The Book of Genesis
Genesis, the first book of the Bible, tells the story of beginnings — creation, the fall, the flood, and the call of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. It lays the foundation for the whole biblical story of God and his people.
- Testament
- Old (50 chapters)
- Type
- Law
- Author
- Traditionally attributed to Moses (15th-13th c. BC); modern scholarship sees it as a compilation of older oral and written sources edited together over centuries.
- Date
- Composed during Israel's wilderness period and finalized after the exile; events span from the world's beginning to about 1850 BC.
Creation and covenant
Genesis insists the world is good, made by one God who speaks it into being. After humanity falls, God begins his rescue plan by calling one family — Abraham's — through whom 'all families of the earth' will be blessed (Genesis 12:3). The whole rest of the Bible unfolds from that promise.
God's persistence with broken people
The patriarchs are deeply flawed — liars, schemers, jealous brothers — and yet God keeps his promises through them. Genesis teaches that God's plan does not depend on human perfection. Joseph's reconciliation with his brothers ('Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good' — 50:20) is the book's quiet climax.
Key verses (KJV)
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” — Genesis 1:1 (KJV)
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” — Genesis 12:3 (KJV)
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.” — Genesis 50:20 (KJV)
How to read Genesis
Read Genesis 1-12 carefully — they set up everything that follows. After that, the Abraham (12-25), Jacob (25-36) and Joseph (37-50) cycles read like a novel. Two-three chapters a day finishes the book in three weeks.
Read Genesis on your iPhone
Read the full book of Genesis in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.
Read Genesis free on iPhone.
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