The Creation

(A)In the beginning (B)God (C)created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a (D)[a]formless and desolate emptiness, and (E)darkness was over the [b]surface of the deep, and (F)the Spirit of God (G)was hovering over the [c]surface of the waters. Then (H)God said, “[d]Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was (I)good; and God (J)separated the light from the darkness. (K)God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And (L)there was evening and there was morning, one day.

Then God said, “Let there be [e]an (M)expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” God made the [f]expanse, and separated (N)the waters that were below the [g]expanse from the waters (O)that were above the [h]expanse; and it was so. God called the [i]expanse “heaven.” And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Then God said, “(P)Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let (Q)the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land “earth,” and the (R)gathering of the waters He called “seas”; and God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the earth sprout [j](S)vegetation, [k]plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit according to [l]their kind [m]with seed in them”; and it was so. 12 The earth produced [n]vegetation, [o]plants yielding seed according to [p]their kind, and trees bearing fruit [q]with seed in them, according to [r]their kind; and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

14 Then God said, “Let there be [s](T)lights in the [t](U)expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and they shall [u]serve as (V)signs and for (W)seasons, and for days and years; 15 and they [v]shall serve as lights in the [w]expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 God made the two great lights, the (X)greater light [x]to govern the day, and the lesser light [y]to govern the night; He made (Y)the stars also. 17 (Z)God placed them in the [z]expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and [aa]to (AA)govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

20 Then God said, “Let the waters [ab]teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth [ac]in the open [ad]expanse of the heavens.” 21 And God created (AB)the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind; and God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

24 (AC)Then God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to [ae]their kind: livestock and crawling things and animals of the earth according to [af]their kind”; and it was so. 25 God made the (AD)animals of the earth according to [ag]their kind, and the livestock according to [ah]their kind, and everything that crawls on the ground according to its kind; and God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “[ai]Let (AE)Us make (AF)mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and [aj]let them (AG)rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” 27 So God created man (AH)in His own image, in the image of God He created him; (AI)male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “(AJ)Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that [ak]moves on the earth.” 29 Then God said, “Behold, (AK)I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the [al]surface of all the earth, and every tree [am]which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; 30 and (AL)to every animal of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that [an]moves on the earth [ao]which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. 31 And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very (AM)good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 1:2 Or waste
  2. Genesis 1:2 Lit face of
  3. Genesis 1:2 Lit face of
  4. Genesis 1:3 I.e., a command, not a request; and so throughout the ch
  5. Genesis 1:6 Or a firmament; i.e., atmosphere and space
  6. Genesis 1:7 Or firmament
  7. Genesis 1:7 Or firmament
  8. Genesis 1:7 Or firmament
  9. Genesis 1:8 Or firmament
  10. Genesis 1:11 Or grass
  11. Genesis 1:11 Or herbs
  12. Genesis 1:11 Lit its
  13. Genesis 1:11 Lit in which is its seed
  14. Genesis 1:12 Or grass
  15. Genesis 1:12 Or herbs
  16. Genesis 1:12 Lit its
  17. Genesis 1:12 Lit in which is its seed
  18. Genesis 1:12 Lit its
  19. Genesis 1:14 Or luminaries, light-bearers, and so throughout the ch
  20. Genesis 1:14 Or firmament; i.e., atmosphere and space
  21. Genesis 1:14 Lit be for
  22. Genesis 1:15 Lit be for
  23. Genesis 1:15 Or firmament
  24. Genesis 1:16 Lit for the dominion of
  25. Genesis 1:16 Lit for the dominion of
  26. Genesis 1:17 Or firmament
  27. Genesis 1:18 Lit for the dominion of
  28. Genesis 1:20 Or swarm
  29. Genesis 1:20 Lit on the face of
  30. Genesis 1:20 Or firmament
  31. Genesis 1:24 Lit its
  32. Genesis 1:24 Lit its
  33. Genesis 1:25 Lit its
  34. Genesis 1:25 Lit its
  35. Genesis 1:26 I.e., indicating united action, not a request
  36. Genesis 1:26 I.e., have them rule
  37. Genesis 1:28 Or crawls
  38. Genesis 1:29 Lit face of
  39. Genesis 1:29 Lit in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed
  40. Genesis 1:30 Or crawls
  41. Genesis 1:30 Lit in which is living breath

The Beginning

In the beginning(A) God created(B) the heavens(C) and the earth.(D) Now the earth was formless(E) and empty,(F) darkness was over the surface of the deep,(G) and the Spirit of God(H) was hovering(I) over the waters.

And God said,(J) “Let there be light,” and there was light.(K) God saw that the light was good,(L) and he separated the light from the darkness.(M) God called(N) the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”(O) And there was evening, and there was morning(P)—the first day.

And God said,(Q) “Let there be a vault(R) between the waters(S) to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it.(T) And it was so.(U) God called(V) the vault “sky.”(W) And there was evening, and there was morning(X)—the second day.

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place,(Y) and let dry ground(Z) appear.” And it was so.(AA) 10 God called(AB) the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters(AC) he called “seas.”(AD) And God saw that it was good.(AE)

11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation:(AF) seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.(AG)” And it was so.(AH) 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds(AI) and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.(AJ) 13 And there was evening, and there was morning(AK)—the third day.

14 And God said, “Let there be lights(AL) in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night,(AM) and let them serve as signs(AN) to mark sacred times,(AO) and days and years,(AP) 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.(AQ) 16 God made two great lights—the greater light(AR) to govern(AS) the day and the lesser light to govern(AT) the night.(AU) He also made the stars.(AV) 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night,(AW) and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.(AX) 19 And there was evening, and there was morning(AY)—the fourth day.

20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures,(AZ) and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”(BA) 21 So God created(BB) the great creatures of the sea(BC) and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it,(BD) according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.(BE) And God saw that it was good.(BF) 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”(BG) 23 And there was evening, and there was morning(BH)—the fifth day.

24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures(BI) according to their kinds:(BJ) the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.(BK) 25 God made the wild animals(BL) according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.(BM) And God saw that it was good.(BN)

26 Then God said, “Let us(BO) make mankind(BP) in our image,(BQ) in our likeness,(BR) so that they may rule(BS) over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,(BT) over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created(BU) mankind(BV) in his own image,(BW)
    in the image of God(BX) he created them;
    male and female(BY) he created them.(BZ)

28 God blessed them and said to them,(CA) “Be fruitful and increase in number;(CB) fill the earth(CC) and subdue it. Rule over(CD) the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.(CE)

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.(CF) 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life(CG) in it—I give every green plant for food.(CH)” And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made,(CI) and it was very good.(CJ) And there was evening, and there was morning(CK)—the sixth day.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 1:26 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see Syriac); Masoretic Text the earth

Isaac Settles in Gerar

26 Now there was (A)a famine in the land, besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to (B)Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the Lord (C)appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; (D)stay in the land of which I shall tell you. Live for a time in this land and (E)I will be with you and (F)bless you, for (G)to you and to your [a]descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish (H)the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. (I)I will multiply your [b]descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your [c]descendants all these lands; and (J)by your [d]descendants all the nations of the earth [e]shall be blessed, because Abraham [f](K)obeyed Me and fulfilled his duty to Me, and kept My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

So Isaac lived in Gerar. When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “(L)She is my sister,” for he was (M)afraid to say, “my wife,” thinking, “[g]the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, since she is (N)beautiful.” Now it came about, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down through a window, and saw them, and behold, Isaac was caressing his wife Rebekah. Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she certainly is your wife! So how is it that you said, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘otherwise I might be killed on account of her.’” 10 And (O)Abimelech said, “What is this that you have done to us? One of the people might easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who (P)touches this man or his wife will certainly be put to death.”

12 Now Isaac sowed in that land and [h]reaped in the same year a hundred times as much. And (Q)the Lord blessed him, 13 and the man (R)became rich, and continued to grow [i]richer until he became very [j]wealthy; 14 for (S)he had possessions of flocks [k]and herds, and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. 15 Now (T)all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up [l]by filling them with dirt. 16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are [m](U)too powerful for us.” 17 So Isaac departed from there and camped in the Valley of Gerar, and [n]settled there.

Argument over the Wells

18 Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which [o]had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he [p]gave them the same names which his father had [q]given them. 19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of [r]flowing water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar (V)quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water is ours!” So he named the well [s]Esek, because they argued with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it [t]Sitnah. 22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it [u]Rehoboth, for he said, “[v](W)At last the Lord has made [w]room for us, and we will be (X)fruitful in the land.”

23 And he went up from there to (Y)Beersheba. 24 And the Lord (Z)appeared to him the same night and said,

(AA)I am the God of your father Abraham;
(AB)Do not fear, for I am with you.
I (AC)will bless you and multiply your [x]descendants,
For the sake of My servant Abraham.”

25 So he built an (AD)altar there and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Covenant with Abimelech

26 Then (AE)Abimelech came to him from Gerar [y]with his adviser Ahuzzath, and Phicol the commander of his army. 27 Isaac said to them, “(AF)Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We have seen plainly (AG)that the Lord has been with you; so we said, ‘An oath must now be taken [z]by us,’ that is, [aa]by you and us. So let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you [ab]and have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace. You are now the (AH)blessed of the Lord.” 30 Then (AI)he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they got up early and [ac](AJ)exchanged oaths; then Isaac sent them away, and they left him in peace. 32 Now it came about on the same day, that Isaac’s servants came in and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 So he called it [ad]Shibah; therefore the name of the city is (AK)Beersheba to this day.

34 When Esau was forty years old (AL)he [ae]married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; 35 and (AM)they [af]brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 26:3 Lit seed
  2. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  3. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  4. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  5. Genesis 26:4 Or bless themselves
  6. Genesis 26:5 Lit listened diligently to My voice
  7. Genesis 26:7 Lit lest...place
  8. Genesis 26:12 Lit found
  9. Genesis 26:13 Lit great
  10. Genesis 26:13 Lit great
  11. Genesis 26:14 Lit and possessions of herds
  12. Genesis 26:15 Lit and filled them
  13. Genesis 26:16 Lit much mightier than we
  14. Genesis 26:17 Lit dwelt
  15. Genesis 26:18 Lit they had dug
  16. Genesis 26:18 Lit called their names as the names
  17. Genesis 26:18 Lit called
  18. Genesis 26:19 Lit living
  19. Genesis 26:20 I.e., argument
  20. Genesis 26:21 I.e., accusation
  21. Genesis 26:22 I.e., broad places
  22. Genesis 26:22 Lit Truly now
  23. Genesis 26:22 Or broad
  24. Genesis 26:24 Lit seed
  25. Genesis 26:26 Lit and his confidential friend
  26. Genesis 26:28 Lit between us
  27. Genesis 26:28 Lit between us and you
  28. Genesis 26:29 Lit and just as we
  29. Genesis 26:31 Lit swore one to another
  30. Genesis 26:33 Meaning uncertain, perhaps oath
  31. Genesis 26:34 Lit took as wife
  32. Genesis 26:35 Lit were a bitterness of spirit to

Isaac and Abimelek(A)

26 Now there was a famine in the land(B)—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines(C) in Gerar.(D) The Lord appeared(E) to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt;(F) live in the land where I tell you to live.(G) Stay in this land for a while,(H) and I will be with you(I) and will bless you.(J) For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands(K) and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.(L) I will make your descendants(M) as numerous as the stars in the sky(N) and will give them all these lands,(O) and through your offspring[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,[b](P) because Abraham obeyed me(Q) and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees(R) and my instructions.(S) So Isaac stayed in Gerar.(T)

When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,(U)” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”

When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines(V) looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?(W)

Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”

10 Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us?(X) One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”

11 So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms(Y) this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”(Z)

12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold,(AA) because the Lord blessed him.(AB) 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.(AC) 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants(AD) that the Philistines envied him.(AE) 15 So all the wells(AF) that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up,(AG) filling them with earth.

16 Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us;(AH) you have become too powerful for us.(AI)

17 So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar,(AJ) where he settled. 18 Isaac reopened the wells(AK) that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.

19 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. 20 But the herders of Gerar quarreled(AL) with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!”(AM) So he named the well Esek,[c] because they disputed with him. 21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled(AN) over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.[d] 22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth,[e](AO) saying, “Now the Lord has given us room(AP) and we will flourish(AQ) in the land.”

23 From there he went up to Beersheba.(AR) 24 That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham.(AS) Do not be afraid,(AT) for I am with you;(AU) I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants(AV) for the sake of my servant Abraham.”(AW)

25 Isaac built an altar(AX) there and called on the name of the Lord.(AY) There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.(AZ)

26 Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces.(BA) 27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?(BB)

28 They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you;(BC) so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty(BD) with you 29 that you will do us no harm,(BE) just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.”(BF)

30 Isaac then made a feast(BG) for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Early the next morning the men swore an oath(BH) to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully.

32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well(BI) they had dug. They said, “We’ve found water!” 33 He called it Shibah,[f] and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.[g](BJ)

Jacob Takes Esau’s Blessing

34 When Esau was forty years old,(BK) he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.(BL) 35 They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.(BM)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 26:4 Or seed
  2. Genesis 26:4 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
  3. Genesis 26:20 Esek means dispute.
  4. Genesis 26:21 Sitnah means opposition.
  5. Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth means room.
  6. Genesis 26:33 Shibah can mean oath or seven.
  7. Genesis 26:33 Beersheba can mean well of the oath and well of seven.