in rational thought, moral capacity, relational nature, and creative ability. This forms the basis for human dignity and the dominion mandate.

The Imago Dei
  • Gen 1:26 — "in Our image"
  • Gen 1:27 — "in the image of God"
  • Gen 9:6 — "in the image of God He made man"
דְּמוּת
demuth
H1823

Likeness

"According to Our likeness" — demuth indicates similarity or resemblance. Used alongside tselem, it clarifies that man is like God (not identical) in certain capacities. Together, these terms establish mankind as God's unique representative in creation.

In Genesis
  • Gen 1:26 — "according to Our likeness"
  • Gen 5:1 — "in the likeness of God"
  • Gen 5:3 — "in his own likeness" (Adam to Seth)
טוֹב
tov
H2896

Good

Repeated seven times in Genesis 1 (verses 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31), with the climactic "very good" (טוֹב מְאֹד — tov meod) in verse 31. Tov indicates that creation functioned exactly as God intended— complete, proper, and pleasing to the Creator.

The Seven "Good" Declarations
  • Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25 — "it was good"
  • Gen 1:31 — "it was very good"
שָׁבַת
shabat
H7673

Ceased / Rested

The verb from which "Sabbath" derives. It means to cease, stop, or desist from labor—not rest from fatigue but cessation from work. God's rest wasn't due to exhaustion but signified completion. This became the pattern for Israel's Sabbath observance (Exodus 20:11).

The Seventh Day
  • Gen 2:2 — "He ceased on the seventh day"
  • Gen 2:3 — "He ceased from all His work"
  • Exod 20:11 — "the LORD rested the seventh day"
יהוה
YHWH (Jehovah)
H3068

The LORD (Covenant Name)

The personal, covenant name of God, first appearing in Genesis 2:4 as "Jehovah God" (יהוה אֱלֹהִים). While Elohim emphasizes God as Creator, YHWH reveals Him as the covenant-keeping God who relates personally to mankind. The name derives from "I AM" (Exodus 3:14).

Introduction in Genesis 2
  • Gen 2:4 — "Jehovah God was making"
  • Gen 2:7 — "Jehovah God formed the man"
  • Gen 2:8 — "Jehovah God planted a garden"

Genesis Chapter 1

Creation of Heaven and Earth, light, the heavens, land and vegetation, sun, moon, and stars, fish and fowl, beasts and cattle, man in image of God.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth;
2 and the earth being without form and empty, and darkness being on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovering on the face of the waters,
3 and God said, Let light be! And there was light. Day 1
4 And God saw the light, that it was good, and God separated between the light and between the darkness.
5 And God called the light, Day. And He called the darkness, Night. And it was evening, and it was morning, day one.
6 And God said, Let an expanse be in the midst of the waters, and let it be dividing between the waters and waters. Day 2
7 And God made the expanse, and He separated between the waters which were under the expanse and the waters which were above the expanse. And it was so.
8 And God called the expanse, Heavens. And it was evening, and it was morning, a second day.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be collected to one place, and let the dry land be seen. And it was so. Day 3
10 And God called the dry land, Earth. And He called the collection of the waters, Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, Let the earth cause to sprout grass, the plant seeding seed, the fruit tree producing fruit according to its kind, which seed is in it on the earth. And it was so.
12 And the earth bore grass, the green plant seeding seed according to its kind, and the fruit tree producing fruit according to its kind, which seed is in it. And God saw that it was good.
13 And it was evening, and it was morning, a third day.
14 And God said, Let luminaries be in the expanse of the heavens, to divide between the day and between the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years. Day 4
15 And let them be for luminaries in the expanse of the heavens, to give light on the earth. And it was so.
16 And God made the two great luminaries: the great luminary to rule the day, and the small luminary and the stars to rule the night.
17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens, to give light on the earth,
18 and to rule over the day and over the night; and to divide between the light and between the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19 And it was evening, and it was morning, a fourth day.
20 And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarmers having a soul of life; and let the birds fly over the earth and the expanse of the heavens. Day 5
21 And God created the great sea monsters, and all that moves, having a living body, which abounds the waters, according to its kind; and every bird with wing according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas; and let the birds multiply in the earth.
23 And it was evening, and it was morning, a fifth day.
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living soul according to its kind: cattle, and creepers, and the living things of the earth, according to their kind. And it was so. Day 6
25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to its kind, and cattle according to its kind, and every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 And God said, let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing creeping on the earth.
27 And God created the man in His own image; in the image of God He created him. He created them male and female.
28 And God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the seas, and over birds of the heavens, and over every living creature moving on the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every green plant seeding seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree which is in it, the fruit of the tree seeding seed; it shall be food for you.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to all birds of the heavens, and to every creeping thing on the earth which is in it having a living soul, every green plant is for food. And it was so.
31 And God saw all that He had made and behold, it was very good. And it was evening, and it was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis Chapter 2

The first Sabbath, manner of the creation, planting of the Garden of Eden, river out of Eden, tree of knowledge forbidden, naming of the creatures, making of woman and marriage.
1 And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their host. Day 7
2 And on the seventh day God completed His work that He had made. And He ceased on the seventh day from all His work that He had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for He ceased from all His work on it, which God had created to bring forth.
4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created in the day that Jehovah God was making earth and heavens.
5 And every shrub of the field was not yet on the earth, and every green plant of the field had not yet sprung up; for Jehovah God had not sent rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground.
6 And mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.
7 And Jehovah God formed the man out of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
8 And Jehovah God planted a garden in Eden to the east; and He put the man whom He had formed there.
9 And out of the ground Jehovah God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food. And the Tree of Life was also in the middle of the garden, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it was divided and became four heads.
11 The name of the first was Pishon; it is the one surrounding all the land of Havilah where gold is;
12 the gold of that land is good; there is bdellium gum resin, and the onyx stone.
13 And the name of the second river is Gihon. It is the one surrounding all the land of Cush.
14 And the name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one going east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 And Jehovah God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden, to work it and to keep it.
16 And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Eating you may eat of every tree in the garden;
17 but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil you may not eat, for in the day of the eating of it, dying you shall die.
18 And Jehovah God said, It is not good, the man being alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.
19 And Jehovah God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the heavens out of the ground. And He brought each one to the man, to see what he would call it. And all that the man might call it, each living soul, that was its name.
20 And the man called names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the heavens, and to every animal of the field. But no helper corresponding to him was found for a man.
21 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept. And He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead of it.
22 And Jehovah God formed the rib which He had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man.
23 And the man said, This now, at last, is bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh. For she shall be called Woman, because this has been taken out of man.
24 Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they shall become one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.

💡 Theological Themes

🔺 The Trinity in Creation

All three Persons of the Godhead are present: God (Elohim) creates, the Spirit (Ruach) hovers over the waters, and the Word speaks creation into being ("God said"). John 1:1-3 reveals Christ as the agent of creation: "All things were made through Him."

👤 The Image of God (Imago Dei)

Mankind alone is created in God's image (tselem) and likeness (demuth). This includes rational thought, moral capacity, relational nature, and creative ability. The image of God establishes human dignity, purpose, and the basis for the dominion mandate.

👑 The Dominion Mandate

Man is given authority to "have dominion" over creation and to "subdue" the earth. This is stewardship, not exploitation—man rules as God's vice-regent, responsible to cultivate, protect, and manage creation for God's glory.

💍 Marriage Instituted

Genesis 2:24 establishes marriage as God's design: one man, one woman, becoming one flesh. The pattern is leaving (family of origin), cleaving (covenant commitment), and becoming one flesh (physical and spiritual union). Jesus quotes this as authoritative in Matthew 19:4-6.

📅 The Sabbath Pattern

God's rest on the seventh day establishes the pattern of work and rest. The Sabbath is later codified in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11), grounded explicitly in creation. Hebrews 4 reveals a greater "Sabbath rest" that remains for God's people in Christ.

🌱 "According to Its Kind"

The phrase "according to its kind" (לְמִינוֹ — lemino) appears 10 times, establishing that God created distinct categories of life that reproduce within their kinds. This indicates order, design, and boundaries in creation.

✨ Creation by the Word

"And God said" appears 10 times in Genesis 1. God creates by speaking—His word has creative power. Psalm 33:6 affirms: "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made." This connects to Christ as the eternal Word (John 1:1-3).

✅ The Goodness of Creation

God pronounces His creation "good" seven times, culminating in "very good." This refutes ancient and modern heresies that view matter as inherently evil. The physical world is God's good creation, corrupted by sin but destined for redemption.

📚 Study Notes

Two Accounts or One?

Genesis 1 and 2 are not contradictory accounts but complementary perspectives. Chapter 1 gives the cosmic overview of creation week; Chapter 2 zooms in on Day 6, providing detailed narrative of man's creation and the Garden of Eden. The shift from "Elohim" to "Jehovah Elohim" in 2:4 signals a change in focus from God as Creator to God as Covenant Lord relating personally to mankind.

The Significance of Naming

In Hebrew thought, naming indicates authority and understanding of nature. God names the major realms (Day, Night, Heavens, Earth, Seas), demonstrating His sovereignty. Adam names the animals, exercising the dominion mandate. When Adam names his wife "Woman" (אִשָּׁה — ishshah) from "Man" (אִישׁ — ish), he recognizes their essential unity and difference.

The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge

Two special trees stand in the garden's center: the Tree of Life (access to eternal life) and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (the test of obedience). The prohibition against the latter was a test of trust and obedience—would man live by God's word or seek autonomous knowledge? The Tree of Life reappears in Revelation 22, restored in the New Creation.

The Four Rivers

The Tigris (Hiddekel) and Euphrates are identifiable rivers in Mesopotamia. The Pishon and Gihon are debated—possibly pre-Flood geography drastically altered. The description emphasizes Eden's abundance (gold, bdellium, onyx) and its role as the source of life-giving water flowing out to the world.

🔬 Literary Structure

The Forming and Filling Pattern

Genesis 1 follows a remarkable structure: Days 1-3 involve forming (creating realms/spaces), while Days 4-6 involve filling those realms with inhabitants. Each "forming" day corresponds to its "filling" day.

Day Forming (Days 1-3) Day Filling (Days 4-6)
1 Light & Darkness separated 4 Sun, Moon, Stars (light-bearers)
2 Waters above & below separated (Sky) 5 Birds (sky) & Fish (waters)
3 Land & Seas separated; Vegetation 6 Land animals & Man

The Refrain Pattern

Genesis 1 uses a consistent literary pattern for each day of creation:

Element Formula Occurrences
Announcement "And God said..." 10 times
Command "Let there be..." / "Let the..." 8 times
Fulfillment "And it was so" 7 times
Evaluation "And God saw that it was good" 7 times
Naming/Blessing "And God called..." / "And God blessed..." Variable
Conclusion "And it was evening...morning, day X" 6 times

Genesis 2:4 — The Toledot Formula

"These are the generations (toledot) of the heavens and the earth..." marks a structural division. The word toledot (תּוֹלְדוֹת) means "generations" or "account" and appears 11 times in Genesis as a structural marker. This formula introduces what follows from or comes out of what was just described— here, the detailed account that develops from the creation summary.

Numerical Patterns

Number Significance
7 Days of creation; "good" declarations; completion/perfection
10 "God said" statements; "according to its kind" phrases
3 Uses of bara (create): cosmos, sea life, man
35 Occurrences of "Elohim" in Genesis 1:1-2:3 (5 × 7)

Genesis 1 Focus

  • Cosmic perspective
  • Elohim (God as Creator)
  • Ordered, structured, liturgical
  • Mankind created male and female
  • Dominion mandate emphasized
  • Culminates in Sabbath rest

Genesis 2 Focus

  • Garden/local perspective
  • Jehovah Elohim (Covenant Lord)
  • Narrative, intimate, relational
  • Man formed, then woman from man
  • Cultivation mandate emphasized
  • Culminates in marriage