Can someone explain Genesis to me??

Question

Ok well in Genesis 1:27 it says that God created male & female humans. WELL how come it says he's just now creating a woman in Genesis 2??

Answer 1

Have you ever read a book where the writer goes back to explain in more detail about a certain event? The writer of Genesis (Moses) gives an account of creation (day 1, day 2, day 3 etc.) then he goes back and writes in more detail about HOW man and woman were created and WHY woman was created.
I used to wonder about this also.
Good Question!

Answer 2

As you've already seen, Genesis starts off speaking about when God created everything. While the translators decided to call the next bit the 2nd chapter, originally there were no chapters - just one long text.

Anyway, Gen 2:4 seperates the first section from the next by saying "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when the were created in the day [here is used a word that, in Hebrew, often means many days] that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,"

So Gen 1:1 - 2:3 are talking about a specific period of time while Genesis 2:4 and beyond speak in a new context.

Love.

Answer 3

Excellent question, very few people pick up on that inconsistency. I've read that some scholars believe that Genesis was pieced together from stuff written by two or three different writers. This theory is based of different writing style and vocabulary in different chapters of Genesis. And the inconsistency you mentioned supports that view as well.

I love Genesis anyhow. It's my all time favorite myth.

Answer 4

Genesis was written by many people and took its final form in the 5th century BC when the Jewish people after the Babylonian captivity fixed forever the expression of their faith. It is a collection of writings put together. That is why you will find lapses like this.
Anyway, the way to read and understand Genesis is not look at it as a book on the origins of man and sin but as the beginning of salvation history.

Answer 5

If you're Fundamentalist or (some) Moderate Christians: Genesis 1 is the real way things happened, Genesis 2 is a poetic way of telling it.

If you're a more liberal Christian, the early chapters of Genesis are an allegory.

Answer 6

Genesis is a collection of stories that were passed down by oral tradition and supposedly Moses wrote them all down. Some Biblical scholars believe that there is more than one author of Genesis and Exodus. Hence you have the story of creation in the first chapter and another story of creation in the second chapter. You can read what various Biblical scholars have to say on this topic if you are interested in the historicity of the Bible.

Answer 7

Genisis 1 tells us God created man. Genesis two details how he created man. It is the same creation just detailed.

Answer 8

Genesis contains (2) separate account of the creation of man.

One is the general account, with no names and few specifics.

The other is a specific account, with names, places, and events.

Answer 9

I could take the time to explain it all myself, but as this question has been asked countless times before, I have grown tired, so I believe we could both benefit from me just directing you to this:

http://draeconin.com/database/otherpeople.htm

Not only does it answer your question, but also several other popular questions about Genesis, and even does it in an entertaining way. :)

Answer 10

The funniest part about Genesis is that God created men & women of all races before Adam. Yet we keep hearing Adam was the first man.

6th day - God created all the races.
8th day - God created this guy Adam.