Names of the Book
English: | Genesis |
Hebrew: | בּראשׁית |
Transliterated: | Bereshit ("In the beginning") |
Other names: |
Who
Wrote the book: | Moses |
Are the key people: | Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, Rachel, Leah, Josef |
Is it written to: | The people of Israel |
What
The Creation and the story of Adam (Genesis 1:1-5:32) |
The Flood and the story of Noach (Genesis 6:1-11:32) |
The Promise and the story of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov (Genesis 12:1-36:43) |
The Salvation and the story of Yosef (Genesis 37:1-50:26) |
When
Was it written: | c 1476-1436 BCE |
Did the events occur: | c 3924-1615 BCE |
Was it canonized: | c 499-100 BCE |
(see the Timeline of the Tanakh) |
Where
Was it written: | At Mt. Sinai (Exodus 24:4) |
Did the events occur: | The garden of Eden, Ur, the Land of Israel, Egypt |
Why
Genesis was written to inform us that: |
G-d is the Creator. |
G-d is the Judge of all mankind. |
G-d is the Promise-maker and the Promise-keeper. |
G-d is the Savior. |
Introduction
The book of Genesis is a narrative history that describes G-d's creation of the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them. It tells us about the beginning of everything and shows us that G-d is the Creator and Ruler of all. It also relates the tragedy of humanity's fall into sin and death and G-d's promise of redemption. This book relates the history of Adam and Eve and their descendants down through Noah and the time of the Flood. It also tells us about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and concludes with the life of Joseph and the people of Israel living in Egypt.
Scripture- Book Selection