What are the three accounts of creation?

Answer 1

First, there are two creation stories in Genesis: (1) verses 1:1 to 2:4a; (2) 2:4b to 2:22. The first of these (1:1-2:4a) is recognised by scholars as the work of the Priestly (P) source, based on a Mesopotamian myth encountered by the Jews in Babylon. So, the creation account that has the world created in six days, which every Christian learns as a child, did not even exist prior to the sixth century BCE. The second account (2:4b-2:22) predated the other in Judaism but was never considered important, except for the creation of Adam, then later Eve. A summary follows, in order to show that these are really two quite separate accounts:
In Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a ( up to first sentence of 2:4) there was a pre-existing watery chaos. The ocean was already present and a wind moved across the surface. The seas rested on the dry land, which appeared on day 3 when God gathered the waters together. The order of creation was as follows: (Day 1) light [day]; (2) the firmament, which was believed to separate the waters of the heavens from the lower waters; (3) By gathering the lower waters in one place the land appeared. Grasses and trees; (4) sun; moon and stars - the lights in the firmament; (5) fish, land creatures and fowl; (6) man, both male and female. Notice that the light of day was not yet understood to have originated from the sun, although the sun was universally understood to rule the day. That is why it was possible to have grass and trees before the sun was created.

Genesis 2:4b to 2:15 says that there was pre-existing dry land, but God had yet to make it rain for plants to grow. A spring arose and God took some moist clay and made Adam. After Adam, he made the creatures of earth, one by one, then finally Eve. This account could scarcely be different from the previous version.

It may seem surprising that, in both creation stories, the basics were already there - the waters, the dry land, the wind and therefore the air. Many experts in Hebrew have carefully examined the texts and confirm that this is what they say. These biblical creations were not ex nihilo. And the first-century Jewish philosopher, Philo, insisted that the creation was an allegory: "To think that it means that God planted vines, or olive trees, or apple trees, or pomegranates, or any trees of such kinds, is mere incurable folly."

A third, fragmentary account consists of references to chaos-creation stories, to be found in Psalms, where God defeated the many-headed Leviathan, and in Job. Job 41:25 says even the other gods (KJV: The mighty) fear Leviathan.

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