Bible Book Number 1G

Bible Book Number 1—Genesis
Writer: Moses
Place Written: Wilderness
Writing Completed: 1513 B.C.E.
Time Covered: “In the beginning” to 1657 B.C.E.
IMAGINE picking up a book of only 50 short chapters and finding in the first page or two the only accurate account of the earliest history of man and a record showing the relationship of man to God, his Creator, as well as to the earth with its myriads of creatures! In those few pages, you gain, too, a deep insight into God’s purpose in putting man on earth. Reading a little farther, you discover why man dies and the reason for his present troubled condition, and you are enlightened regarding the real basis for faith and for hope, even regarding identifying God’s instrument for deliverance—the Seed of promise. The remarkable book that contains all these things is Genesis, the first of the 66 books of the Bible.
2 “Genesis” means “Origin; Birth,” the name being taken from the Greek Septuagint translation of the book. In the Hebrew manuscripts, the title is the opening word, Bere´·shith´, “in the beginning” (Greek, en ar·khei´). Genesis is the first book of the Pentateuch (an Anglicized Greek word meaning “five rolls” or “fivefold volume”). Evidently this was originally one book called the Torah (Law) or “the book of the law of Moses” but was later divided into the five rolls for easier handling.—Josh. 23:6; Ezra 6:18.
3 Jehovah God is the Author of the Bible, but he inspired Moses to write the book of Genesis. From where did Moses get the information he recorded in Genesis? Some could have been received directly by divine revelation and some, under the direction of holy spirit, through oral transmission. It is also possible that Moses possessed written documents preserved by his forefathers as precious, valuable records of the origins of mankind.
4 It was possibly in the wilderness of Sinai in 1513 B.C.E. that Moses, under inspiration, completed his writing. (2 Tim. 3:16; John 5:39, 46, 47) Where did Moses obtain the information for the last part of Genesis? Since his great-grandfather Levi was the half brother of Joseph, these details would be accurately known within his own family. Levi’s life may even have overlapped that of Moses’ father, Amram. Further, Jehovah’s spirit would again assure the correct recording of this portion of the Scriptures.—Ex. 6:16, 18, 20; Num. 26:59.
5 There is no question as to who wrote Genesis. “The book of the law of Moses” and similar references to the first five books of the Bible, of which Genesis is one, are to be found often from the time of Moses’ successor, Joshua, onward. In fact, there are some 200 references to Moses in 27 of the later Bible books. Moses’ writership has never been questioned by the Jews. The Christian Greek Scriptures make frequent mention of Moses as the writer of “the law,” the crowning testimony being that of Jesus Christ. Moses wrote at Jehovah’s direct command and under His inspiration.—Ex. 17:14; 34:27; Josh. 8:31; Dan. 9:13; Luke 24:27, 44.
6 Some skeptics have asked, But how were Moses and his predecessors able to write? Was not writing a later human development? Writing evidently had its start early in human history, perhaps before the Deluge of Noah’s day, which occurred in 2370 B.C.E. Is there any evidence of man’s early ability to write? While it is true that archaeologists have assigned dates earlier than 2370 B.C.E. to certain clay tablets that they have excavated, such dates are merely conjectural. However, it should be noted that the Bible clearly shows that the building of cities, the development of musical instruments, and the forging of metal tools had their start long before the Deluge. (Gen. 4:17, 21, 22) Reasonably, then, men would have had little difficulty in developing a method of writing.
7 In many other respects, Genesis has proved to be amazingly consistent with proved facts. It is only Genesis that gives a true and factual account of the Flood and its survivors, though accounts of a deluge and survival by humans (in many cases as a result of being preserved in a vessel) are found in the legends of many branches of the human family. The Genesis account also locates the beginnings of the dwellings of the different branches of mankind, stemming from the three sons of Noah—Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Says Dr. Melvin G. Kyle, of Xenia Theological Seminary, Missouri, U.S.A.: “That from a central point, somewhere in Mesopotamia, the Hamitic branch of the race migrated to the south-west, the Japhetic branch to the north-west, and the Semitic branch ‘eastward’ toward the ‘land of Shinar’ is indisputable.”
8 The authenticity of Genesis as part of the divine record is shown also by its internal harmony, as well as by its complete agreement with the remainder of the inspired Scriptures. Its candor reflects a writer who feared Jehovah and loved truth and who unhesitatingly wrote of the sins of both the nation and those prominent in Israel. Above all, the unswerving accuracy with which its prophecies have come to fulfillment, as will be shown toward the end of this chapter, marks Genesis as an outstanding example of a writing inspired by Jehovah God.—Gen. 9:20-23; 37:18-35; Gal. 3:8, 16.
CONTENTS OF GENESIS
9 Creation of the heavens and the earth, and the preparation of the earth for human habitation (1:1–2:25). Reaching back evidently through billions of years of time, Genesis opens with impressive simplicity: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Significantly, this opening sentence identifies God as the Creator and his material creation as the heavens and the earth. In majestic, well-chosen words, the first chapter continues on to give a general account of the creative work relative to the earth. This is accomplished in six time periods called days, each beginning with an evening, when the creative work for that period is undefined, and ending in the brightness of a morning, as the glory of the creative work becomes clearly manifest. On successive “days” appear the light; the expanse of the atmosphere; dry land and vegetation; the luminaries to divide day and night; fish and fowl; and land animals and finally man. God here makes known his law governing kinds, the impassable barrier making it impossible for one kind to evolve into another. Having made man in His own image, God announces His threefold purpose for man on earth: to fill it with righteous offspring, to subdue it, and to have in subjection the animal creation. The seventh “day” is blessed and pronounced sacred by Jehovah, who now proceeds ‘to rest from all his work that he has made.’ The account next gives a close-up, or magnified view, of God’s creative work as regards man. It describes the garden of Eden and its location, states God’s law of the forbidden tree, relates Adam’s naming of the animals, and then gives the account of Jehovah’s arranging the first marriage by forming a wife from Adam’s own body and bringing her to Adam.
10 Sin and death enter the world; “seed” foretold as deliverer (3:1–5:5). The woman eats the forbidden fruit and persuades her husband to join her in rebellion, and so Eden becomes defiled through disobedience. God immediately points to the means by which his purpose will be accomplished: “And Jehovah God proceeded to say to the serpent [Satan, the invisible instigator of the rebellion]: ‘ . . . And I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel.’” (3:14, 15) Man is expelled from the garden, to live in pain and sweatful toil among thorns and thistles. Finally, he must die and return to the ground from which he had been taken. Only his offspring may hope in the promised Seed.
11 The ravages of sin continue outside Eden. Cain, the first man-child born, becomes the murderer of his brother Abel, a faithful servant of Jehovah. Jehovah banishes Cain to the land of Fugitiveness, where he brings forth offspring later wiped out by the Deluge. Adam now has another son, Seth, who becomes father to Enosh; at this time men begin to call on the name of Jehovah in hypocrisy. Adam dies at 930 years of age.
12 Wicked men and angels ruin the earth; God brings the Deluge (5:6–11:9). The genealogy through Seth is here given. Outstanding among these descendants of Seth is Enoch, who sanctifies Jehovah’s name by “walking with the true God.” (5:22) The next man of notable faith is Enoch’s great-grandson Noah, born 1,056 years after Adam’s creation. During this time something occurs to increase the violence in the earth. Angels of God forsake their heavenly habitation to marry the good-looking daughters of men. This unauthorized cohabitation produces a hybrid race of giants known as the Nephilim (meaning “Fellers”), who make a name, not for God, but for themselves. Jehovah therefore announces to Noah that He is going to wipe out man and beast because of the continuing badness of mankind. Only Noah finds favor with Jehovah.
13 Noah becomes father to Shem, Ham, and Japheth. As violence and ruination continue in the earth, Jehovah reveals to Noah that He is about to sanctify His name by means of a great flood, and He commands Noah to build an ark of preservation, giving him detailed building plans. Noah promptly obeys and gathers his family of eight persons, together with beasts and birds; then, in the 600th year of his life (2370 B.C.E.), the Flood begins. The downpour continues for 40 days, until even the tall mountains are covered by as much as 15 cubits (c. 22 ft) of water. When, after one year, Noah is finally able to lead his family out of the ark, his first act is to offer a great sacrifice of thanksgiving to Jehovah.
14 Jehovah now blesses Noah and his family and commands them to fill the earth with their offspring. God’s decree gives permission to eat meat but demands abstinence from blood, which is the soul, or life, of the flesh, and requires the execution of a murderer. God’s covenant nevermore to bring a deluge upon the earth is confirmed by the appearance of the rainbow in the heavens. Later, Ham shows disrespect for Jehovah’s prophet Noah. Learning of this, Noah curses Ham’s son Canaan, but he adds a blessing showing that Shem will be specially favored and that Japheth also will be blessed. Noah dies at 950 years of age.
15 Noah’s three sons carry out God’s command to multiply, producing 70 families, the progenitors of the present human race. Nimrod, grandson of Ham, is not counted in, evidently because he becomes “a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.” (10:9) He sets up a kingdom and starts to build cities. At this time all the earth has one language. Instead of scattering over the earth to populate and cultivate it, men decide to build a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that they can make a celebrated name for themselves. However, Jehovah thwarts their intention by confusing their language, and so scatters them. The city is called Babel (meaning “Confusion”).
16 God’s dealings with Abraham (11:10–25:26). The important line of descent from Shem to Terah’s son Abram is traced, supplying also the chronological links. Instead of seeking a name for himself, Abram exercises faith in God. He leaves the Chaldean city of Ur at God’s command and, at 75 years of age, crosses the Euphrates on his way to the land of Canaan, calling on the name of Jehovah. Because of his faith and obedience, he comes to be called “Jehovah’s friend [lover],” and God establishes his covenant with him. (Jas. 2:23; 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8) God protects Abram and his wife during a brief stay in Egypt. Back in Canaan, Abram shows his generosity and peaceableness by allowing his nephew and fellow worshiper, Lot, to select the best part of the land. Later, he rescues Lot from four kings who have captured him. Then, returning from the fight, Abram meets Melchizedek, king of Salem, who as priest of God blesses Abram, and to whom Abram pays tithes.
17 God later appears to Abram, announcing that He is Abram’s shield and enlarging on the covenant promise by revealing that Abram’s seed will become as the stars of heaven for number. Abram is told that his seed will suffer affliction for 400 years but will be delivered by God, with judgment upon the afflicting nation. When Abram is 85 years old, Sarai his wife, still childless, gives him her Egyptian maidservant Hagar that he may have a child by her. Ishmael is born and is viewed as the possible heir. However, Jehovah purposes differently. When Abram is 99 years old, Jehovah changes his name to Abraham, changes Sarai’s name to Sarah, and promises that Sarah will bear a son. The covenant of circumcision is given to Abraham, and he immediately has his household circumcised.
18 God now announces to His friend Abraham His determination to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their heavy sin. Angels of Jehovah warn Lot and help him to flee from Sodom with his wife and two daughters. However, his wife, lingering to look at the things behind, becomes a pillar of salt. In order to procure offspring, Lot’s daughters get their father intoxicated with wine, and through intercourse with him, they bear two sons, who become the fathers of the nations of Moab and Ammon.
19 God protects Sarah from contamination by Abimelech of the Philistines. The promised heir, Isaac, is born when Abraham is 100 years old and Sarah about 90. Some five years after this, the 19-year-old Ishmael pokes fun at Isaac, the heir, resulting in the dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael, with God’s approval. Some years later, God tests Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice his son Isaac on one of the mountains of Moriah. Abraham’s great faith in Jehovah does not waver. He attempts to offer up his son and heir but is stopped by Jehovah, who provides a ram as a substitute sacrifice. Jehovah again confirms His promise to Abraham, saying that He will multiply Abraham’s seed like the stars of heaven and the grains of sand that are on the seashore. He shows that this seed will take possession of the gate of his enemies and that all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves by means of the Seed.
20 Sarah dies at the age of 127 and is buried in a field that Abraham buys from the sons of Heth. Abraham now sends his chief household servant to obtain a wife for Isaac from the country of his relatives. Jehovah guides the servant to the family of Nahor’s son Bethuel, and arrangements are made for Rebekah to return with him. Rebekah goes willingly, with her family’s blessing, and becomes the bride of Isaac. Abraham, on his part, takes another wife, Keturah, who bears him six sons. However, he gives these gifts and sends them away and makes Isaac his sole heir. Then, at the age of 175, Abraham dies.
21 As Jehovah had foretold, Isaac’s half brother Ishmael becomes the head of a great nation, founded upon his 12 chieftain-sons. For 20 years Rebekah remains barren, but Isaac keeps on entreating Jehovah, and she gives birth to twins, Esau and Jacob, of whom Jehovah had told her the older would serve the younger. Isaac is now 60 years old.
22 Jacob and his 12 sons (25:27–37:1). Esau becomes a lover of hunting. Failing to appreciate the covenant with Abraham, he returns from the hunt one day and sells his birthright to Jacob for a mere swallow of stew. He also marries two Hittite women (and later an Ishmaelite), who become a source of bitterness to his parents. With his mother’s assistance, Jacob disguises himself as Esau in order to obtain the firstborn’s blessing. Esau, who had not revealed to Isaac that he had sold the birthright, now plans to kill Jacob when he learns of what Jacob has done, so Rebekah advises that Jacob flee to Haran to her brother Laban. Before Jacob leaves, Isaac blesses him again and instructs him to take as a wife, not a pagan, but someone from his mother’s household. At Bethel, on his way to Haran, in a dream he sees Jehovah, who reassures him and confirms the covenant promise toward him.
23 At Haran, Jacob works for Laban, marrying his two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Though this polygamous marriage is brought on him by a trick of Laban, God blesses it by giving Jacob 12 sons and a daughter through the wives and their two maidservants, Zilpah and Bilhah. God sees to it that the flocks of Jacob increase greatly and then instructs him to return to the land of his forefathers. He is pursued by Laban, but they make a covenant at the place called Galeed and The Watchtower (Hebrew, ham·Mits·pah´). Resuming the journey, Jacob is reassured by angels and grapples at night with an angel, who finally blesses him and changes his name from Jacob to Israel. Jacob peacefully negotiates a meeting with Esau and travels on to Shechem. Here his daughter, Dinah, is violated by the Hivite chieftain’s son. Her brothers Simeon and Levi take revenge by slaughtering the men of Shechem. This displeases Jacob because it gives him, as a representative of Jehovah, a bad name in the land. God tells him to go to Bethel to make an altar there. On the trek out of Bethel, Rachel dies while bearing to Jacob his 12th son, Benjamin. Reuben violates Rachel’s maidservant, Bilhah, the mother of two of Jacob’s sons, and for this he forfeits the birthright. Soon afterward Isaac dies, at 180 years of age, and Esau and Jacob bury him.
24 Esau and his household move to the mountainous region of Seir, the accumulated wealth of Esau and Jacob being too great to permit their dwelling together any longer. The lists of Esau’s offspring as well as the sheiks and the kings of Edom are given. Jacob continues dwelling in Canaan.
25 To Egypt for the preservation of life (37:2–50:26). Because of Jehovah’s favor and some dreams that he causes Joseph to have, the older brothers come to hate Joseph. They scheme to kill him but instead sell him to some passing Ishmaelite merchants. Dipping Joseph’s striped garment in the blood of a goat, they present it to Jacob as evidence that the young lad of 17 has been killed by a wild beast. Joseph is taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, the chief of Pharaoh’s bodyguard.
26 Chapter 38 digresses momentarily to give the account of the birth of Perez to Tamar, who, by strategy, causes Judah her father-in-law to perform the marriage due toward her that should have been performed by his son. This account again underlines the extreme care with which the Scriptures record each development leading to the production of the Seed of promise. Judah’s son Perez becomes one of the ancestors of Jesus.—Luke 3:23, 33.
27 Meanwhile, Jehovah blesses Joseph in Egypt, and Joseph becomes great in Potiphar’s household. However, difficulty pursues him when he refuses to reproach God’s name by fornication with Potiphar’s wife, so he is falsely accused and thrown into prison. There he is used by Jehovah in interpreting the dreams of two fellow prisoners, Pharaoh’s cupbearer and his baker. Later, when Pharaoh has a dream that greatly worries him, Joseph’s ability is called to his attention, so that he is quickly brought to Pharaoh from his prison hole. Giving the credit to God, Joseph interprets the dream as forecasting seven years of plenty, to be followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh recognizes “the spirit of God” upon Joseph and appoints him prime minister to handle the situation. (Gen. 41:38) Now 30 years of age, Joseph administers wisely by storing up foodstuffs during the seven years of plenty. Then during the worldwide famine that follows, he sells the grain to the people of Egypt and of other nations who come to Egypt for food.
28 Eventually Jacob sends his ten older sons to Egypt for grain. Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognize him. Holding Simeon as hostage, he demands that they bring their youngest brother back with them on the next trip for grain. When the nine sons return with Benjamin, Joseph reveals himself, expresses forgiveness toward the ten guilty ones, and instructs them to get Jacob and move to Egypt for their welfare during the famine. Accordingly, Jacob, with 66 of his offspring, moves down to Egypt. Pharaoh gives them the best of the land, the land of Goshen, in which to dwell.
29 As Jacob draws close to death, he blesses Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, and then calls his own 12 sons together to tell them what will happen to them “in the final part of the days.” (49:1) He now gives in detail a series of prophecies, all of which have since come to remarkable fulfillment. Here he foretells that the scepter of rulership will remain in the tribe of Judah until the coming of Shiloh (meaning “He Whose It Is; He to Whom It Belongs”), the promised Seed. After thus blessing the heads of the 12 tribes and giving commands concerning his own future burial in the Land of Promise, Jacob dies at the age of 147 years. Joseph continues to care for his brothers and their households until his own death at 110 years of age, at which time he expresses his faith that God will again bring Israel into their land and requests that his bones too be taken to that Land of Promise.
WHY BENEFICIAL
30 As the beginning of the inspired Word of God, Genesis is of inestimable benefit in introducing the glorious purposes of Jehovah God. What a basis it provides for understanding the later Bible books! Within its broad scope, it describes the beginning and end of the righteous world in Eden, the development and disastrous flushing out of the first world of ungodly people, and the rise of the present evil world. Outstandingly, it sets the theme for the entire Bible, namely, the vindication of Jehovah through the Kingdom ruled by the promised “seed.” It shows why man dies. From Genesis 3:15 forward—and especially in the record of God’s dealings with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—it holds forth the hope of life in the new world under the Kingdom of the Seed. It is beneficial in pointing out the proper objective for all mankind—to be integrity keepers and sanctifiers of Jehovah’s name.—Rom. 5:12, 18; Heb. 11:3-22, 39, 40; 12:1; Matt. 22:31, 32.
31 The Christian Greek Scriptures make reference to every prominent event and person recorded in the book of Genesis. Moreover, as shown throughout the Scriptures, the prophecies recorded in Genesis have been unerringly fulfilled. One of these, the “four hundred years” of affliction on Abraham’s seed, commenced when Ishmael mocked Isaac in 1913 B.C.E. and ended with the deliverance from Egypt in 1513 B.C.E. (Gen. 15:13) Examples of other meaningful prophecies and their fulfillment are shown in the accompanying chart. Also of immense benefit in building faith and understanding are the divine principles first stated in Genesis. The prophets of old, as well as Jesus and his disciples, frequently referred to and applied passages from the book of Genesis. We will do well to follow their example, and a study of the accompanying chart should assist in this.
32 Genesis very clearly reveals God’s will and purpose concerning marriage, the proper relationship of husband and wife, and the principles of headship and family training. Jesus himself drew on this information, quoting both the first and second chapters of Genesis in his one statement: “Did you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh’?” (Matt. 19:4, 5; Gen. 1:27; 2:24) The record in Genesis is essential in providing the genealogy of the human family and also in calculating the time that man has been on this earth.—Gen., chaps. 5, 7, 10, 11.
33 Also of real benefit to the student of the Scriptures is the study of patriarchal society that Genesis affords. Patriarchal society was the community form of family government that operated among God’s people from Noah’s day until the Law was given at Mount Sinai. Many of the details incorporated in the Law covenant were already being practiced in patriarchal society. Such principles as community merit (18:32), community responsibility (19:15), capital punishment as well as sanctity of blood and of life (9:4-6), and God’s hatred of the glorifying of men (11:4-8) have affected mankind throughout history. Many legal practices and terms throw light on later events, even down to the days of Jesus. Patriarchal law governing the custody of persons and property (Gen. 31:38, 39; 37:29-33; John 10:11, 15; 17:12; 18:9) and the manner of conveying property (Gen. 23:3-18), as well as the law governing the inheritance of one who received the right of the firstborn (48:22), must be known if we are to have the background needed to gain a clear understanding of the Bible. Other practices of patriarchal society incorporated in the Law were sacrifices, circumcision (given first to Abraham), the making of covenants, brother-in-law marriage (38:8, 11, 26), and the use of oaths to confirm a matter.—22:16; 24:3.
34 Genesis, the opening book of the Bible, provides many lessons in integrity, faith, faithfulness, obedience, respect, good manners, and courage. Here are a few examples: Enoch’s faith and courage in walking with God in the face of violent enemies; Noah’s righteousness, faultlessness, and implicit obedience; Abraham’s faith, his determination, and his endurance, his sense of responsibility as a family head and teacher of God’s commands to his children, his generosity, and his love; Sarah’s submissiveness to her husband-head and her industriousness; Jacob’s mildness of temper and his concern for the promise of God; Joseph’s obedience to his father, his moral uprightness, his courage, his good conduct in prison, his respect for superior authorities, his humility in giving glory to God, and his merciful forgiveness of his brothers; the consuming desire of all these men to sanctify Jehovah’s name. These exemplary traits stand out in the lives of those who walked with God during the long period of 2,369 years from the creation of Adam to the death of Joseph, as covered in the book of Genesis.
35 Truly, the account in Genesis is beneficial in building up faith, presenting as it does such magnificent examples of faith, that tested quality of faith that reaches out for the city of God’s building and creation, his Kingdom government that he long ago began to prepare through his Seed of promise, the leading sanctifier of Jehovah’s great name.—Heb. 11:8, 10, 16.