Summarized Book of the Genesis

This entry establishes a summary succint Livre of the Genesis.

Account (S) of Creation

The original Récit biblical can be divided into two sections - the first starting with the report of the Création of the Univers with God, which occurs in six days, whereas the second is focused more on the man, less worried by the creation and the evolution of the Earth, his creatures and his characteristics.

In the first chapter, the order given by the Bible is the following: at the day one (and not " first jour"), God created the skies and the ground, the hurly-burly, the ténèbre, the damages, water, then the light (although, according to Isaïe, God created the ténèbre and worked the light); at the day second, God creates the firmament of the skies; at the day third, appearance of the dry ground, and vegetable life; to the day fourth, It allots to the sun the day, the moon and stars the night, in addition to their role of " signes" to determine festivals and seasons; at the day fifth, God creates the Taninim (their identity is not éclaircie"), the watery creatures and the winged creatures (but it is not specified that it is about the avian reign -- they could be the insects); at the day sixth, terrestrial creatures, and finally Adam - male and female.

The second chapter (according to Christian capitation -- the first four verses of the second chapter belong to the first of the seven portions of the parasha T Bereshit) mentions the seventh day of creation, where God abstains from ( Shabbat ).

Some could wonder whether it is this chapter of the Hebraic Bible which gave the seven days week, and to speculate in the importance of the number seven.
Cependant, research on the origin of the Semaine taught that it was already very widespread through the old world, so widespread besides that the biblical original account cannot affirm its origins with certainty.

The second section of the original account explains why the ground was without life. A vapor was caused ground, and the man was created starting from dust. It should be noted that a Rabbi of the twentieth century EC., Leon Ashkénasi, being based on ic sources Talmud strongly called in question the d'" translation; ED by vapor .

recent bibliographical reference: Short meditations on the creation of the world , Jean-Marc Rouvière, ED. Harmattan, 2006 Paris.

Adam and Eve

The first account describes the creation of the Adam in terms rather cryptic: " And Elohim created Adam with His image, it is with the image of Elohim that they were created, male and female It them créa" (Gen. 1:26).
Dans the second account, on the other hand, God trains Adam starting from glèbe ( adamah ), and it (S) place in the Jardin of Eden, in order to keep it. It (S) little (Venn) T to eat of all the fruits which are there, except for the fruit of the Arbre of the knowledge of the good and the evil . "
Estimant that it is not good that Adam is alone, God decides to make him one (E) assistance, convening all the animals in front of him (Gen. 2:18 - 19). In Gen. 2:20, Adam studies all the animals and names them, without finding its assistance. God then plunges it in a deep sleep, taking a coast (or rather a side , cf Rachi AD loc ) which It works in " hommesse".

The debate coast/side is born inter alia simple observation which the women do not have less coasts than the men. However Adam exclaims " this time, it is a bone of my bones, a flesh of my flesh! " ; in Sumérien, the word " côte" could be a word game with a Homophone meaning " vie".
However, the comment of Rachi, largely dependant on the Jewish, famous oral tradition being as old as the Torah itself, specifies well that the word " tselah" is the same one as that used to indicate a " côté" Gate vault. And etzem that one generally translates by " Os " can also mean " gasoline ".

In addition, the verse 1:26 seems in contradiction with the second account, although Rachi explains it in a completely logical way (“that states simply that they were both created at the sixth day”). Nevertheless, it quotes before a Midrash on the verse 1:26: " the man was created with two faces ". It should be noted that, although it is about an allegorical teaching, this midrash leans for the opinion previously quoted, namely that " tselah" is regarded as a side and not a coast.

The fall

The third chapter introduces the Serpent (Satan?) who tries the woman and to make him eat forbidden fruit of the Arbre of the knowledge of the good and evil. Putting its questions in an apparently ingenuous way, he manages to subtly exploit the existing shift between the words of God and comprehension that in with the woman. Verse 3:6 (" his/her husband with elle"), it is generally deduced that her husband is always with her, including when she deforms the words of God, and that he does not take it again nor does not retain it (reason for which he takes the responsibility for the fault, and not its wife). This diversion of God is regarded as the Original sin , in the traditional Christian thought, but not the Jewish thought.
Selon the Jewish thought, it is following this sin that God, who was on the terrestrial level, becomes transcendent, the existence having become " putréfiée" by the sin of the man. For this reason, the fact of returning justice brings closer God to the human plan of existence. However, the man is not " damné". Not having known to respect simple a regulation (to cultivate the garden), it becomes compels with a multitude of '' mitzvot '' having for goal to increase its merit (Talmud of Babylon, treated Makkot). Lastly, according to the Midrash, the women were repurchased of their sin while refusing to take part in the construction of the Golden calf.

God curses them: perpetual hatred enters the snake, the woman and their descent; the snake finds itself apodal condemned to bite dust; the man finds himself with having to gain his bread with the sweat of his face, the woman to be given birth to in the labor; especially, they are condemned to mortality and are driven out of Gan Eden, that two Chérubin S keep of their blazing sword.
Cependant, it is at this time only that ''' Adam ''' names his wife, Eve . Adam knew Eve (before their expulsion, according to Rachi) who gives him two wire, Caïn and Abel. The verses present them according to a chiastic Structure: Caïn is farmer, Abel is shepherd; the sacrifice of Abel to the Eternal is approved, contrary to that of Caïn. This one conceives rancour of it, and in spite of the divine warning statement against the sin which grinds with its door, Caïn kills Abel and buries it. The first murder is a fratricide.
Comme his/her father, Caïn is apparently approached " innocemment" by God, who condemns it to wander on the ground of wandering (the " Ground of Nod "), with the East of Eden. God marks it in order to preserve it of any attacker.

Note: these stories also appear in the Coran (see Similarités between the Bible and Coran).

Of Adam with Noah

Noah and the Flood

The sixth chapter of the Genesis, true introduction to the history of Noah, is one of cryptiques of Bible.
humanity starts to multiply. The bnei elohim come, which are linked with the girls of the man. God reduces the days of the man to 120 years (coughs those which precede this decree are of an exceptional longevity). Appear, probably of these unions, the Nephilim .
leaning then on Its creation, God sees it filled up violence and of hatred, because of the creatures of the Earth. God then decides to purify the world with a Déluge and to start again.

Two readings of this chapter are possible:

the first drawn from the Livre of Enoch reads bnei Elohim with a capital letter: sons of God, angels, carried out by Shemhazaï and Azaël, corrupted in their nature angelica, because become material, generating the Nephilim , of the ambiguous beings, " héros" of " renom" , perhaps identifiable so that the Greek myths name " half-dieux". Nephilim would thus mean Nophlim ouMapilim (which churent and made fall humanity with them).
the second, drawn from the Wise , reads bnei elohim with tiny: wire of leaders, notable or perhaps wire of Seth, since it is known as of him that it was made, like his Adam father, with the image of Elohim. The men who would be turned over to God after the Fall would have taken for wives sons of man who were, at best, in rebellion with God. downward
Leurs would be of a quite less level, would have " chuté" of that their ancestors, from where them name of Nephilim . Without genuine spiritual guide, the Earth would then have filled of evil, from where the divine decision.

At all events, a man of the name of Noah finds thanks to the eyes of the Eternal, who decides to save it with his family (Gen. 6:9). God prescribes to him to build a large arch, which makes Noah. Taking its family and a couple of each terrestrial and volatile species, it closes again the doors of the arch whereas God opens simultaneously all the celestial cataracts and the terrestrial sources. The surge which follows erases any trace of terrestrial life (without touching the watery creatures) except for the residents of the arch.
Lorsque the level of water drops, the family noa' hide leaves the arch. God establishes a pact with Noah and his descendants, i.e. all humanity.
Noé plant a vine (Gen. 9:20). When, in an access of intoxication, it is shamefully treated by his son Cham, it curses it in the person of its son Canaan, while Sem and Japhet is bénis.
Il is to be noted that, although Japhet is the elder one, the Bible generally quotes them in this order, which indicates according to the biblism criticizes that she is written from a Semitic point of view, which develops its ancestors and disparages those of the others.

Chapter 10 draws up the inventory of the people resulting from three wire from Noah, Sem, Cham and Japhet. The dispersion of humanity in races and separate nations is described in the history of the Tower of Babel. Humanity is dispersed by a " confusion of the languages, " that God causes when the men try to build a tower (a Ziggurat?) who should reach the skies (9: 1-9). A genealogy is then drawn up since Sem with Terah, which has three children: Nahor, married to Milcah , Haran and Abram , married to Saraï .

Note: The history of Noah also appears in the Coran (see Similarités between the Bible and Qur' year).

Abram and Saraï

Terah, inhabitant Ur Kasdim , has three wire, Abram, Nahor, and Haran. This one died in front of his/her father, and has a son, Loth. Nahor is married in Milcah, and Abram with Saraï, which does not have children. God enjoint Abram from to go away from its house, its city, its country. Abram obeys, emigrating towards the Pays of Canaan. There, God appears to him, and promises to him that the country will become the property of its innumerable descendants.

When a famine occurs, Abram is constrained to go to Egypt. The king of Egypt takes possession of beautiful Saraï (that Abram presented like his/her sister in order to have the safe life; it is however her half-sister). God sends a disease on the king, that this one recognizes like signs divine; the king returns Saraï in Abram, as well as many richnesses and a large herd. Turning over in Canaan, Abram separates from Loth in order to cross short to the arguments of pasture. Loth chooses to go to Sodome, in the valley of the Jordan. God appears then again in Abram, and all the country promises to him.

Abram and Melchisédek

During wars between the kingdoms of Amraphel, king de Cinar, and Bera, king de Sodome, like their respective allies, Loth is taken in captivity. Moulting itself suddenly as a military chief similar to the condottieri before the letter, Abram continues the winners with its men-at-arms.

Returning in large pumps after having saved Loth and its clan, Abram is accommodated by Melchisédek, king de Salem (Jerusalem) and high priest of Supreme God (i.e. God, but under a name which can carry to ambiguity with a Hénothéisme).
Melchisédek blesses Abram, which gives him the dîme on its spoils of war, before completely returning it in Sodomites.

After this exploit, God appears again in Abram and Its protection promises to him, a rich person rewards and a many offspring. The aforementioned descent will spend four hundred years in constraint in a country " who is not the leur" ; but after God judged their oppressors, they will leave the country of their affliction, and the fourth generation will turn over in the country of Canaan.

Hagar and Ismaël

Saraï not having given of child to Abram, it gives him, probably according to a habit of use at the time, its Egyptian maidservant, Hagar, like concubine.
Un wire is born from this union, called Ismaël.
Dieu appears once again in Abram, contracting with him a personal alliance guaranteeing its future, promising a many offspring to him (from where the change of its name, AbRam , " father puissant" , in AbRaham , " father of a multitude"). Saraï from now on will be called Sarah . The Circoncision is instituted for all the members of the house of Abraham, in sign eternal of alliance.

Sodome and Gomorrhe

God appears in Abraham with Mamre, sending three to him Ange S (i.e. " mandatés"), that Abraham receives with hospitality. They announce to him the arrival of a son of Sarah endéans the year, whereas they are already almost centenaries. Abraham also hears that the messengers of God have as a task to carry out the judgment on the inhabitants of Sodome and Gomorrhe, whose “sinned is enormous ”. It then tries to intercede for the sinners, in favor of the right ones who would be in the city, haggling with God cause a drop in their number up to 10. Two of elected go to Sodome, where they hospitalièrement are hospitalièrement received by Loth. That causes the anger of the inhabitants of Sodome, who miss killing Loth when it tries to interpose, offering his/her two daughters to their sexual appetites. Showing that they deserved their destiny, Sodome and Gomorrhe are destroyed by a rain of fire and sulfur.

Only Loth and its two daughters escape from it. His wife, being turned over, became salt pillar. His/her sons-in-law took it for a joker. Finding itself without men with miles with the round, the two girls of Loth saoûlent it and link themselves with him. The fruit of this Inceste will be Moab and Ammon, which will found powerful kingdoms.

The peregrinations of Abraham then lead it to Gherar, country of king Abimelekh. Abraham represents there derechef his wife like her sister with Abimelekh, which wishes to have it before desisting, prevented by God.

The accounts of Loth, Sodome and Gomorrhe also appear in the Coran. However, this one, regarding Lute as a minor prophet, challenges the accounts according to which it would have offered his daughters in " pâture" with crowd and would have had incestueuses relations with them (See Similitudes between the Bible and Coran).

Birth of Isaac

The so much awaited heir was born, and receives the name d'" Isaac " ( Itzhak : " It rira" in Hebrew).
Voyant one day Ismaël " rire" with Isaac (according to the scholars of the Judaism, that means " as well as possible; moquer" , but more often " to laugh by inflicting sévices" to him;), Sarah insists that he does not inherit with Isaac and obtains from Abraham that he drives out it with his Hagar mother, which Abraham carries out unwillingly. They also will be promised with a great future, although violent one. Ismaël will be indeed a " onagre" who will raise the hand against those which will raise the hand against lui.
Il is to be noted that, although both wire of the father of the believers , Ismaël is the son d'" Abram ", while Isaac is the son d'" Abraham ". With each one its blessing and its future.

According to the biblists in favor of the veracity of the Bible, it would be an important index of dating confirming its historicity, because he was of habit to at will drive out the maidservants at any time, including that of the drafting supposed of the Bible according to holding of the Histoire deuteronomist, except for the time when the history of the patriarchs is generally located.

During the feast organized in the honor of the birth of Isaac, Abraham establishes a pact with Abimelekh, which grants the right to him on well of Beer-sheva (Bersabée).
Pour critical biblists, " Bersabée" is one of the doublets the even most obvious triplets of the Bible, betraying the juxtaposition of several traditions that the writer (R) could not départager.
Pour the believers, it acts of the confirmation of a right whose perpetual acquisition monetary, and is usually used by many wandering shepherds of passage.

These stories also appear in the Coran (see Similitudes between the Bible and Coran).

The quasi-sacrifice of Isaac

Whereas Abraham seems to enjoy all the blessings that the Lord promised to him, including the future of his son, God subjects it to the greatest test of faith, by asking Isaac in sacrifice.

Abraham and, seem it, Isaac are subjected to it. Indeed, Isaac, in the flower of the age, and able to stop his/her father, an old man, does not do it when it notes that there is no animal to sacrifice, nor even when his/her father binds it on the furnace bridge.
Selon the Wise ones of the Midrash, their tests are similar to those undergone by Job, and the Satan intervenes on several occasions to try their faith, not by promises but while pointing out to Abraham its " folie" and in Isaac its force.

God intervenes, by sending an angel to the moment when Abraham lowers its knife, promising in Abraham an innumerable descent. A ram is sacrificed in place and place.

With died of Sarah, at age the 127 years, Abraham acquires for 400 sicles the vault of Makhpela to make a family sepulchre of it.

It sends then Eliezer, its trusty servant, Damascénien, instead of residence of Nahor, in order to find among its family a woman for Isaac; it is Rebecca beats Bethouel, the grand-daughter of Nahor, which is selected. Other children are born in Abraham from another wife, Ketourah, among the descendants of which the Midianites appear; and he dies, blessed in all, at a advanced age.

Note: the history of the sacrifice also appears in the Coran. Although the identity of the son of Abraham is not explicitly formulated, the Musulman S think that it was not about Isaac, but of Ismaël. (see Similarities between the Bible and Coran).

Esaü and Jacob

After twenty years of marriage with Rebecca, this one gives to Isaac two twins: Esaü, which becomes hunter, preferred of Isaac, and Jacob ( Ya' akov : " it suivra"), which becomes a man residing in the tents, preferred of Rebecca. Jacob repurchases one day the right of seniority of Esaü for a dish of lenses, but once satisfied Esaü disavows its word; independently of this trade, God appears in Isaac and repeats the made promises with Abraham to him. His wife, whom it introduces like her sister, is coveted by the Philistines, but king Abimelekh, wire of the precedent, prevent itself the disaster. In spite of the hostility of people of Abimelekh, Isaac thrives in all its companies in this country, particularly in the digging of well. God still appears to him in Beersheva, encourages it and promises blessings as well as a many descent to him. Abimelekh wire of Abimelekh and Isaac wire of Abraham contract an alliance with the same place as their fathers. With the great despair of his/her parents, Esaü marries of Canaanites.

With time, Isaac becomes blind. Feeling its end to approach, it wishes to bless his Esaü son. Rebecca then persuades Jacob of grimer in Esaü using wool, and to replace his/her brother for the blessing. Isaac has this strange sentence then (Gen. 27:22): " the voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esaü". Did he realize subterfuge? Always it is that Jacob obtains the paternal blessing and, in order to escape the revenge on his/her brother, must take refuge in its family of Haran, asked by Isaac to be there a épouse.
Sur the driving way with Haran, in a place called Louz by Cananéens, God appears in dream with Jacob, promising protection to him, assistance, blessing and many descent, as with his/her fathers. Jacob sets up with his alarm clock a furnace bridge in this place, which it names Beit El. Arrived at Haran, Jacob rents his services with Laban, his maternal uncle. Fallen in love with Rachel, more the young girl of Laban, it must provide seven years of labor to receive its hand. However, pretexting that the elder one must be married before the junior, Laban gives him his/her daughter Lea, in marriage; Jacob is constrained to work seven years additional, to which are added six years to constitute a herd. Meanwhile, it will have eleven wire and a girl:

Lea will give him Ruben, Siméon, Lévi and Juda;
Bilha, the maidservant of Rachel, will give him daN and Nephtali;
Zilpa, the maidservant of Lea, will give him Gad and Asher;
Lea will still give him Issachar, Zabulon, and Dinah;
finally, Rachel will give him Joseph, his preferred son.

He acquires also an important wealth in herd and men.

Jacob fights with God

Exceeded operations of Laban, Jacob from goes away with his family and his without preventing them. God appears to him, like in Laban. They are reconciled.

On its return towards the country of Canaan, Jacob crosses the regions of Seïr, field of his/her brother Esaü, whom it fears to meet, having deprived it of a blessing.
Il elects emissary to send present to his/her brother, but those return while announcing to him that Esaü comes to its meeting, to the head of 400 men.

Jacob then divides his herd and his people into two camps, then beseeching God of his fathers to deliver it hand of Esaü. He makes cross the the Jordan to the one of the camps of night, enjoignant to them to alleviate Esaü, and to indicate that itself is derrière.
Il then made only pass to his two wives, their two maidservants and its eleven enfants.
Resté, he fights with a " homme" until the paddle, this " homme" he dislocating the hip only by touching its nerve sciatic nerve. Retained by Jacob who presses it to bless it, l'" homme" he ask its name, and says to him that its name will be from now on Israel , because " you fought with God and the men, and you have prévalu" (Gen 32:28). Refusing to give its name to Jacob, he blesses it (some rabbinical commentators think that Israel was the name of this man himself).
Jacob calls this place Peniel, " because I saw God opposite, and my life is saved (Gen. 32:31).

The meeting with Esaü appears pleasant, and the two brothers are left reconciled. Jacob installs his tents with Shechem. Prince Shechem itself falls in love with Dinah and removes it. Eager to establish an alliance with Jacob, he convinces the sichémites of circoncire. At the third day of their convalescence, all are killed by Siméon and Lévi, which will be abundantly reproached to them by Jacob.

God appears in Jacob, enjoignant it to come to honor it in Beit El. Rachel dies in layers on the road of this pilgrimage, after having given to Jacob his last, Benjamin.

Joseph the dreamer

Joseph, the favorite son Jacob, is jalousé and hated ^par his/her brothers to which it often announces his dream, announcing its future ascent on them. On the instigation of Juda, it is secretly sold with a caravan of merchants ismaélites on the way towards the Egypt. His/her brothers then tell with their father that Joseph was devoured by some wild beast.

Joseph is sold like slave in Potiphar, one of the officers of the Pharaon. He gains the confidence of his Master, but when the woman of this one, not being able to allure it, shows it wrongfully sexual violences, he is thrown in prison (Gen. chap. 39).
En prison, Joseph gains the favors of the geôlier, and is found in the cell of two notable of the Pharaon, his panetier and his wine waiter. He interprets their dreams correctly, but will be released only two years later, when the wine waiter " souviendra" well opportunely of the Oniromancie N able to decipher the disconcerting dreams of the Pharaon, that nobody could interpréter.
Lui explaining that these dreams announce seven years of famine after seven years of abundance, and suggesting to him carrying out consequently provisions, Joseph is immediately named second of the kingdom? He marries Asnath, girl of the Poti-pherah priest, who will give him two wire, Manassé and Ephraïm (chap. 41. However, when they are blessed by their grandfather, Israel, Ephraïm will be to it right hand, reserved for the elder one -- chap. 48).

The predicted famine is felt until in Canaan; Jacob thus sends his sons to draw with the attics of Egypt. The brothers appear in front of Joseph, who recognizes them at once, but is not made recognize they. He shows them espionage, questions them, then, having " appris" that these 10 brothers have some young person, returns them to seek Benjamin, and keeps Siméon as an hostage.
Revenus, They are shown of flight by Joseph, who discreetly made place a money cut in the bag of Benjamin, and wishes to keep it like slave in " punition" for this " vol".
Lorsque Juda approaches and is offered as a slave, Joseph fall the mask, forgives with his/her brothers, and makes come all its family to Egypt, that is to say 66 people, plus itself, his wife and her children, which makes a total of 70.
Pharaon accommodates them with kindness, and the to them Ground of Goshen (chap assigns. 46-47).

Jacob, feeling his death to approach, mande Joseph and his sons, blesses Ephraïm and Manassé (cf supra) among his own children. He calls then his sons with his bedside and blesses them, actually revealing their future, and distributing blessings and reproaches, particularly with regard to Ruben, Siméon and Lévi (chap. 49).
Jacob dies and is solemnly buried in the vault of Makhpela.

Joseph saw enough old to know his great-grandchildren, and exhorts his brothers, when God remembers them and makes them leave Egypt, to carry his bones with eux.
the Book of the Genesis concludes by saying that the remainders of Joseph are placed in a sarcophagus to Egypt. This burial is of course temporary, within sight of the contracted promise: the bones will be buried with Shechem, on a ground belonging already to the family of Israel (Josué 24:32).

See too

Tanakh
Torah

weekly sections of reading of Sefer Bereshit: Bereishit, Noa' H, Lekh Lekha, Vayera, Hayye Sarah, Toledot, Vayetze, Vayishla' H, Vayeshev, Miketz, Vayigash, Vaye' hi

Creation (theology)

Random links: