Genesis

Biblical Exegesis

Genesis

ATTENTION BIBLE STUDENTS:

My translation of this book from the original languages is provided below. Everything inside brackets is commentary that is meant to assist the reader in understanding certain doctrines and concepts germaine to the context.

My Technical Analysis, Translation Notes, and Relevant Highlights from famous commentators are available in PDF form on the DOWNLOAD page. You may access this document in a separate browser window through the link below. A list of resources is also provided at the bottom of this page should you wish to pursue reading on your own.

KJV = King James Version (committee effort)

LWB = My translation & occasional notes

CLICK HERE to open Commentary of Genesis 1:1 - 2:4 (in separate browser window)

Gen. 1:1 In the beginning [of the universe, setting the clock in motion] God created out of nothing the heavens and the earth.

Gen. 1:2 But the earth became waste and void [ruined & despoiled], including darkness [sinister gloom] upon the surface of the primeval ocean. Then [initiating restoration] the Spirit of God hovered above the surface of the waters.

Gen. 1:3 And then God verbally commanded: “Light, come forth,” and light came forth [penetrating the darkness].

Gen. 1:4 Moreover, God enjoyed looking at the light: a truly good [advantageous, useful] thing. Then God separated the interval of light from the interval of darkness.

Gen. 1:5 And God named the light, day, and He named the darkness, night. Then it became evening, and then it became morning: one day.

Gen. 1:6 And then God verbally commanded: “Atmosphere, come forth from the midst of the waters, and become a space [wall or interval] between the waters [in the upper atmosphere] and the waters [on the surface of the earth].”

Gen. 1:7 And God restored the atmosphere and separated with a space [interval or expanse] the waters which were underneath the atmosphere [on the surface of planet earth] from the waters which were above the atmosphere [water vapor and clouds]. And it became just so [as originally designed].

Gen. 1:8 And God named the atmosphere [expanse], heavens. And evening came forth and then morning came forth: the second day [of restoration].

Gen. 1:9 Then God verbally commanded: “Waters underneath the atmosphere [on the surface of planet Earth], be gathered together in one place, and dry land appear.” And it became just so [as originally designed].

Gen. 1:10 And God named the dry land, earth, and the accumulation of the waters He named seas. And God enjoyed looking at a truly good thing [beautiful and necessary for man’s ability to inhabit the planet].

Gen. 1:11 Then God verbally commanded: “Earth, sprout fresh vegetation; seasonal plants, keep on producing seed; fruit trees, keep on bearing fruit, with seed on the inside according to species, above the ground.” And it became just so [as originally designed].

Gen. 1:12 And the earth brought forth fresh vegetation, seasonal plants kept on producing seed according to species, and the fruit tree kept on bearing fruit with seed on the inside according to species. And God enjoyed looking at a truly good thing [beautiful and necessary for man’s ability to inhabit the planet].

Gen. 1:13 And evening came forth and then morning came forth: the third day [of restoration].

Gen. 1:14 Then God verbally commanded: “Luminaries, come forth into the upper atmosphere of the heavens to separate the interval day [sun] from the interval night [moon, stars, planets] and become signs [reminders of extraordinary events] and appointed times [seasons], as well as days and years.

Gen. 1:15 Also, become luminaries in the upper atmosphere of the heavens for the purpose of providing light [shining] upon the earth.” And it became just so [as originally designed].

Gen. 1:16 And God restored from existing materials two great luminaries: the larger and more intense luminary [the sun] with dominion over the day and the smaller and less intense luminary [the moon] with dominion over the night, including the stars.

Gen. 1:17 And God placed [arranged] them [the luminaries] in the upper atmosphere of the heavens for the purpose of providing light upon the earth,

Gen. 1:18 And to exercise dominion over the day and the night, and to separate the interval of light from the interval of darkness. And God enjoyed looking at a truly good thing [beautiful and necessary for man’s ability to inhabit the planet].

Gen. 1:19 And evening came forth and then morning came forth: the fourth day [of restoration].

Gen. 1:20 Then God verbally commanded: “Waters, swarm with living, breathing, swarming things [marine life], and winged creatures [birds & insects], fly around above the surface of the earth in the lower atmosphere of the heaven [sky].”

Gen. 1:21 Now God created out of nothing huge whales and every kind of living, breathing, swarming thing [marine life] which the waters are teeming with according to their species, and every kind of winged creature [birds & insects] according to species. And God enjoyed looking at a truly good thing [beautiful and necessary for man’s ability to inhabit the planet].

Gen. 1:22 And God blessed them, commanding: “Reproduce and become numerous, and fill the waters in the seas. And flying creatures [birds & insects], become numerous above the earth.“

Gen. 1:23 And evening came forth and then morning came forth: the fifth day [of restoration].

Gen. 1:24 Then God verbally commanded: “Earth, bring forward the living, breathing creature according to species: the domesticated animal [cattle, sheep] and reptile and wild beast upon the earth according to species.” And it became just so [as originally designed].

Gen. 1:25 And God made according to a previous pattern [in the original Gen. 1:1 creation] the non-hooved animal [lion, wolf, squirrel] on the earth according to species, and the hooved animal [cattle, sheep, horse] according to species, and all types of reptile on the earth according to their species. And God enjoyed looking at a truly good thing [beautiful and necessary for man’s ability to inhabit the planet].

Gen. 1:26 Then God said: “We [Father, Son, Spirit] will make according to a pattern, man, according to Our [Trinity] image, after Our [Trinity] likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the flying creatures [birds & insects] of the sky and the hooved animals [cattle, sheep, horses] and over all the earth and over all the reptiles which creep upon the earth.”

Gen. 1:27 Then God [Jesus Christ] created man out of nothing according to an image. According to the image of God He created him out of nothing. Male and female He created them out of nothing.

Gen. 1:28 And God blessed them and God commanded: “Be fruitful and become numerous and fill [populate] the earth. In addition, subdue it and rule over the fish of the sea and the flying creatures [birds & insects] of the sky and every animal which creeps upon the earth.”

Gen. 1:29 Then God announced: “Behold, I have given to you every green plant which yields seed, which exists upon the surface of the entire earth, including every kind of tree which yields fruit with seed. It [earth’s vegetation] will be food for you.

Gen. 1:30 And to every animal of the earth and to every flying creature [birds & insects] of the sky and to every thing which creeps on the earth which has life: every kind of green plant for food.” And it became just so [as originally designed].

Gen. 1:31 And God enjoyed looking at everything which He had made according to pattern [divine design] and considered it [the entire creation] a truly good thing in the highest degree. And evening came forth and then morning came forth: the sixth day [of restoration].

Gen. 2:1 And so the heavens and the earth were completed, including all the hosts [the sun, moon, and stars in the heavens as well as the living creatures on earth].

Gen. 2:2 And by the seventh day God completed the work [restoration] which He had made according to pattern [divine design], and then He ceased on the seventh day from all the work which He had made according to pattern [divine design].

Gen. 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because He had ceased from all the work which God had created out of nothing or had made according to pattern [divine design].

Gen. 2:4 These are the generations [original creation and restoration] of the heavens and the earth, from when they were created out of nothing [the original creation in Gen. 1:1] to the day when the Lord God [Yahweh Elohim] made the earth and the heavens according to a pattern [end of the restoration in Gen. 2:1].

Resources

Genesis 1-11, Claus Westermann, 1994, Fortress Press

Creation, Chaos, & Restoration, Robert B. Thieme, Jr., 1995, Berachah Church, Houston, TX

Genesis, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, 2002, Hendricksen Publishers

Genesis: Expository Outlines on the Whole Bible, Charles Simeon, 1956, Zondervan Publishing House

Genesis: The Sermon Outline Bible, W. Robertson Nicoll, 1987, Baker Book House

Genesis: The Pulpit Commentary, Thomas Whitelaw, 1961, Wm. B. Eerdman’s Publishing

A Critical & Exegetical Commentary on Genesis, John Skinner, 1963, Edinburgh T&T Clark

Genesis, Derek Kidner, 1967, Inter-Varsity Press

Genesis: Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Merrill F. Unger, 1981, Moody Press

Genesis in the Light of the New Testament, F.W. Grant, Loizeaux Brothers

Genesis: Beginning & Blessing, R. Kent Hughes, 2004, Crossway Books

Genesis, John J. Scullion, 1992, The Liturgical Press

A New Commentary on Genesis, Franz Delitzsch, 1978, Klock & Klock Publishers

Primeval and Patriarchal: Bible Story and Study, W. Graham Scroggie, 1911, S.W. Partridge & Co.

Genesis: The New Bible Commentary, Meredith G. Kline, 1970, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Genesis Unbound, John Sailhamer, 1996, Multnomah Books

Exposition of Genesis, H.C. Leopold, Wartburg Press

Understanding Genesis, Ken Ham & Gary Parker, 1986, Creation Science Foundation: 10 VHS series

The Origin of Old-Earth Geology & Christian Compromise in the Early 19^th Century, Terry Mortenson, 2003, Answers in Genesis: 2 DVD series

The Implications of Evolution, G.A. Kerkut, 1960, Pergamon Press

The King of The Earth: The High Calling of Man According to the Bible and Science, Erich Sauer, 1981, Ronald N. Haynes Publishers

The Study of Nature and Christ, F. Bettex, 1923, Striegau

Gleanings in Genesis, Arthur W. Pink, 1981, Moody Press

Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, E.W. Bullinger, 1993, Baker Books

Genesis, H.L. Ellison,1979, Zondervan Publishers

Genesis, Allen P. Ross, 1985, Bible Knowledge Commentary

The Invisible War, Donald G. Barnhouse, 1965, Zondervan Publishing House

Exploring Genesis, 1980, John Phillips, Moody Press

Notes on Genesis, George Bush, 1979, James Family Christian Publishers

The Creation Account in Genesis 1:1-3, Bruce K. Waltke, 1975, Bibliotheca Sacra 132

The Days of Creation in Genesis 1: Literal Days or Figurative Periods/Epochs of Time, Gerhard F. Hasel, 1994, Andrews University

Upsetting the World, Doug Wilson, Tabletalk Magazine

The Nature of the Stratigraphical Record, Derek Ager, 1981, MacMillian

Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Charles H. Spurgeon, 1886

Evangelical Lap Dogs, R.C. Sproul, Tabletalk Magazine, 2002

Earth’s Earliest Ages and Their Connection with Modern Spiritualism and Theosophy, G.H. Pember, 1979, Kregel Publications

Modern Science and the Genesis Record, Harry Rimmer, 1941, Eerdmans Publishing

Genesis: An Expositional Commentary, James Montgomery Boice, 1982, Zondervan Publishing House

The Genesis Flood: The Biblical Record and Its Scientific Implications, John C. Whitcomb & Henry M. Morris, 1961, Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing

The Biblical Story of Creation: In Light of the Recently Discovered Bablylonian Documents, Giorgio Bartoli, 1926, Harper & Brothers Publishers

Evolution or Creation?, Arthur C. Custance, 1979, Zondervan Publishing House

Genesis and Early Man, Arthur C. Custance, 1975, Academie Books

What is Creation Science? Henry M. Morris, Gary E. Parker, 1987, Master Books

Christian Theology, Millard J. Erickson, 1996, Baker Book House

Unformed and Unfilled, Weston W. Fields, 1976, Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing (not recommended)

Creation and Time, Hugh Ross, 1994, Navpress (not recommended)

After Babel: Aspects of Language and Translation, George Steiner, 1975, Oxford University Press

The Evolution Handbook, Vance Ferrell, 2006, Evolution Facts, Inc.

Satan: His Motive and Methods, Lewis Sperry Chafer, 1964, Zondervan Books

The Young Earth, John D. Morris, 1994, Master Books

The Lie: Evolution, Ken Ham, 1997, Master Books

The Prophecy of Isaiah, J. Alec Motyer, 1993, InterVarsity Press

Darwin’s Leap of Faith: Exposing the False Religion of Evolution, John Ankerberg & John Weldon, 1998, Harvest House Publishers

The Conflict of the Ages: The Mystery of Lawlessness – Its Origin, Historic Development and Coming Defeat, Arno Clemens Gaebelein, 1933, Our Hope Publications

God’s Plan of the Ages, Louis T. Talbot, 1980, Wm. B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company

In Six Days: Why 50 Scientists Choose To Believe in Creation, John F. Ashton, 2005, Master Books

Darwin on Trial, Phillip E. Johnson, 1993, InverVarsity Press

Thousands … Not Billions: Challenging an Icon of Evolution, Questioning the Age of the Earth, Don DeYoung, 2005, Master Books

Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution, Michael J. Behe, 1996, The Free Press

Bones of Contention: A Creationist Assessment of Human Fossils, Marvin L. Lubenow, 1992, Baker Book House

In The Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood, Walt Brown, 1996, Center for Scientific Creation

Overrun by Demons: The Church’s New Preoccupation With the Demonic, Thomas Ice & Robert Dean, Jr., 1990, Harvest House Publishers

Systematic Theology, Lewis Sperry Chafer, 1993, Kregel Publications

The Spirit World, Clarence Larkin, 1921, Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate

Systematic Theology, Louis Berkof, 1949, Wm. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

The “Young Earth” Theory or Philosophy Exposed as Fraudulent, Max D. Younce, Heritage Baptist Bible Church, Walnut Grove, MN

The Dawn of World Redemption, Erich Sauer, 1951, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Introduction to Hebrew, Moshe Greenberg, 1965, Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Romance of Bible Chronology Vol 1: Martin Anstey Part 3, Period I. The Patriarchs – Genesis. Chapter IV. The Ante-diluvian Patriarchs from Adam to Noah

Genesis One Reconsidered, D.F. Payne, 1964, Tyndale Press

To Gap or Not To Gap? A Study of Genesis 1:1-2, David F. Reagan, www.learnthebible.org

The Satanic Rebellion: The Genesis Gap, Robert D. Luginbill

Implications of Various Interpretations of the Fossil Record, Ariel A. Roth, Geoscience Research Institute, Volume 7, No. 2

Christian Geology: Science and Scripture, www.christiangeology.com

The Conflict From Eden to Eternity, Jared F. Gerig, 1990, Bethel Publishing

What Says Scripture?, John H. Stek, Portraits of Creation

How To Enjoy the Bible, E.W. Bullinger, 1990, Kregel Publications

Basic Bible Interpretation, Roy B. Zuck, 1991, Victor Books

Revelation and Inspiration, Benjamin B. Warfield, 2003, Book I of his Works, Baker Books

Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, Michael Denton, 1985, Burnett Books

Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity, J.P. Moreland, 1991, Baker Book House

Genesis: Abingdon Bible Commentarhy, Theodore H. Robinson, 1957, Doubleday & Company, Inc.

The Witness of the Stars, E.W. Bullinger, 1981, Kregel Publications

The Gospel in the Stars, Joseph A. Seiss, 1978, Kregel Publications

Anatomie der Menschlichen Destruktivitat, Erich Fromm, 1977, Reinbeck bei Hamburg

The Natural Sciences Know Nothing of Evolution, A.E. Wilder Smith, 1981, Master Books

The Bible and Modern Science, L. Merson Davies, 1936, Pickering & Inglis

Modern Science and The Genesis Record, Harry Rimmer, 1945, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

The Primeval Revelation in Myths and in Genesis: A Dynamic Subject Much Neglected by Theologians, Anthony Zimmerman, 1999, University Press of America, Inc.

The Geology of England and Wales, W.D. Conybeare & William Phillips, 1978, Arno Press

Essay on the Theory of the Earth, Georges Cuvier, 1817

The Religion of Geology and Its Connected Sciences, Edward Hitchcock, 1939, James Blackwood & Co.

The Six Days of Creation, or the Scriptural Cosmology, With the Ancient Idea of a Plurality of Time-Worlds in Distinction From Worlds in Space, Tayler Lewis, 1855, G.Y. Van Debogert Publishers

Defense of the Gap Theory: The Theological and Geological Issues, Gaines Johnson, 2007. www.christiangeology.com

Genesis 1-15, Word Biblical Commentary, Gordon J. Wenham, 1987, Word Books, Publisher

Genesis, Bruce K. Waltke, 2001, Zondervan Publishing