Background and Introduction to the Book of Genesis

The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is “Bereishit” (בְּרֵאשִׁית), while the English name “Genesis” comes from the Greek word ‘énesis’ (γένεσις) in the Septuagint, meaning “origin.”

Genesis is the first book of the “Pentateuch,” a name derived from Greek words meaning “five scrolls” or “a book in five volumes.” For portability, the Jews divided the Pentateuch into five scrolls: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Each book is named after its first Hebrew word, and the entire collection is known as the “Torah.” Jews read the entire Torah once a year, starting on Simchat Torah, the day after Sukkot, and ending on Simchat Torah the following year.

Jews believe that the Pentateuch was written by Moses in the wilderness in the 15th century BCE. A great deal of archaeological evidence supports the historical accuracy of the Pentateuch. The author could not have been so precise with the numerous names, terms, customs, and geographical details—such as the double portion of inheritance for the firstborn, the ability to sell the birthright, the validity of oral wills, the existence of the Hittites and their customs of purchase—unless he had actually lived in that era.

Through the different names of God, Genesis reveals His identity and actions, such as: God (‘Elohim’), the Lord (‘Yahweh’), God Most High, God Almighty, Lord (‘Adonai’), the Eternal God, and the Lord Will Provide (‘Jehovah Jireh’).

Genesis is also rich with prefigurations of Christ and His work. The New Testament directly identifies figures such as Adam, the sacrifices, the Ark, Melchizedek, Isaac, and the ladder as types of Christ. The work of Christ is prefigured by the Ark, which represents that only those in Christ can be saved; circumcision, which represents Christ removing the desires of our flesh; and Isaac and Ishmael, who serve as a metaphor for the children of promise and the children of the law, respectively.

Genesis is the key to understanding the entire Bible. It is a great epic that reveals the origins of the universe and everything within it, including: the cosmos, life, humanity, marriage, blessings, morality, sin, curses, redemption, family, murder, culture, judgment, language, race, cities, nations, religion, calling, sojourning, promises, faith, justification, and the chosen people. God reveals all of this to make clear His eternal plan. Without understanding Genesis, we cannot grasp the meaning of the other sixty-five books of the Bible within God’s eternal plan.

(Compiled and edited based on Wikipedia and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.)