Genesis 1.1 as the first act of creation

Abstract

In contrast to the contemporary trend of reading Gen. 1.1 as either a heading to the chapter or a subordinate clause, this essay argues that the verse can be responsibly read as the first step in the process of creation. In particular, it is argued that attending to the two senses of ‘heaven’ in biblical Hebrew is a necessary prerequisite for reading Gen. 1.1. Moreover, the final form of Gen. 1 reveals the use of both bipartite and tripartite cosmological formulae. Taking these observations seriously lays the foundation for reading Gen. 1.1 as the first step in the process of creation. In turn, it is argued that this reading of the narrative is theologically suggestive.