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Genesis
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{{OldTestament}}
[[image:Viennagenesis.jpg|right|thumb|A page of the Vienna Genesis, made in sixth century Syria, with an illustration of Jacob/Israel blessing his grandsons Ephraim and Mannasseh.]][[image:creationstars.jpg|right|thumb|An icon of God creating light, in the form of the stars in the sky, on the fourth day of the Genesis creation story.]]
The '''Book of Genesis''' , also known as the '''First Book of Moses''', is the first book of the [[Old Testament]] and contains extremely old oral and written traditions of the people of Israel. The English title, '''Genesis''', comes from the Greek translation ([[Septuagint]], LXX)<ref>LXX Septuagint—an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek</ref> meaning "origins"; whereas, the Hebrew title is derived from the opening sentence of the book, translated "in the beginning". Tradition has it that this book was mostly written by the [[Prophet]] [[Moses]]<ref>For a brief biographical sketch of Moses also read Ex. 1–6</ref> 1,300 years before [[Christ]]. The influence of Genesis over all of Holy Scripture is demonstrated by it being quoted over 35 times in the [[New Testament]] and hundreds of allusions appearing in both Testaments. The story line of salvation begins in Genesis 3 and is not completed until Revelation 21 and 22, where the eternal kingdom of redeemed believers is illustrated. [[image:Viennagenesis.jpg|right|thumb|A page of the Vienna Genesis, made in sixth century Syria, with an illustration of Jacob/Israel blessing his grandsons Ephraim and Mannasseh.]]
== Authorship and writing ==
The author does not identify himself in Genesis. However, both the [[Old Testament]] <ref> Ex. 17:14; Num. 33:2; Josh. 8:31; 1 Kin. 2:3; 2 Kin. 14:6; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 13:1; Dan. 9:11, 13; Mal. 4:4)</ref> and the [[New Testament]] <ref>(Matt. 8:4; Mark 12:26; Luke 16:29; 24:27, 44; John 5:46; 7:22; Acts 15:1; Rom. 10:19; 1 Cor. 9:9; 2 Cor. 3:15) </ref> ascribe this composition to [[Moses]] <ref> cf. Acts 7:22. Moses is favoured as the author in light of his educational background..</ref> even though the context of the story ends almost three centuries before Moses he is even born. No compelling reasons have ever come forth to challenge this authorship.
Genesis was written after the [[Exodus]] (ca. 1445 B.C.) of the Israelite people, but before the death of Moses (ca. 1405 B.C.).
== Background Major Theme ==Genesis begins with This is the story book of "beginnings". It is widely accepted <ref>Not just amongst the [[creation]] of Orthodox church but other christian denominations and the worldJudaic faith.</ref>, that it contains the fall of [[Adam and Eve]] and the subsequent, quite sinful, early history of the children of Adam. It tells of Noah man and the great flood, the tower of BabelIsrael, and Abram and Melchizedektheological themes revealed to man by God Himself.
The main theme throughout all of this history is that [[image:creationstars.jpg|left|thumb|An icon of God creating light, in the form ]]'s call and promise of the stars in the sky, on the fourth day of the Genesis creation story.[[salvation]]for Israel.
== Outline ==
:''See also, Main Article: [[Genesis (Outline)]] for a more comprehensive article on the literary structure of this book.
=== By Content ===
'''By content''' this book is comprised of two sections; the first records four major events in the '''Early History of Man''' and the second four great mentmen in the '''Early History of Israel''':
# '''Primitive historyHistory of man''' (Gen. 1–11) and
## Creation (Gen. 1, 2);
## the Fall (Gen. 3–5);
:# [http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-08/Npnf2-08-16.htm#P2408_786834 The Creation of Fowl and Water Animals.]
:# [http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-08/Npnf2-08-17.htm#P2482_825600 The Creation of Terrestrial Animals.]
* [[w:Genesis|Book of Genesis, Wikipedia article]] (Source of Contents section.)
[[Category:Old Testament]]