Three Creation Accounts Comparison

A Comprehensive Textual Analysis

Genesis 1-2 Moses 2-3 Abraham 4-5
Genesis
Moses
Abraham
📖 Full Text Comparison: Genesis, Moses & Abraham Side-by-Side
Divine Actor (God/Gods)
Creation Verbs (created/organized)
Evaluation (good/obeyed)
Time (day/time)
Sky (firmament/expanse)
Unique Content
Genesis 1 Moses 2 Abraham 4
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 1 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the words which I speak. I am the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God; by mine Only Begotten I created these things; yea, in the beginning I created the heaven, 1 And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. and the earth upon which thou standest.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and I caused darkness to come up upon the face of the deep; and my Spirit moved upon the face of the water; for I am God.		 2 And the earth, after it was formed, was empty and desolate, because they had not formed anything but the earth; and darkness reigned upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of the Gods was brooding upon the face of the waters.
DAY 1 / FIRST TIME: Light
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 3 And I, God, said: Let there be light; and there was light. 3 And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light; and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 4 And I, God, saw the light; and that light was good. And I, God, divided the light from the darkness. 4 And they (the Gods) comprehended the light, for it was bright; and they divided the light, or caused it to be divided, from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 5 And I, God, called the light Day; and the darkness, I called Night; and this I did by the word of my power, and it was done as I spake; and the evening and the morning were the first day. 5 And the Gods called the light Day, and the darkness they called Night. And it came to pass that from the evening until morning they called night; and from the morning until the evening they called day; and this was the first, or the beginning, of that which they called day and night.
DAY 2 / SECOND TIME: Firmament/Expanse
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 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.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.		 6 And again, I, God, said: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and it was so, even as I spake; and I said: Let it divide the waters from the waters; and it was done;
7 And I, God, made the firmament and divided the waters, yea, the great waters under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it was so even as I spake.
8 And I, God, called the firmament Heaven; and the evening and the morning were the second day.		 6 And the Gods also said: Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and it shall divide the waters from the waters.
7 And the Gods ordered the expanse, so that it divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so, even as they ordered.
8 And the Gods called the expanse, Heaven. And it came to pass that it was from evening until morning that they called night; and it came to pass that it was from morning until evening that they called day; and this was the second time that they called night and day.
DAY 3 / THIRD TIME: Land, Seas, Plants
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.		 9 And I, God, said: Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and it was so; and I, God, said: Let there be dry land; and it was so.
10 And I, God, called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters, called I the Sea; and I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good.
11 And I, God, said: Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, the fruit tree yielding fruit, after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed should be in itself upon the earth, and it was so even as I spake.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, every herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed should be in itself, after his kind; and I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good;
13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.		 9 And the Gods ordered, saying: Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the earth come up dry; and it was so as they ordered;
10 And the Gods pronounced the dry land, Earth; and the gathering together of the waters, pronounced they, Great Waters; and the Gods saw that they were obeyed.
11 And the Gods said: Let us prepare the earth to bring forth grass; the herb yielding seed; the fruit tree yielding fruit, after his kind, whose seed in itself yieldeth its own likeness upon the earth; and it was so, even as they ordered.
12 And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth grass from its own seed, and the herb to bring forth herb from its own seed, yielding seed after his kind; and the earth to bring forth the tree from its own seed, yielding fruit, whose seed could only bring forth the same in itself, after his kind; and the Gods saw that they were obeyed.
13 And it came to pass that they numbered the days; from the evening until the morning they called night; and it came to pass, from the morning until the evening they called day; and it was the third time.
DAY 4 / FOURTH TIME: Sun, Moon, Stars
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.		 14 And I, God, said: Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years;
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth; and it was so.
16 And I, God, made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the greater light was the sun, and the lesser light was the moon; and the stars also were made even according to my word.
17 And I, God, set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And the sun to rule over the day, and the moon to rule over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good;
19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.		 14 And the Gods organized the lights in the expanse of the heaven, and caused them to divide the day from the night; and organized them to be for signs and for seasons, and for days and for years;
15 And organized them to be for lights in the expanse of the heaven to give light upon the earth; and it was so.
16 And the Gods organized the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; with the lesser light they set the stars also;
17 And the Gods set them in the expanse of the heavens, to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to cause to divide the light from the darkness.
18 And the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed.
19 And it came to pass that it was from evening until morning that it was night; and it came to pass that it was from morning until evening that it was day; and it was the fourth time.
DAY 5 / FIFTH TIME: Fish, Fowl
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.		 20 And I, God, said: Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl which may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21 And I, God, created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind; and I, God, saw that all things which I had created were good.
22 And I, God, blessed them, saying: Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the sea; and let fowl multiply in the earth;
23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.		 20 And the Gods said: Let us prepare the waters to bring forth abundantly the moving creatures that have life; and the fowl, that they may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven.
21 And the Gods prepared the waters that they might bring forth great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters were to bring forth abundantly after their kind; and every winged fowl after their kind. And the Gods saw that they would be obeyed, and that their plan was good.
22 And the Gods said: We will bless them to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas or great waters; and cause the fowl to multiply in the earth.
23 And it came to pass that it was from evening until morning that they called night; and it came to pass that it was from morning until evening that they called day; and it was the fifth time.
DAY 6 / SIXTH TIME: Animals, Man
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.		 24 And I, God, said: Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind, and it was so;
25 And I, God, made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything which creepeth upon the earth after his kind; and I, God, saw that all these things were good.
26 And I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and it was so. And I, God, said: Let them have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.
28 And I, God, blessed them, and said unto them: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And I, God, said unto man: Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which shall be the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein I grant life, there shall be given every clean herb for meat; and it was so, even as I spake.
31 And I, God, saw everything that I had made, and, behold, all things which I had made were very good; and the evening and the morning were the sixth day.		 24 And the Gods prepared the earth to bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind; and it was so, as they had said.
25 And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind; and the Gods saw they would obey.
26 And the Gods took counsel among themselves and said: Let us go down and form man in our image, after our likeness; and we will give them dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So the Gods went down to organize man in their own image, in the image of the Gods to form they him, male and female to form they them.
28 And the Gods said: We will bless them. And the Gods said: We will cause them to be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and to have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And the Gods said: Behold, we will give them every herb bearing seed that shall come upon the face of all the earth, and every tree which shall have fruit upon it; yea, the fruit of the tree yielding seed to them we will give it; it shall be for their meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, behold, we will give them life, and also we will give to them every green herb for meat, and all these things shall be thus organized.
31 And the Gods said: We will do everything that we have said, and organize them; and behold, they shall be very obedient. And it came to pass that it was from evening until morning they called night; and it came to pass that it was from morning until evening that they called day; and they numbered the sixth time.

Patterns to Notice

Each account follows a consistent formula that reveals its theological emphasis:

  • Genesis: "God said...and it was so...God saw that it was good"
  • Moses: "I, God, said...and it was so, even as I spake...I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good"
  • Abraham: "The Gods said...and it was so, as they ordered...the Gods saw that they were/would be obeyed"

Key pattern: Notice how Abraham's creation verbs (organized, prepared, ordered) cluster throughout, while the divine plurality language (the Gods, we will, let us) appears consistently. The time terminology shifts from "day" to "time" reveal different conceptions of the creation period.

📖 Introduction

The Latter-day Saint canon preserves three parallel creation accounts included in scripture: Genesis (the biblical text), the Book of Moses (revealed to Joseph Smith, June–October 1830), and the Book of Abraham (translated from Egyptian papyri). While sharing a common narrative structure, each account contains distinctive vocabulary, theological emphases, and unique content that rewards careful comparative study.

This analysis examines the major textual and theological differences across all three accounts.

📜 Hebrew Terms Reference: Key Words and Their Meanings

Understanding Hebrew morphology reveals layers of meaning often lost in translation. Click Hebrew terms to view full lexicon entries at Blue Letter Bible.

Genesis 1:1 — The Opening Words

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים

"In the beginning God created..." (KJV)

בְּרֵאשִׁית bereshit — "In [a/the] beginning" or "When [God] began to create"
בָּרָא bara — "created" (3rd person masculine singular, perfect)
אֱלֹהִים Elohim — "God" (grammatically plural, used with singular verb)

Morphological Insight: The word בְּרֵאשִׁית (bereshit) is built from multiple components:

בְּ be- Preposition: "in, at, with, by"
רֵאשִׁית reshit "Beginning, first, chief, firstfruits" (H7225)
רֹאשׁ rosh "Head, top, summit, chief, leader" — the root of reshit (H7218)

The Reshit Connection: רֵאשִׁית (reshit) derives from רֹאשׁ (rosh, "head"). In Israelite worship, reshit designated the firstfruits offered to God—the first and best portion of the harvest (Ex 23:19, Lev 23:10, Deut 18:4). This creates a remarkable resonance: creation itself is God's "firstfruits," the first and best offering of divine creative power.

Root Wordplay: Hebrew readers would hear the echo between בְּרֵאשִׁית (bereshit, from rosh "head") and בָּרָא (bara, "created")—though from different roots, the similar sounds create poetic resonance at the Torah's opening.

Alternate Translations:

  • "In the beginning" — Traditional (KJV, NKJV)
  • "In a beginning" — The Hebrew lacks a definite article; this may not be the absolute beginning
  • "When God began to create" — NRSV, JPS; treats bereshit as a temporal clause
  • "In the beginning of God's creating" — Rashi's interpretation; creation as ongoing action
  • "In the head/chief [portion]" — Reflecting the rosh root; creation as the "head" of all that follows
  • "As firstfruits" — Reflecting the reshit meaning; creation as God's first offering

Creation Verbs — Root Analysis

Root Dictionary Form As It Appears Meaning & Usage Strong's
ב-ר-א בָּרָא
bara		 בָּרָא bara (1:1, 21, 27)
בְּרֵאשִׁית bereshit (1:1)
בְּהִבָּרְאָם behibar'am (2:4) 		To create; used exclusively of divine creative action. Note: Scholars debate whether bara implies ex nihilo. Genesis actually presumes pre-existing materials: waters and the deep (1:2), the Spirit moving upon the face of the waters, dust for forming man (2:7). The concept of creation from absolute nothing developed later when Hebrew and Hellenistic thought merged. H1254
ע-ש-ה עָשָׂה
asah		 וַיַּעַשׂ vaya'as (1:7, 16, 25, 31)
נַעֲשֶׂה na'aseh (1:26) 		To make, do, fashion. General term for making; can involve pre-existing materials. "Let us make" (1:26) uses this root. H6213
י-צ-ר יָצַר
yatsar		 וַיִּיצֶר vayitser (2:7, 8, 19) To form, shape (as a potter shapes clay). Implies hands-on craftsmanship with existing matter. Used for forming man and animals. H3335

Divine Names

Hebrew Transliteration Appears In Text As Significance Strong's
אֱלֹהִים Elohim Used 35× in Genesis 1:1–2:3 Grammatically plural (-im ending) but paired with singular verbs. Suggests majesty/fullness. Abraham renders this as "the Gods" (plural verbs). H430
יְהוָה YHWH (Yahweh) יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים "LORD God" (Gen 2:4ff) The covenant name; appears only in Gen 2 (after creation narrative). Combined with Elohim as "LORD God." H3068

Other Key Terms

Hebrew Transliteration Textual Forms Meaning & Notes Strong's
יוֹם yom יוֹם "day" (1:5)
בְּיוֹם "in the day" (2:4) 		Day, time, period. Gen 2:4 uses yom to summarize all six "days" as one yom—showing flexibility. Abraham replaces with "time." H3117
רָקִיעַ raqia הָרָקִיעַ "the firmament" (1:6-8, 14-17, 20) From root meaning "to beat/spread out" (as metal). Traditionally "firmament" (solid dome); Abraham uses "expanse" (open space). H7549
טוֹב tov כִּי־טוֹב "that [it was] good" (1:4, 10, etc.)
טוֹב מְאֹד "very good" (1:31) 		Good, pleasant, fitting, beautiful. Evaluation of quality/purpose. Abraham replaces with "they obeyed" (compliance, not quality). H2896
רוּחַ ruach וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים "and the Spirit of God" (1:2) Spirit, breath, wind. Same word for all three concepts. "The Spirit of God moved" — or "a wind from God swept." H7307
תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ tohu va-vohu תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ "without form and void" (1:2) Formless and empty; chaos. Rhyming pair emphasizing total disorder. Abraham: "empty and desolate." H8414 + H922
צֶלֶם tselem בְּצַלְמֵנוּ "in our image" (1:26)
בְּצַלְמוֹ "in his image" (1:27) 		Image — A concrete representation, physical form. Used elsewhere for idols/statues (Num 33:52). Emphasizes visible, tangible resemblance to God. H6754
דְּמוּת demut כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ "after our likeness" (1:26)
בִּדְמוּת "in the likeness of" (5:1, 3) 		Likeness — Abstract similarity, pattern, model. From root ד-מ-ה "to be like." Emphasizes nature, character, qualities rather than form. Together with tselem: both form and nature. H1823
עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ ezer kenegdo עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ "help meet for him" (2:18, 20) Ezer = helper (same word for God as Israel's helper!). Kenegdo = corresponding to, counterpart. Not subordinate—essential partner. H5828 + H5048
נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה nephesh chayyah לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה "a living soul" (2:7) Living being/creature. Nephesh = soul, self, life-breath. Used for animals (1:20, 21, 24) and humans (2:7)—same term. H5315 + H2416

Key Vocabulary Shift in Abraham

Abraham does not use the Hebrew creation vocabulary. Instead, it uses English terms that imply different theological concepts:

  • "Organized" replaces "created" (bara) — explicitly emphasizing pre-existing matter (ex materia)
  • "Prepared" replaces "made" (asah) — implying planning and intention
  • "They obeyed" replaces "was good" (tov) — matter responds to divine will
  • "Expanse" replaces "firmament" (raqia) — open space rather than solid dome
  • "Time" replaces "day" (yom) — relative/cosmic time rather than 24-hour periods
  • "The Gods" treats Elohim as grammatically plural — divine council working together

Scholarly note: The idea that bara implies creation ex nihilo (from absolute nothing) developed later, when Hebrew and Hellenistic thought merged. Genesis itself presumes pre-existing materials: waters, the deep, the Spirit moving upon waters (1:2), and dust for forming man (2:7). Abraham's "organized" makes explicit what many scholars see as implicit in Genesis.

📊 Key Differences Summary

Element Genesis Moses Abraham
Divine Actor God (אֱלֹהִים Elohim) I, God The Gods
Creation Verb Created (בָּרָא bara) Created (bara) Organized
Time Unit Day (יוֹם yom) Day (yom) Time
Evaluation Was good (טוֹב tov) Was good (tov) They obeyed
Planning Language Implicit Implicit Explicit council
Spirit Creation Absent Explicit Implicit
Agency Teaching Absent Explicit Absent
Sky Terminology Firmament (רָקִיעַ raqia) Firmament (raqia) Expanse
Kolob/Cosmic Time Absent Absent Explicit

✨ I. Divine Identity and Plurality

Account Divine Actor Plurality Language Council References
Genesis God (אֱלֹהִים Elohim) "Let us make man in our image" (1:26) None explicit
Moses I, God "I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten...Let us make man" (2:26) Only Begotten identified as partner
Abraham The Gods "Let us go down" (4:1); "Let us make man" (4:26) "Gods took counsel among themselves" (4:26); "Gods said among themselves" (5:2)
📖 In-Depth Analysis: Divine Plurality

Genesis

Uses singular "God" (Hebrew: Elohim, אֱלֹהִים), grammatically plural but used with singular verbs and treated as singular. Pattern is generally regarded as a token of respect.

  • Introduces plurality only at key moments: "Let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26)
  • "LORD God" (Yahweh Elohim, יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים) appears in chapter 2

Moses

Retains singular "God" but adds first-person narrative: "I, God". Explicitly introduces the Only Begotten:

"I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man" — Moses 2:26

This clarifies the "us"—it is God speaking to Christ. Also adds: "I am the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God" (Moses 2:1)

Abraham

Consistently uses plural "the Gods" throughout:

  • "They (the Gods) said," "the Gods organized," "the Gods watched"
  • Council language: "the Gods took counsel among themselves" (Abraham 4:26)
  • "The Gods said among themselves" (Abraham 5:2)
  • Deliberative language: "Let us go down" (Abraham 4:1)
Significance: Abraham presents creation as a collaborative divine council; Moses clarifies the Godhead relationship; Genesis leaves the plurality ambiguous.

📖 II. Creation Verbs: Created vs. Organized

This represents one of the most theologically significant differences across the accounts.

Genesis/Moses Term Hebrew Abraham Term Theological Shift
Created בָּרָא bara Organized Ex nihilo → Ex materia
Made עָשָׂה asah Prepared Command → Planning
Formed יָצַר yatsar Formed Retained for physical shaping
Commanded — Ordered "the Gods ordered the expanse" (Abraham 4:7)
📖 In-Depth Analysis: Created vs. Organized

Genesis

Created (Hebrew: bara, בָּרָא) "God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1)
Made (Hebrew: asah, עָשָׂה) "God made the firmament" (Genesis 1:7)
Formed (Hebrew: yatsar, יָצַר) "LORD God formed man of the dust" (Genesis 2:7)

Moses

Mirrors Genesis closely: "created," "made," "formed". Adds emphasis on divine power: "this I did by the word of my power" (Moses 2:5)

Abraham

Key passage (Abraham 4:1): "they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth"

Significance: Abraham explicitly uses "organized" rather than "created," emphasizing work with pre-existing materials (creatio ex materia). This has major implications for Latter-day Saint cosmology and the doctrine of eternal matter.
Scholarly note on creatio ex nihilo: The doctrine that God created from absolute nothing developed later—most scholars trace its explicit formulation to the late second century CE, when Christian apologists like Tatian, Theophilus, and Irenaeus articulated it in debates with Gnostics. Genesis itself presumes pre-existing materials: waters, the deep (tehom, תְהוֹם), and the Spirit moving upon the waters (Genesis 1:2), plus dust for forming man (Genesis 2:7). As John J. Scullion notes in The Anchor Bible Dictionary: "the problem of creatio ex nihilo, creation out of nothing, is not a problem [in Genesis 1]; it became one for later generations when Hebrew and Helenistic culture blended together." Abraham's "organized" makes explicit what many scholars see as implicit in the Hebrew text.

Key Insight

"The Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed." (Abraham 4:18)

Abraham presents creation as matter responding to divine will rather than instantaneous command—implying pre-existing material with inherent capacity to obey.

⏰ III. Time and Sequence: Days vs. Times

Account Time Terminology Formula
Genesis Day (Hebrew: yom, יוֹם) "the evening and the morning were the first day" (Genesis 1:5)
Moses Day (yom) "the evening and the morning were the first day" (Moses 2:5)
Abraham Time "this was the first, or the beginning, of that which they called day and night" (Abraham 4:5)
📖 In-Depth Analysis: Cosmic Time

Genesis & Moses

Standard formula: "the evening and the morning were the first day". Uses "day" (Hebrew: yom, יוֹם) consistently. No elaboration on time duration.

Abraham

  • Replaces "day" with "time": "this was the first, or the beginning, of that which they called day and night" (Abraham 4:5)
  • Expanded formula: "And it came to pass that from the evening until morning they called night; and from the morning until the evening they called day"
  • "they numbered the days" (4:13)—suggesting deliberate counting/designation
  • Progressive numbering: "third time" (4:13), "fourth time" (4:19), "fifth time" (4:23), "sixth time" (5:31)

Critical Addition

"Now I, Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord's time, which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning." — Abraham 5:13
Significance: Abraham explicitly relativizes time, connecting creation periods to celestial time (Kolob) rather than earthly 24-hour days. This opens interpretation toward longer creative periods and establishes that mortal time-reckoning was not yet instituted.

Light before the Sun: A Deeper Principle

A striking feature of the creation narrative is that light (or, אוֹר) is called forth on Day 1 (Genesis 1:3–5), along with the separation of light from darkness and the naming of "day" and "night"—yet the sun, moon, and stars are not organized until Day 4 (Genesis 1:14–19).

This sequence demonstrates that the concepts of light, darkness, day, and night represent principles more fundamental than the solar cycle. They precede and transcend the physical luminaries that would later govern earthly time. Light in this context is not merely photons from a star—it is a primordial ordering principle, perhaps connected to the divine presence itself (compare 1 John 1:5: "God is light").

The "days" of creation are therefore not defined by Earth's rotation relative to the sun, but by divine demarcation of ordered periods—reinforcing Abraham's teaching that these are "times" measured by celestial, not terrestrial, reckoning.

✅ IV. Evaluation Phrases: "Good" vs. "Obeyed"

Day/Time Genesis Moses Abraham
1
Light		 God saw the light, that it was good (טוֹב tov) I, God, saw the light; and that light was good They (the Gods) comprehended the light, for it was bright
2
Firmament		 No evaluation stated No evaluation stated It was so, even as they ordered
3
Land & Plants		 God saw that it was good (x2) I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good The Gods saw that they were obeyed
4
Sun, Moon, Stars		 God saw that it was good I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good The Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed
5
Sea & Birds		 God saw that it was good I, God, saw that all things which I had created were good The Gods saw that they would be obeyed, and that their plan was good
6
Animals & Man		 God saw that it was good; behold, it was very good All things which I had made were very good They shall be very obedient
📖 In-Depth Analysis: Good vs. Obeyed

Genesis

Moses

  • "I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good" (Moses 2:10, 12, etc.)
  • Slightly expanded but same meaning
  • Emphasizes divine satisfaction

Abraham — Radically Different Formulation

Significance: Abraham presents creation as following a pre-established plan that matter/elements obey. The focus shifts from aesthetic evaluation ("good") to functional compliance ("obeyed"). This suggests:
  1. Pre-existing matter with inherent properties and capacity to respond
  2. An emphasis on matter's responsive obedience to divine will (complementing, not replacing, the creative word)
  3. A planning phase preceding execution

A Physical Analogy: Cymatics and the Chladni Plate

The phenomenon of cymatics—where sound frequencies cause particles to organize into geometric patterns—offers a striking physical parallel to Abraham's creation language. When sand is placed on a vibrating metal plate (a Chladni plate), specific frequencies cause the particles to move into ordered patterns along nodal lines. The sand "obeys" the frequency, organizing itself according to the vibrational pattern.

This illustrates how "speaking" and "obeying" work together: the sound provides the organizing pattern; matter with inherent properties responds by conforming to it. The divine word and matter's responsive obedience are complementary aspects of the same creative process—not competing explanations.

CYMATICS: Science Vs. Music - Nigel Stanford

CYMATICS: Science Vs. Music - Nigel Stanford (2014) — A visual demonstration of sound frequencies organizing matter into patterns.

📋 V. The Planning Phase (Unique to Abraham)

Abraham introduces a clear distinction between planning and execution.

Planning Language Key Verse
"Let us prepare the earth" Abraham 4:11, 20, 24
"their plan was good" Abraham 4:21
"We will do everything that we have said" Abraham 4:31
"which we have counseled" Abraham 5:2
"thus were their decisions at the time that they counseled" Abraham 5:3

Council Deliberation

Council Language Key Verse
"the Gods took counsel among themselves" Abraham 4:26
"the Gods said among themselves" Abraham 5:2
"they (the Gods) counseled among themselves to form" Abraham 5:3

Significance

This presents creation as following a deliberate council decision—a plan formulated, discussed, and then executed. This aligns with the Latter-day Saint concept of a pre-mortal council in heaven.

💠 VI. Spirit Creation (Unique to Moses)

Moses 3:5 contains material absent from both Genesis and Abraham.

"For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air."

Also Moses 3:7:

"man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word"

And Moses 3:9:

"I, the Lord God, to grow every tree, naturally, that is pleasant to the sight of man; and man could behold it. And it became also a living soul. For it was spiritual in the day that I created it"
📖 In-Depth Analysis: Spirit Creation and "First Flesh"

Moses Uniquely Teaches:

  1. A spiritual creation preceded the physical
  2. All things (including plants) have spiritual existence
  3. Humans existed spiritually in heaven before physical creation
  4. Adam was "the first flesh"—though the meaning of this phrase remains genuinely ambiguous

A Note on "First Flesh"

The phrase "first flesh upon the earth" (Moses 3:7) invites careful consideration. Combined with God breathing the "breath of life" (neshamah, נְשָׁמָה) into Adam, this could mean:

  • The first physically embodied being on earth
  • The first to receive a covenant relationship with God
  • The first being capable of language, writing, and transmitting knowledge across generations
  • The first to bear the divine image in a way that distinguished humanity from other creatures
The Reshit Connection: The Hebrew word "first" often carries the sense of reshit (רֵאשִׁית)—not merely chronological priority, but firstfruits: the choicest portion, the consecrated offering set apart for God. Genesis itself opens with this root: Bereshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית, "In the beginning"). If "first flesh" carries this connotation, Adam may be understood as the reshit of the "noble and great ones" (Abraham 3:22)—the firstfruits of those intelligences "organized before the world was" to receive mortal embodiment. "First" would then denote consecrated status rather than (or in addition to) temporal sequence.

The text does not resolve this ambiguity. The neshamah ("breath of life") breathed into Adam is linguistically distinct from the nephesh ("living soul") attributed to animals elsewhere—suggesting a qualitative distinction, though its precise nature remains open. We should be cautious about reading our interpretations and assumptions into the text where scripture itself preserves ambiguity.

✨ VII. The Soul and Spirit (Abraham's Unique Detail)

Abraham 5:7

"And the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his spirit (that is, the man's spirit), and put it into him; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul."

Compare to Other Accounts:

Account Description
Genesis 2:7 "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul"
Moses 3:7 Same as Genesis, plus "the first flesh upon the earth"
Abraham 5:7 Adds: "took his spirit (that is, the man's spirit), and put it into him"

Significance

Abraham explicitly describes a pre-existing spirit being placed into a physical body—not merely "breath of life" animating dust, but a distinct spirit entity uniting with matter. This aligns with Moses's teaching of prior spiritual creation while providing additional mechanical detail.

⚖ VIII. Agency Language (Moses's Unique Addition)

Moses 3:17 on the forbidden tree:

"thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

Compare to Other Accounts:

Account Text
Genesis 2:17 "thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die"
Moses 3:17 "thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it..."
Abraham 5:13 "thou shalt not eat of it; for in the time that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die"

Significance

Moses alone explicitly adds the principle of agency—Adam has the power to choose, the commandment is given, but the choice remains his. This transforms the prohibition from pure command to informed choice and establishes agency as a foundational principle before the Fall.

🌌 IX. Terminology Shifts: Firmament vs. Expanse

Account Term Used Implications
Genesis & Moses "firmament" (רָקִיעַ raqia) Traditionally understood as suggesting a solid dome (ancient Near Eastern cosmology)
Abraham "expanse" A more open, spatial concept compatible with modern cosmology

Significance

"Expanse" aligns better with modern cosmological understanding of space, while "firmament" reflects ancient Near Eastern cosmology of a solid sky-dome. Abraham's terminology is more scientifically compatible.

🌞 X. The Role of Light

Account Verse Language
Genesis 1:4 Genesis 1:4 "God saw the light, that it was good"
Moses 2:4 Moses 2:4 "I, God, saw the light; and that light was good"
Abraham 4:4 Abraham 4:4 "they (the Gods) comprehended the light, for it was bright"
📖 In-Depth Analysis: Comprehension and Light Before the Sun

Abraham's Unique Language

Abraham uses "comprehended" rather than "saw"—suggesting intellectual/divine understanding rather than mere observation. "Bright" is a physical description rather than moral evaluation, shifting from qualitative assessment to descriptive observation.

Light Before the Sun: A Deeper Principle

A striking feature of the creation narrative is that light (or, אוֹר) is called forth on Day 1 (Genesis 1:3–5), along with the separation of light from darkness and the naming of "day" and "night"—yet the sun, moon, and stars are not organized until Day 4 (Genesis 1:14–19).

This sequence demonstrates: The concepts of light, darkness, day, and night represent principles more fundamental than the solar cycle. They precede and transcend the physical luminaries that would later govern earthly time. Light in this context is not merely photons from a star—it is a primordial ordering principle, perhaps connected to the divine presence itself (compare 1 John 1:5: "God is light"). The "days" of creation are therefore not defined by Earth's rotation relative to the sun, but by divine demarcation of ordered periods—reinforcing Abraham's teaching that these are "times" measured by celestial, not terrestrial, reckoning.

👫 XI. The "Help Meet" Passage

The Hebrew phrase ezer kenegdo (עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ) is traditionally translated "help meet."

Account Text
Genesis 2:18 "I will make him an help meet for him"
Moses 3:18 "I will make an help meet for him"
Abraham 5:14 "we will form an help meet for him"

Understanding Ezer

Abraham uses "form" (consistent with its creation-as-organization theme) rather than "make." The term ezer (עֵזֶר, "helper") is the same word used of God as Israel's helper—not a subordinate role, but a powerful partnership. This is like the knight in shining armor coming to save the day, the reinforcements that arrive when all seems lost.

📛 XII. Naming: Purpose, Identity, and Revelation

📖 What "Name" Means in Hebrew

In Hebrew thought, a name (shem, שֵׁם) is far more than a label—it signifies reputation, purpose, and mission. To know someone's shem is to understand what they are known for, their essential character, their role in the world. This is why God's "name" in scripture represents His nature, His covenant relationship, and His purposes (see Exodus 3:13-15).

When Adam names the animals, and later Eve (depending on the account), he is not merely assigning arbitrary labels—he is discerning and declaring their essence and purpose.

🐾 Adam Naming the Animals: Divine Instruction

The naming of animals was not a casual exercise but divine instruction. God brought the animals to Adam (Genesis 2:19), teaching him to perceive and articulate the nature of each creature. This was training in spiritual discernment—learning to recognize and name what things truly are.

Hebrew animal names demonstrate this principle—they describe what the creature is, its essential character:

Animal Hebrew Root Meaning Character Defined
Lion aryeh (אַרְיֵה) From arah ("to gather, pluck") The gatherer/plunderer—one who hoards prey
Young lion kephir (כְּפִיר) From kaphar ("to cover") "Covered with a mane"—the maturing lion
Serpent nachash (נָחָשׁ) Related to nachash ("to hiss, whisper, divine") The whisperer/enchanter—one who deceives through speech
Dove yonah (יוֹנָה) From yanah ("to oppress") or related to moaning The mourner—known for its plaintive cooing
Raven orev (עֹרֵב) From arav ("evening, darkness") The dark one—black as twilight
Lamb keves (כֶּבֶשׂ) Related to kavash ("to subdue, tread down") The subdued/docile one—easily led

These names are not arbitrary sounds but symbolic declarations. When Adam named the nachash, he identified its essential nature: the whisperer, the one who speaks with a forked tongue, which can demonstrate opposing concepts: wisdom and/or deception. When he named the aryeh, he recognized its predatory gathering instinct. Each name was an act of intellectual, and in some cases, spiritual discernment—perceiving and declaring truth about the creature's nature.

📝 Sequence Differences Across Accounts
Account Sequence
Genesis/Moses Animals formed → brought to Adam → Adam names them → no help meet found → Eve created
Abraham Help meet declared necessary → Eve created → Marriage instituted → Nakedness noted → Adam names animals → "there was found an help meet for him"
Abraham's reversal is significant: Eve is created before Adam names the animals, and the naming concludes with finding (rather than not finding) a help meet. The naming of animals becomes confirmation of what God had already provided, not a search for what was lacking.
👩 Adam Naming Eve: The Culmination

Adam's naming of Eve represents a test of his learning progress. Having been instructed by God in discerning the nature and purpose of the creatures, Adam now exercises that same capacity with his wife. The name he gives her—Chavah—reveals that he understood her nature and mission.

Adam: adam (אָדָם)

The Hebrew adam functions both as a proper name and as a generic term for "humanity" or "humankind" (benei adam, בְּנֵי אָדָם, "children of Adam" = human beings). The name connects to several related Hebrew words:

Term Hebrew Meaning Connection
adamah אֲדָמָה Ground, earth, soil Adam formed from the adamah (Genesis 2:7)
adom אָדֹם Red The "red earth" or clay
dam דָּם Blood Life force within the flesh

This wordplay—adam from adamah—parallels the English "human" from Latin humus (ground), or "earthling" from "earth." The name embodies humanity's origin from and return to the earth: "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Genesis 3:19).

Chavah/Eve: Chavvah (חַוָּה)

Eve's Hebrew name carries multiple layers of meaning through related roots:

Term Hebrew Meaning
chavah חָוָה To declare, show, reveal, make known
Chavvah חַוָּה Life-giver (Eve's name, causative from chavah)
chai חַי Living, alive
chayah חַיָּה To live, give life

Genesis 3:20 explicitly connects the name to its meaning: "Adam called his wife's name Eve [Chavah]; because she was the mother of all living [em kol chai]."

The dual etymology is theologically rich:

  • From chayah (to live): Eve as life-giver, the mother through whom all human life comes
  • From chavah (to declare/reveal): Eve as revealer, one who makes known or brings to light
🌟 Eve's Revelatory Mission

The second meaning—often overlooked—illuminates Eve's essential role. Her name reflects not only biological motherhood but a revelatory function: she brings forth understanding as well as life.

In the Garden narrative, Eve perceived what Adam had not yet grasped—the necessity of the Fall for fulfilling God's purposes. As the Book of Moses records her testimony:

"Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption" (Moses 5:11)

Eve's shem—her name, her reputation, her mission—was to reveal this truth to Adam, helping him see and understand what was necessary. She brought forth not only physical life but the understanding that made mortal progression possible. The Septuagint understood the life-giving dimension, translating her name as "Zoe" (Greek for "life"), but the revelatory dimension (chavah) deserves equal emphasis.

Significance: Adam's naming of Eve demonstrates that he recognized her purpose. In calling her Chavvah, he declared her mission: to give life and to reveal truth. These names are not mere labels but theological statements—Adam embodying humanity's connection to the earth (adam/adamah), Chavah embodying the propagation and revelation of life itself (Chavvah/chai/chavah). Together, they represent the full scope of human existence: earthly origin and living, revelatory purpose.

👚 XIII. Nakedness, Clothing, and Covenantal Investiture

📖 In-Depth Analysis: Nakedness and Clothing as Covenant

The placement of "nakedness" (arom, עָרוֹם) in the Abraham sequence—after marriage is instituted but before Adam exercises dominion through naming—invites deeper reflection. In Hebrew thought, arom signifies more than physical exposure; it carries connotations of vulnerability, openness, and lack of covering and protection.

Clothing as Investiture

Conversely, the Hebrew labash (לָבַשׁ, "to clothe") carries profound covenantal meaning. When priests are clothed with their sacred garments, they receive not merely fabric but authority. The Talmud states: "While they are clothed in the priestly garments, they are clothed in the priesthood" (BT Zevachim 17:B). Clothing functions as investiture—conferring power, authority, and sacred status.

God Clothing Adam and Eve

When God later makes "coats of skins" and clothes Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21), this may represent far more than covering physical nakedness:

  • Transition from an uncovenanted to a covenanted state
  • Investiture with divine authority (like priestly robing)
  • An endowment with power to fulfill their mortal mission
  • The covering protection of the Lord himself, the Lamb of God
The Kuttonet Connection: The Hebrew term for the garments in Genesis 3:21 is kuttonet (כֻּתֹּנֶת)—the same word used for the priestly tunic (Exodus 28:4). This linguistic connection suggests the clothing of Adam and Eve may parallel priestly consecration—a coronation-like endowment preparing them for their sacred work.

💎 Unique Content by Account

Unique to Moses

Teaching Key Verse
Spirit creation preceded physical "For I, the Lord God, created all things...spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth" Moses 3:5
Agency explicitly granted "thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee" Moses 3:17
All things have living souls (נֶפֶשׁ nephesh) "it became also a living soul. For it was spiritual in the day that I created it" Moses 3:9
Adam first flesh on earth "man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also" Moses 3:7

Unique to Abraham

Teaching Key Verse
Pre-existing spirit placed in body "the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his spirit (that is, the man's spirit), and put it into him" Abraham 5:7
Kolob time reference "it was after the Lord's time, which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning" Abraham 5:13
Explicit council planning "the Gods took counsel among themselves" Abraham 4:26
Matter obeys divine will "the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed" Abraham 4:18

💭 Theological Implications

🌟 Nature of God

  • Genesis Monotheistic ambiguity with plurality hints
  • Moses Clarified Godhead (Father & Only Begotten)
  • Abraham Divine council of multiple Gods in unity

🌍 Nature of Creation

  • Genesis Presumes pre-existing materials (waters, deep, dust); ex nihilo interpretation developed later
  • Moses Spiritual precedes physical; word has creative power
  • Abraham Organization of pre-existing matter

🧑 Nature of Humanity

  • Genesis Formed from dust, animated by breath
  • Moses Spiritually pre-existent; given agency
  • Abraham Pre-existing spirit placed into body

⏰ Nature of Time

  • Genesis Earth-referenced "days" (yom)
  • Moses Earth-referenced "days" (yom)
  • Abraham Relative time; measured by Kolob

⚗️ Nature of Matter

  • Genesis Created/made by divine command
  • Moses Created/made by divine command
  • Abraham Ordered; obeys divine will; has inherent capacity to respond