The book of beginnings — creation, the fall, the flood, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
Key themes: creation, fall, covenant, promise, redemption.
| Author | Moses |
|---|---|
| Date Written | c. 1445–1405 BC |
| Original Audience | The nation of Israel |
Genesis — meaning 'beginning' — is the foundation of all Scripture and all human history. It opens with the majestic declaration 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth' and proceeds to answer the most fundamental human questions: Where did we come from? Why is there suffering? What is God's plan for humanity? The book divides naturally into two parts. The first eleven chapters are primeval history — Creation (chapters 1-2), the Fall (chapter 3), Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, and the Tower of Babel. The next 39 chapters are the patriarchal narratives — the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. God's covenant with Abraham in chapter 12 is the pivot of the entire Old Testament: 'I will make you a great nation... and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.' This promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Genesis contains the first prophecy of Christ (3:15 — the seed of the woman will crush the serpent's head), the first act of substitutionary sacrifice (22 — God provides a ram in place of Isaac), and the greatest statement of divine providence in all Scripture (50:20 — 'You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good'). Genesis is not merely ancient history — it is the prologue to the story God is still telling.
Read the Book of Genesis free online — no ads, no subscription, no account required. Available in King James Version, World English Bible, Geneva Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Translation, and American Standard Version.
Open the Book of Genesis on The Living Sword — with cross-references, word-by-word Greek/Hebrew study tools, and AI scripture companion.