A Click-Bait Listicle: Seven Things You Didn’t Know about Genesis chapter 1!

genesis-hebrew2I hate click-baity listicles, especially the ones that make you click for each new picture. So I figured, why not do a click-baity listicle? These are just as likely to help you lose weight as any of those others, even if I don’t offer “this one weird trick.” So, here you go.

  1. Genesis 1 really likes the number 7. Can you spot all the multiples of 7 in there?
  2. As we have it today, Genesis 1 is the work of Israelite priests, not Moses.
  3. Genesis 1 doesn’t portray the creation of a lone human couple but humanity in general.
  4. The created humans are commanded to be vegetarian.
  5. The “days” of Genesis 1 are actual 24-hour days but don’t have anything to do with the age of the earth. Indeed, Genesis 1 isn’t even about physical/scientific origins.
  6. Genesis 1 is only 1 of 3 creation stories/themes in the Old Testament, and they’re far from consistent with each other
  7. The Bible devotes more than 12x as much space to the story of Joseph in Egypt than to creation in Genesis 1.

I’ll post a follow-up explaining these. In the meantime, they also get explanations and commentary in the books I’ve recommended.

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6 Comments

  1. You’ll be amazed by number 4!

  2. I just started reading Priestly Vision of Genesis 1, by Mark Smith. I knew most of the items on your list, and after reading chapter 1 of Priestly Vision, I finally understand what you mean with item number 6. Fabulous book so far. Thanks for the recommendation, Ben!

  3. Fortunately, modern revelation has allowed us to have a hamburger now and then.

  4. They are vegetarians while in the Garden of Eden; after they leave the garden they are omnivores! Ever try plowing, planting, and harvesting by hand on a vegetarian diet? Can’t be done. Do you think they offered meat sacrifices and didn’t eat meat? Think again.

  5. In Gen 1 the first 3 days could not be “24 hour periods” because there was no sun to count 24 hours with until day 4.

  6. Jiminy Brunswick

    January 9, 2018 at 3:52 pm

    Curious to know your evidence for #5.