The First Creation Story
CREATION OF WORLD, TIME, AND LIFE (1:1–2:3)
Genesis 1 unfolds in a rhythmic, poetic fashion, depicting an orderly creation of the world and life in six days. Genesis does not offer a scientific account of creation but an interpretation and a systerm of values that encodes from the start three essential ideas: the power of language, especially God’s word; the goodness of God’s world; and the orderly nature of the world. Creating the world begins with a series of separations—from chaos to differentiated bodies—that, with one exception (day 2), are pronounced as “good.” In the first three days God creates a context for life. In the last three God creates heavenly and earthly bodies to inhabit the space. The movement of each day, from evening to morning, replicates a journey from darkness to light.
When God was about to create. The more familiar expression “In the beginning” has been replaced by the more accurate translation. As Rashi noted, the opening verses do not claim creation out of nothing.