Knowra Genesis creation narrative Genesis creation narrative The opening chapters of Genesis recount God creating the heavens, earth, living things, and humanity. They include two distinct creation accounts, in Genesis 1:1–2:3 and Genesis 2:4–25.
Genesis 1 : The first chapter of Genesis presents God creating the world in six days and resting on the seventh. This chapter contains the ordered creation sequence and the seventh-day rest.
Creation by divine speech : The idea that God brings creation into being or order through spoken commands. In Genesis 1, repeated commands introduce acts of creation and separation.
Documentary hypothesis : A scholarly model proposing that the Pentateuch combines multiple written sources or traditions. It explains differences between Genesis's creation accounts through distinct sources.
Imago Dei : A theological doctrine that human beings bear God's image and therefore possess distinctive dignity or vocation. It develops the theological significance of Genesis's claim that humanity is made in God's image.
Atrahasis Epic : An Akkadian epic recounting humanity's creation, the gods' labor, and a devastating flood. Its creation story offers a Mesopotamian comparison for Genesis's account of human origins.
Genesis 2 : The second chapter of Genesis describes the formation of the human, the garden of Eden, and the creation of woman. Its account focuses on humanity, the garden, and relationships rather than a cosmic sequence.
Firmament : The expanse in ancient cosmologies understood to separate waters above from waters below. Genesis 1 describes this expanse as part of the ordering of the world.
Genesis 1 and 2 creation accounts : The paired creation narratives in Genesis, distinguished by their sequence, style, and focus. Their differences are central to interpreting the opening chapters as one or more accounts.
Human stewardship : The idea that humans are responsible for caring for the Earth and its living things. Interpretations of humanity's dominion in Genesis often frame debates about care for creation.
Enki and Ninmah : A Sumerian myth in which gods create humans to take over labor from the deities. It offers a distinct ancient account of why humans were created.
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