Chapter one of Genesis sets the scene. The creation story is filled with beautiful imagery. My favorite line is before God actually creates anything. “And the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2 ESV) Because I liked it so much, I found it interesting to see how this line was translated in the different versions:

                    NABRE: And a mighty wind sweeping over the waters.

                    NRSV: While a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

                    kjv: And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Personally, I like the ESV best.

The style is formulaic with a certain set of ingredients on each of 6 creation days: 1) the announcement “and God said,” 2) a divine command beginning with “let” 3) the report “and it was so” 4) an evaluation “God saw that it was good” and 5) placement in time “there was evening and there was morning, the _______ day.” [1]

There is only one character in the chapter – God – and very little is said about who he is…only what he does. What we should think of God? He created the earth, but was he omnipotent? What were his reasons? Who was God? These issues are left a mystery. Most people already have an idea of who they think God is before starting the Bible. Is this why God was left a mystery? Or is it because God is a mystery?

[1] Ryken, Leland. Ryken, Philip.(2001) The Literary Study Bible, Wheaton, IL, Good News Publishers.