The Hebrew word toledot (also seen as toldot) is most often translated “generations.” Toledot is the story or genetic line that came from—generated from—a person or event.
Genesis lists nine specific toledot: – Creation – Genesis 2:4 – Adam – Genesis 5:1 – Noah and his sons – Genesis 6:9; 10:1, 32 – Shem – Genesis 11:10 – Terah – 11:27 – Ishmael – Genesis 25:12-13; 1 Chronicles 1:29 – Isaac – Genesis 25:19 – Esau – Genesis 36:1, 9 – Jacob – Genesis 37:2
Toledot can have slightly different meanings depending on the context. In Genesis 2:4, it’s used somewhat metaphorically as “heaven and earth” don’t literally procreate. Instead, the word refers to the events that came about with the advent of heaven and earth—namely, all of human history.
In the other instances in Genesis, toledot identifies both the progeny of these men and the stories that ensued in their time—we might say the “era” in which they lived. The toledot or generations don’t necessarily end when the next begin; they’re more layered, each encompassing those that come after.
In other places, the word is used more narrowly to mean a family line both from the direction of the patriarch down (Exodus 6:16; Numbers 1; 3:1; Ruth 4:18) and from a contemporary figure back (1 Chronicles 7:2, 4, 9; 8:28; 9:9, 34; 26:31).
Moses wrote the book of Genesis while the Israelites were wandering in the desert. The stories gave the Israelites a place in history—an identity—which was important for a people coming out of four hundred years of slavery in a foreign country. Knowing the toledot they came from gave the Israelites context for what God was asking of them when they entered the Promised Land and linked later Israelites to the great men and the mighty deeds of long before. Most of all, the toledot showed them how God had worked in the past and how He was sure to work in the present.
In Genesis 3, God pronounces judgment against Adam, Eve, and the serpent for their sinful rebellion. To the serpent, God says, “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (verse 15, KJV). This verse is known as the protoevangelium, or the “first gospel,” because it introduces the theme of a Savior who will redeem humanity from the curse of sin (Galatians 3:13). In Genesis 3, the Savior is called the “Seed” of the woman (NKJV and AMP).
The Hebrew word for “seed” here means “offspring,” which is how many translations render it (e.g., NIV, ESV, CSB). The figurative language in Genesis 3:14 (“dust you shall eat,” ESV) indicates that the subsequent verse speaks of a spiritual war between Satan (the serpent) and humanity (the seed of the woman).
The woman spoken of is Eve, the mother of humanity (Genesis 3:20). The prophecy is that her offspring would be continually harassed by Satan and his followers (the offspring of the serpent). Sin entered the world through Adam’s disobedience, and we all suffer because of it (Romans 5:12–14). The perpetual war Satan wages against humanity began in the Garden of Eden.
There is an indication of number in Genesis 3:15 that we cannot overlook. The woman’s offspring is referred to by the singular noun seed, and that seed is immediately antecedent to the singular pronouns he and his. So, the seed of the woman is individualized. There is one Seed in particular who is to come. The sole tempter will be countered by the sole Savior.
Also, Genesis 3:15 speaks of the seed of a woman rather than the seed of a man. This unusual wording could indicate that the woman’s offspring would not have an earthly father. In that case, the protoevangelium is certainly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Luke 1:34–35).
The enmity spoken of in Genesis 3:15 is ultimately between Satan and Christ. Satan “bruised the heel” of the Savior when Jesus was crucified—Jesus suffered in His flesh. But the story does not end there. On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave. In so doing, He crushed the power of Satan, sin, and death—He crushed the serpent’s head. Jesus is the Seed of the woman who has won the victory over the tempter and enemy of mankind. And, to His eternal praise, He grants victory to everyone who believes in Him (John 16:33). “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 3:21).
Did God create other people in addition to Adam and Eve?
There is no indication anywhere in the Bible that God created any humans other than Adam and Eve. In Genesis 2 we read, “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven. Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground. Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed… Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’ …So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:4-8, 18, 21-22).
Notice that the passage says, “There He placed the man whom He had formed.” Not the “men,” just the one “man.” And this man was alone (v. 18) so God made a woman out of his rib to be his companion. All other human beings have descended from these two original people. The two main reasons why this question usually comes up are (1) Cain’s wife, and (2) the origin of the different races. If the only people on the earth were children of Adam and Eve, whom did Cain marry and how did we get all the different races of people with their different skin colors from just two people? For answers to these issues, please read “Who was Cain’s wife?” and “What is the origin of the different races?”
What does it mean that God gave humanity dominion over the animals?
The word dominion means “rule or power over.” God has sovereign power over His creation and has delegated the authority to mankind to have dominion over the animals (Genesis 1:26). David reinforces this truth: “You made [mankind] rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet” (Psalm 8:6). Humanity was to “subdue” the earth (Genesis 1:28)—we were to hold a position of command over it; we were placed in a superior role and were to exercise control over the earth and its flora and fauna. Mankind was set up as the ruler of this world. All else was subjugated to him.
God’s command to subdue the earth and the animal life in it is a command to have the mastery over all of it. A true mastery (of anything) cannot be accomplished without an understanding of the thing mastered. In order for a musician to master the violin, he or she must truly understand the instrument. In order for mankind to attain mastery over the animal kingdom, we must understand the animals.
With the authority to rule comes the responsibility to rule well. There is an inherent accountability in the command to subdue the earth. Man has a duty to exercise his dominion under the authority of the One who delegated it. All authority is of God (Romans 13:1-5), and He delegates it to whomever He will (Daniel 4:17). The word subdue doesn’t have to imply violence or mistreatment. It can mean “to bring under cultivation.”
Man is to be the steward of the earth; he is to bring the material world and all of its varied elements into the service of God and the good of mankind. The command to subdue the earth is actually part of God’s blessing on mankind. Created in the image of God, Adam and Eve were to use the earth’s vast resources in the service of both God and themselves. It would only make sense for God to decree this, since only humans were created in God’s image.
When God gave humanity dominion over the animals, it was in order to care for, tend to, and use those animals to their fullest potential in a just manner. At the time that God gave mankind dominion over the animals, humans did not eat meat (Genesis 1:29). Eating meat did not begin until after the Flood (Genesis 9:1–3), and it was at that time that animals started to fear humans. However, although God changed the way we interact with animals, in that they are now “meat,” we still bear a responsibility to treat animals humanely. Human rule over animals does not mean we have the right to mistreat or misuse those animals.
Having dominion over the animals should entail a humane management of them as the resource God has ordained them to be. We should consider that mankind was given the task (and blessing) of representing God in this world. We are the caretakers. We hold sway over all the earth, and we (bearing God’s image) bear a responsibility to act as God would. Does God misuse His creation? No. Is God unwise in His management of resources? No. Is God ever cruel or selfish or wasteful? No. Then neither should we be. Any misuse or mistreatment of God’s creation is the result of sin, not the result of following God’s original command. We must fulfill our duty to manage the earth wisely until that time when the wolf shall lie down with the lamb in the kingdom of Christ (Isaiah 11:6).
The creation account is found in Genesis 1—2. Most of God’s creative work was done by speaking, an indication of the power and authority of His Word. Let us look at each day of God’s creative work:
Creation Day 1 (Genesis 1:1–5)
God creates the heavens and the earth. “The heavens” refers to everything beyond the earth, outer space. The earth is made but not formed in any specific way, although water is present. God then speaks light into existence. He then separates the light from the dark and names the light “day” and the dark “night.”
Creation Day 2 (Genesis 1:6–8)
God creates the sky. The sky forms a barrier between water upon the surface and the moisture in the air. At this point earth has an atmosphere.
Creation Day 3 (Genesis 1:9–13)
God creates dry land. Continents and islands rise above the water. The large bodies of water are named “seas” and the ground is named “land.” God declares that all this is good.
God creates all plant life. He creates this life to be self-sustaining: plants can reproduce. The plants are created in great diversity (many “kinds”). The land is green and teeming with plant life. God declares that this work is also good.
Creation Day 4 (Genesis 1:14–19)
God creates all the stars and heavenly bodies. The movement of these will help man track time. Two great heavenly bodies are made in relation to the earth. The first is the sun, which is the primary source of light, and the moon, which reflects the light of the sun. The movement of these bodies will distinguish day from night. This work is also declared to be good by God.
Creation Day 5 (Genesis 1:20–23)
God creates all life that lives in the water, in all of its marvelous diversity. God also makes all the birds. The language of the passage allows that this may be the time God made flying insects as well; if not, they are made on Day 6. All these creatures have the ability to perpetuate their species by reproduction. The creatures made on Day 5 are the first creatures blessed by God. God declares this work good.
Creation Day 6 (Genesis 1:24–31)
God creates all the creatures that live on dry land. This includes every type of creature not included on previous days. God also creates man. God declares this work good.
When God was creating man, He took counsel with Himself. “God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26). This is not an explicit revelation of the Trinity but is part of the foundation for such, as God reveals an “us” within the Godhead. God makes mankind in His own image, and thus mankind is special above all other creatures. He makes them male and female and places them in authority over the earth and over all the other creatures. God blesses them and commands them to reproduce, fill the earth, and subdue it (bring it under the rightful stewardship of mankind as authorized by God). God announces that humans and all other creatures are to eat plants alone. God will not rescind this dietary restriction until Genesis 9:3–4.
God’s creative work is complete at the end of the sixth day. The entire universe in all its beauty and perfection was fully formed in these six periods labeled as “days.” At the completion of His creation, God announces that it is “very good” (Genesis 1:31).
Creation Day 7 (Genesis 2:1–3)
God rests. This in no way indicates He was weary from His creative efforts; rather, it denotes that the creation is complete. He stops creating. Further, God is establishing a pattern of one day in seven to rest. The keeping of this day will eventually be a distinguishing trait of God’s chosen people, Israel (Exodus 20:8–11).
Many Christians interpret these “days” of creation as literal, 24-hour periods, a position called Young-Earth Creationism. It should be noted that certain other interpretations of these “days” suggest they were indeterminate periods of time. The Day-Age Theory and Historical Creationism are two theories that interpret the biblical data in a way that allows for an older earth. Regardless, the events and accomplishments of each “day” are the same.
What did God mean when He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply?
God had just finished all His creation, ending with His masterpieces, the very first man and woman, when He told them to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). The world was now fully created with days and nights, seasons and years, plants and animals, and Adam and Eve; and God set in motion His plan to fill the world He created with people (Isaiah 45:18). The world was Adam and Eve’s inheritance to fill, and, as stated in the beginning of Genesis 1:28, it was God’s blessing for Adam and Eve to have children and work the earth. Commentator Matthew Henry wrote that God blessed the first couple with “a numerous lasting family, to enjoy this inheritance . . . in virtue of which their posterity should extend to the utmost corners of the earth and continue to the utmost period of time.”
Simply, God desired for Adam and Eve to have many children and for their children to have many children. But fruitfulness also denotes much more. God didn’t intend Adam and Eve to have children just to have children. In the remainder of Genesis 1:28, we see a useful and desired result: to “fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Was the blessing bestowed upon Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply also a command for us today? Some take this view and refuse all forms of birth control. But if Genesis 1:28 is in fact a command to us as individuals rather than a blessing upon mankind in general, we run into a few problems, especially when looking to the New Testament.
First, Jesus walked the earth for 33 years having no wife to bear children. As a Jew, Jesus was raised according to Jewish laws and customs (Galatians 4:4), and He fulfilled the Law of God perfectly (Matthew 5:17). However, Jesus was not physically “fruitful,” nor did He “multiply,” indicating that Genesis 1:28 is not a command for every person to obey. In addition, Jesus said that celibacy is a personal choice, neither condemning it nor praising it above marriage and childbearing (Matthew 19:12).
Second, the apostle Paul encourages Christians that it is better to stay single than be married (1 Corinthians 7:38) so that individuals can place their entire focus on serving God (verses 32–35). Paul affirms that being married is a good thing, but he insists that being single is better in certain circumstances. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle would not encourage us against bearing fruit and multiplying if that were one of God’s direct commands.
Finally, if being fruitful and multiplying is an express command for all couples to bear children, we run into the problem of infertility. While the Bible does say that children are a blessing from the Lord (Psalm 127:3–5), nowhere in Scripture is infertility condemned as a sin or a curse from God.
We can have lives that are pleasing to God and bring Him glory whether we have children or not. Indeed, we can be spiritually fruitful and multiply the citizens of the Kingdom of God when we obey Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).
Since God took a rib from Adam to make Eve, does that mean men have one less rib than women?
God took a rib from Adam to make Eve, but this removal of a rib from Adam did not result in all men having one less rib. There are some interesting reasons why this is true and why God chose to take a rib in the first place.
On the sixth day of creation, God created the first man. It was a special work of creation: “The Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). The structure and design of the human body is amazing—not to mention the soul and the fact that humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
After creating Adam, God guided the man to the discovery that he was, in a sense, alone in the world; unlike the animals, the man had no counterpart, no equal companion: “For Adam no suitable helper was found” (Genesis 2:20). Once Adam was aware of his need, God took steps to remedy the problem. He created the woman.
How God created the woman is significant. In Genesis 2:21–22, after causing Adam to fall into a deep sleep, God took a rib out of the man and used it to form the woman. So Adam and Eve were of the same substance and were connected physically. All people are from Adam, including Eve. When God brought the woman to the man, Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:23).
Learning of God’s removal of a rib from Adam, some people assume that men today have one fewer rib than women have. It’s a wrong assumption, of course. Ribs are easily counted, and men and women have the same number of them. God made a surgical change to Adam, not a genetic change. Performing surgery does not alter one’s genetic makeup. Every descendant of Adam has the DNA encoding that produces 12 pairs of ribs—24 ribs total in the rib cage. Adam’s sons all had the same number of ribs that Adam had originally; in the same way, the son of a kidney donor will have two kidneys, not just one, and the daughter of an amputee will not be born missing a limb.
The fact that God pulled a rib out of Adam and not some other piece of his body shows God’s wisdom, planning, and foresight. Ribs regrow. All bones in the human body are able to mend themselves, but rib bone is unique in that it can regenerate. When a surgeon performs a costectomy (the removal of part or all of a rib), he or she will be careful to leave the perichondrium (the membrane surrounding the rib). The rib taken can be used for bone grafts elsewhere in the body, and in the spot of the missing rib will grow a new rib—usually within one or two months. (See Moore, K., Dalley, A., and Agur, M., Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 7th ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2013, p. 83).
Given the rib’s ability to regenerate, we know that God did not permanently wound Adam when He took a rib from his side to make Eve. Adam did not live the rest of his life with a defect or a weak spot in his skeletal thorax. Because of God’s wonderful design, Adam lived out the rest of his days with the same number of ribs that he had been created with.
What does it mean when God tells Adam, “For dust you are and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19)?
Genesis 2:7 teaches that God created Adam from the dust of the earth: “The Lord God formed a man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” After Adam sinned, God informed him that he will toil the earth his entire life. It will be frustrating and difficult. Ultimately, Adam’s lifelong work would end in death, and he would return back to the dust from which he was created. Death was the final consequence of Adam’s choice to sin. In Genesis 3:19, God tells Adam, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (NKJV).
God formed each element of creation with His word. He said it, and it was. But God specially formed Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Humanity is made from a combination of the earth and the life-giving breath of God Himself. The glory of God is found in His breath in us, while being made from the dust of the earth is a reminder of our lowliness and dependence on Him. God’s declaration to Adam that “to dust you shall return” is final and gave Adam a continual awareness that one day he would die physically.
The curse of death that came to Adam was imparted to all humans who have lived since. Because of Adam, sin entered the world (Romans 5:12), all were condemned because of sin (verse 18), and death came to all humanity (verse 15; 1 Corinthians 15:22). All people are sinners (Romans 5:19) and will one day die and face judgment before God (Hebrews 9:27). The reality that “to dust you shall return” is for everyone. For those who trust in Christ, though, the curse of death will be overcome (Ephesians 2:1–10). Rather than fear death, believers have the assurance of eternity that fuels the way we live.
Peter urges believers to remember that we are pilgrims and sojourners, and as such we are “to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). The certainty that “to dust you shall return” should humble us to seek and follow God. Our time on earth is short compared to eternity. Paul calls our bodies “earthly tents” in 2 Corinthians 5:1. This world is not our permanent home, and our bodies are destined to return to dust. On earth we groan and are burdened. Yet resurrection and eternity with God in a heavenly dwelling are promised to those who belong to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:4). We cannot be so entangled in the affairs of this world that we miss out on what matters eternally.
James also reminds believers, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). We are called to be Christ’s ambassadors, sharing the gospel with others and urging them to be reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:20). In light of the brevity of life, we should take account of how we live. Instead of living for ourselves, we should live for God and do good (James 4:16–17). “To dust you shall return” should impact how we live and what our lives are about.
As pioneer missionary C. T. Studd penned, “Only one life, ’twill soon be past, / Only what’s done for Christ will last.” God’s declaration to Adam that “to dust you shall return” still rings true for every person today. We all come from dust, and we will all return back to it. What happens in between matters. May we live our lives for His glory, in obedience to Him and telling others of the hope we have in Christ. May many turn to Him before it is too late.
The “firmament” (from the Latin firmamentum, meaning “sky” or “expanse”) is mentioned 17 times in the King James Version of the Bible and refers to the expanse of the heavens above the earth.
Nine of the occurrences of firmament are in the first chapter of the Bible as part of the creation account. Genesis 1:6-8 says, “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.” The “firmament” is called “heaven”; i.e., it is what people see when they stand outside and look up. It is the space which includes the earth’s atmosphere and the celestial realm. In the firmament, we see the sun, moon, and stars; in modern translations the firmament is often called the “expanse” or the “sky.”
Genesis says that the firmament “separated the water under the expanse from the water above it” (Genesis 1:7). Originally, God created the earth with water “under” the sky (terrestrial and subterranean water) and water “above” the sky—possibly a “water canopy” which enwrapped the earth in a protective layer. Or, the waters above the firmament could simply be a reference to clouds.
We find firmament used again in Psalms: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1). Also, in Psalm 150:1, “Praise ye the LORD. . . . Praise him in the firmament of his power.”
Firmament is used in only two other books of the Bible: Ezekiel (five times) and Daniel (once). In Ezekiel, each occurrence takes place within a vision. For example, “Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne” (Ezekiel 10:1).
Daniel 12:3 says, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
In short, the “firmament” is a vast expanse, specifically the atmosphere or sky. The word is found only in the King James Version and other older translations of the Bible.
Did God literally and visibly walk in the garden (Genesis 3:8)?
Genesis 3:8 says, “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” We know that God is spirit (John 4:24), so how exactly could He be “walking” in the garden?
First, it is clear from Genesis 3:8 that God’s approach in the garden was heralded by a “sound” or a “voice.” The verse begins by stating, “They heard the sound” of the Lord God. Whatever form God took, it certainly allowed for the physical production of sound. His walk was audible; He was making noise.
The verse also mentions the “presence” of God “among the trees” of the garden. It was a presence that Adam and Eve acknowledged and thought they could hide from. So, God’s garden walk included both sound and some sort of presence among the trees.
Even given these two statements, interpretations differ greatly. Some emphasize the fact that God the Father is invisible and cannot be seen by humans. According to this view, God did not appear in the flesh; rather, He took on a symbolic, incorporeal appearance, such as a cloud, much like He did with the Israelites in the desert with Moses (Deuteronomy 31:15).
Others suggest that the idea of God “walking” refers to a theophany—an appearance of God in a tangible, human form. Theologians who hold this view point to a parallel in Genesis 18, where God appears as one of three (seemingly human) visitors to Abraham.
Another theory is based on the Hebrew phrase translated “the cool of the day.” This could be literally translated “the wind of that day.” Some think this might refer to a strong wind. If so, Adam and Eve’s reaction makes more sense. They heard God’s approach as a terrible wind that lashed the trees of the garden, and they took cover. God called (using a Hebrew word that also means “to summon”) Adam to face judgment. Acts 2 records an interesting parallel: the coming of the Holy Spirit was accompanied by “a sound like the blowing of a violent wind” (verse 2). Also, God spoke to Job “out of the whirlwind” (Job 38:1).
Regardless of whether God appeared in human form or in a cloud, or whether He made His presence known by a windstorm, it is clear God Himself confronted the sinners and issued judgment. To the praise of His grace, this judgment also included the promise of a future Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). Thus began a great saga that ultimately led to Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice for sin and substitute for sin’s judgment. Through Christ, those who believe are forgiven of sin and receive eternal life (John 3:16).
