1. In the beginning, יהוה created the heavens and the earth.
2. Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3. יהוה said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4. יהוה saw the light, and saw that it was good. יהוה divided the light from the darkness.
5. יהוה called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. There was evening and there was morning, one day.
6. יהוה said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
7. יהוה made the
8. יהוה called the expanse sky. There was evening and there was morning,
9. God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear,” and it was so.
10. God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good.
11. God said, “Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth,” and it was so.
12. The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind: and God saw that it was good.
13. There was evening and there was morning,
14. God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the
15. And let them be for lights in the expanse of
16. God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.
17. God set them in the expanse of sky to give light to the earth,
18. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.
19. There was evening and there was morning,
20. God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky.”
21. God created the large sea
22. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
23. There was evening and there was morning,
24. God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind,” and it was so.
25. God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.
26. God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27. God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
28. God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29. God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
30. To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food.” And it was so.
31. God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning,
Chapter 2
1. The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2. On the seventh
3. God blessed the seventh
4. This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that יהוה God made the earth and the heavens.
5. No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for יהוה God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground,
6. But a mist went up from the
7. יהוה God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
8. יהוה God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9. Out of the ground יהוה God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the
10. A river went out of Eden to water the
11. The name of the first is Pishon: this is the one which flows through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
12. And the gold of that land is good. There
13. The name of the second river is Gihon: the same river that flows through the whole land of Cush.
14. The name of the third river is Hiddekel: this is the one which flows in front of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
15. יהוה God took the
16. יהוה God commanded the man , saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of
18. יהוה God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
19. Out of the ground יהוה God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the
21. יהוה God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man , and he
22. He made the rib, which יהוה God had taken from the man , into a woman , and brought her to the man .
23. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called
24. Therefore a man will leave his father and his
25. They were both naked, the man and his wife , and were not ashamed.
Chapter 3
1. Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which יהוה God had made. He said to the woman , “Yes, has God said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”
2. The woman said to the serpent, “Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,
3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
4. The serpent said to the woman , “You won’t surely die,
5. For God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit of it, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
7. Both of their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves
8. They heard the voice of יהוה God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid
9. יהוה God called to the man , and said to him, “Where are you?”
10. The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was
11. God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
12. The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”
13. יהוה God said to the woman , “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14. יהוה God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above every animal of the field. On your belly shall you go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.
15. I will put enmity between you and the woman , and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
16. To the
17. To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife 's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground for your sake. In
18. Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to
19. By the sweat of your
20. The man called his wife
21. יהוה God made coats of skins for Adam and for his
22. יהוה God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”
23. Therefore יהוה God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24. So he drove out the
Chapter 4
1. The man knew Eve , his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain , and said, “I have gotten a man with יהוה ’s help.”
2. Again she gave birth, to C ain ’s brother Abel . Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3. As time passed, it happened that Cain brought an offering to יהוה from the fruit of the ground.
4. Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat of it. יהוה respected Abel and his offering,
5. But he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.
6. יהוה said to Cain , “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?
7. If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”
8. Cain said to Abel , his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” It happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel , his brother, and killed him.
9. יהוה said to Cain , “Where is Abel , your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10. יהוה said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.
11. Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12. From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.”
13. Cain said to יהוה, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14. Behold, you have driven me out this day from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me.”
15. יהוה said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain , vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” יהוה appointed a sign for Cain , lest any finding him should strike him.
16. Cain went out from יהוה ’s presence, and dwelled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17. Cain knew his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Enoch . He built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch .
18. To Enoch was born Irad . Irad became the father of Mehujael . Mehujael became the father of Methushael . Methushael became the father of Lamech .
19. Lamech took two wives: the name of the one was
20. Adah gave birth to Jabal , who was the father of those who
21. His brother’s name was Jubal , who was the father of all who
22. Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain , the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron. Tubal Cain ’s sister was Naamah .
23. Lamech said to his wives, “ Adah and Zillah , hear my
24. If Cain will be avenged seven times, Truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”
25. Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth , “for she said, God has appointed me another child instead of Abel , for Cain killed him.”
26. There was also born a son to Seth , and he named him Enosh . Then men began to call on יהוה ’s name.
Chapter 5
1. This is the book of the generations of Adam . In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness.
2. He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name Adam , in the day when they were created.
3. Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth .
4. The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters.
5. All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.
6. Seth lived one hundred five
7. Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
8. All the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died.
9. Enosh lived ninety
10. Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan , eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
11. All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.
12. Kenan lived seventy
13. Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of sons and daughters
14. And all the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.
15. Mahalalel lived sixty-five
16. Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
17. All the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.
18. Jared lived one hundred sixty-two
19. Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
20. All the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died.
21. Enoch lived sixty-five
22. Enoch walked with God after he became the father of Methuselah three hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
23. All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years.
24. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
25. Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven
26. Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
27. All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died.
28. Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of a son,
29. And he named him Noah , saying, “This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which יהוה has cursed.”
30. Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
31. All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.
32. Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem , Ham , and Japheth .
Chapter 6
1. It
2. That God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took for themselves wives of all that they chose.
3. יהוה said, “My Spirit will not strive with man
4. The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after
5. יהוה saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
6. יהוה was sorry that he had made
7. יהוה said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground; man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
8. But Noah found favor in יהוה’s eyes.