Trying to reconcile Genesis 1:27 with Genesis 2

[southernf]

This is one of those things I think I have always been puzzled by when I read Genesis... and I've always felt weird speaking up about it in Sunday school or in front of church friends, so I figured I would ask it here to get people's thoughts. As a woman I have read the first few chapters of Genesis 1000 times to try to fully understand the nature of how God created us and what it's really trying to say.

Gen 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." But then Gen 2:7 says "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Obviously, here man (Adam) is alone... and there is no concept of male and female (except I guess among animals since God seems to have created both sexes at the same time). Then later after creating everything else and after Adam didn't find a helper "fit" for him, God creates woman from man (Gen 2:21-23).

Usually I manage to convince myself that maybe Gen 1 is just an introduction and that Gen 2 just has more detail about the order of creation. But then I get hung up on the wording "male and female" in Gen 1:27. Every translation seems to use that wording. It's just strange to me that it doesn't say "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; man and woman He created them." So it makes me wonder if "male and female" is more general... as in "God created man" (as in created all mankind or humankind) and he also created male and female versions of things (animals, people, other concepts like masculine, feminine, etc.)... as in "woman" is just grouped into that general category.

I would love to hear anyone else's opinion or other resources. It's just one of those things that really irks me because I can't "get it."

 

[oyster67]

This is one of those things I think I have always been puzzled by when I read Genesis... and I've always felt weird speaking up about it in Sunday school or in front of church friends, so I figured I would ask it here to get people's thoughts. As a woman I have read the first few chapters of Genesis 1000 times to try to fully understand the nature of how God created us and what it's really trying to say.

Gen 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." But then Gen 2:7 says "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Obviously, here man (Adam) is alone... and there is no concept of male and female (except I guess among animals since God seems to have created both sexes at the same time). Then later after creating everything else and after Adam didn't find a helper "fit" for him, God creates woman from man (Gen 2:21-23).

Usually I manage to convince myself that maybe Gen 1 is just an introduction and that Gen 2 just has more detail about the order of creation. But then I get hung up on the wording "male and female" in Gen 1:27. Every translation seems to use that wording. It's just strange to me that it doesn't say "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; man and woman He created them." So it makes me wonder if "male and female" is more general... as in "God created man" (as in created all mankind or humankind) and he also created male and female versions of things (animals, people, other concepts like masculine, feminine, etc.)... as in "woman" is just grouped into that general category.

I would love to hear anyone else's opinion or other resources. It's just one of those things that really irks me because I can't "get it."

God often speaks of things He plans on doing as if they had already been done. God dwells outside of time, so He has a different perspective than we do.

I don't know why God did not make Adam and Eve the same time. Perhaps the anticipation made Adam appreciate her more?

People who study Greek will tell you that future events are often spoken of in the present tense (Aorist tense?)

Gen 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

I think this tells us that God intended to make a pair right from the start.

 

[JaumeJ]

This is one of those things I think I have always been puzzled by when I read Genesis... and I've always felt weird speaking up about it in Sunday school or in front of church friends, so I figured I would ask it here to get people's thoughts. As a woman I have read the first few chapters of Genesis 1000 times to try to fully understand the nature of how God created us and what it's really trying to say.

Gen 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." But then Gen 2:7 says "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Obviously, here man (Adam) is alone... and there is no concept of male and female (except I guess among animals since God seems to have created both sexes at the same time). Then later after creating everything else and after Adam didn't find a helper "fit" for him, God creates woman from man (Gen 2:21-23).

Usually I manage to convince myself that maybe Gen 1 is just an introduction and that Gen 2 just has more detail about the order of creation. But then I get hung up on the wording "male and female" in Gen 1:27. Every translation seems to use that wording. It's just strange to me that it doesn't say "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; man and woman He created them." So it makes me wonder if "male and female" is more general... as in "God created man" (as in created all mankind or humankind) and he also created male and female versions of things (animals, people, other concepts like masculine, feminine, etc.)... as in "woman" is just grouped into that general category.

I would love to hear anyone else's opinion or other resources. It's just one of those things that really irks me because I can't "get it."

When our Father thought to make man, He said, "Come, let Us make man in Our Own Image.

Obviously, no flesh is in God's image, yet God does not mis-speak, therefore I believe this to be His promise to all who believe. When we come to Jesus Yeshua, we are a new person, and we become more and more is is He, however the final change will and can only occur on the last day. Just as Jesus Yeshua was transssfigured, so shall we all be.

 

[BonnieClaire]

Matthew 19:4
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which
made them at the beginning made them male and female, ~KJV

 

[JaumeJ]

Matthew 19:4
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which
made them at the beginning made them male and female, ~KJV

With God there is no distinction between the two, and this I believe will be even more clear come the resurrection.
(How can we all be just as Jesus Yeshua if there is no distinction and we are made in His image?)

 

[Nehemiah6]

Usually I manage to convince myself that maybe Gen 1 is just an introduction and that Gen 2 just has more detail about the order of creation. But then I get hung up on the wording "male and female" in Gen 1:27. Every translation seems to use that wording. It's just strange to me that it doesn't say "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; man and woman He created them." So it makes me wonder if "male and female" is more general...

Genesis 1 is in fact introductory. We read about the creation of Adam and Eve in greater detail in Genesis 2. And male and female is in fact generic.

And then we find that Eve is called the "mother of all living", so the entire human race came from this first couple. Also "male and female" inserted there is to prevent any gender confusion (as we see now how Satan has created that recently). God intended from the very beginning that male and female would lead to husband and wife, and that relation would be permanent until death. The idea of same-sex marriage is an abomination to God.

 

[Aaron56]

The Word records two times when a man’s side was opened on account of a woman. The first was to bring the woman out of man. The second was to insert the woman (the church) into Christ. This is to show us the we who are born again by the spirit are of likeness and kind to Christ. We are not an “other”. We are His flesh and bones. This is a profound mystery.

 

[southernf]

Matthew 19:4
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which
made them at the beginning made them male and female, ~KJV

Thank you for mentioning this. That's a wonderful connection.

 

[southernf]

Genesis 1 is in fact introductory. We read about the creation of Adam and Eve in greater detail in Genesis 2. And male and female is in fact generic.

And then we find that Eve is called the "mother of all living", so the entire human race came from this first couple. Also "male and female" inserted there is to prevent any gender confusion (as we see now how Satan has created that recently). God intended from the very beginning that male and female would lead to husband and wife, and that relation would be permanent until death. The idea of same-sex marriage is an abomination to God.

That's a great point. I agree it is very clear that God meant for there to be two and only two genders. By putting this in the very first chapter of the Bible, it's even more clear!

 

[southernf]

God often speaks of things He plans on doing as if they had already been done. God dwells outside of time, so He has a different perspective than we do.

I don't know why God did not make Adam and Eve the same time. Perhaps the anticipation made Adam appreciate her more?

People who study Greek will tell you that future events are often spoken of in the present tense (Aorist tense?)

Gen 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

I think this tells us that God intended to make a pair right from the start.

I think I also read somewhere one time that the concept of male/female in Gen 1 is broader than just literally men and women. I think God put masculine and feminine "forms" into the world. I think this is a Greek thing, but unfortunately I can't remember the sources. I have to remind myself all the time that way back then when God was speaking to people they lived in a very different time and he was probably using the language that they knew the best.

 

[Pilgrimshope]

This is one of those things I think I have always been puzzled by when I read Genesis... and I've always felt weird speaking up about it in Sunday school or in front of church friends, so I figured I would ask it here to get people's thoughts. As a woman I have read the first few chapters of Genesis 1000 times to try to fully understand the nature of how God created us and what it's really trying to say.

Gen 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." But then Gen 2:7 says "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Obviously, here man (Adam) is alone... and there is no concept of male and female (except I guess among animals since God seems to have created both sexes at the same time). Then later after creating everything else and after Adam didn't find a helper "fit" for him, God creates woman from man (Gen 2:21-23).

Usually I manage to convince myself that maybe Gen 1 is just an introduction and that Gen 2 just has more detail about the order of creation. But then I get hung up on the wording "male and female" in Gen 1:27. Every translation seems to use that wording. It's just strange to me that it doesn't say "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; man and woman He created them." So it makes me wonder if "male and female" is more general... as in "God created man" (as in created all mankind or humankind) and he also created male and female versions of things (animals, people, other concepts like masculine, feminine, etc.)... as in "woman" is just grouped into that general category.

I would love to hear anyone else's opinion or other resources. It's just one of those things that really irks me because I can't "get it."

It is an overlap

In genesis one you get an overview of the seven day creation and sabbath. Like a brief general account and in genesis 2 it zooms in to show some details of what we just read about in chapter one it’s recalling us back and showing us a closer look

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 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. 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. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:1, 12, 26-27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

so you have that and then it’s taking us back to show us closer details of how chapter one should end at chapter 2 v 3 and hen 2 should start here when it takes us back to chapter one for the zoom in

“These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

and every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew:

for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground,

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;

and man became a living soul.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:4-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

i hope that makes sense chapter one is a general overview that should end at 2:3

and chapter two zooms in on the creation of the man both male and female and shows us what happened that cursed mankind to death chapter two is zooming in on this part showing a closer view

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

so In two we see adams creation closer up and also hear about eves creation and how that occurred and the it leads into what happened to get man thrown out of Gods presence in Eden and cursed to death so that we now need salvation from the curse of death

 

[Walter]

This is one of those things I think I have always been puzzled by when I read Genesis... and I've always felt weird speaking up about it in Sunday school or in front of church friends, so I figured I would ask it here to get people's thoughts. As a woman I have read the first few chapters of Genesis 1000 times to try to fully understand the nature of how God created us and what it's really trying to say.

Gen 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." But then Gen 2:7 says "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Obviously, here man (Adam) is alone... and there is no concept of male and female (except I guess among animals since God seems to have created both sexes at the same time). Then later after creating everything else and after Adam didn't find a helper "fit" for him, God creates woman from man (Gen 2:21-23).

Usually I manage to convince myself that maybe Gen 1 is just an introduction and that Gen 2 just has more detail about the order of creation. But then I get hung up on the wording "male and female" in Gen 1:27. Every translation seems to use that wording. It's just strange to me that it doesn't say "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; man and woman He created them." So it makes me wonder if "male and female" is more general... as in "God created man" (as in created all mankind or humankind) and he also created male and female versions of things (animals, people, other concepts like masculine, feminine, etc.)... as in "woman" is just grouped into that general category.

I would love to hear anyone else's opinion or other resources. It's just one of those things that really irks me because I can't "get it."

Hello, southernf, while reading your post and listening to the replies, have you gotten it straight?

 

[southernf]

It is an overlap

In genesis one you get an overview of the seven day creation and sabbath. Like a brief general account and in genesis 2 it zooms in to show some details of what we just read about in chapter one it’s recalling us back and showing us a closer look

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 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. 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. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:1, 12, 26-27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

so you have that and then it’s taking us back to show us closer details of how chapter one should end at chapter 2 v 3 and hen 2 should start here when it takes us back to chapter one for the zoom in

“These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

and every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew:

for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground,

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;

and man became a living soul.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:4-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

i hope that makes sense chapter one is a general overview that should end at 2:3

and chapter two zooms in on the creation of the man both male and female and shows us what happened that cursed mankind to death chapter two is zooming in on this part showing a closer view

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

so In two we see adams creation closer up and also hear about eves creation and how that occurred and the it leads into what happened to get man thrown out of Gods presence in Eden and cursed to death so that we now need salvation from the curse of death

That's a great explanation! I'm glad I asked this question here so I can come back and read it when I get myself mixed up again. I also like your explanation because it makes it very clear that there isn't a contradiction between Gen 1 and 2. I've seen where some people say that those chapters were written by different people and it's a contradiction, but I do not think that's true at all. Your explanation makes that very clear.

 

[southernf]

Hello, southernf, while reading your post and listening to the replies, have you gotten it straight?

Yes it's been really helpful to hear how other people think about it. I feel much better about it.

 

[Walter]

Yes it's been really helpful to hear how other people think about it. I feel much better about it.

Yes, southernf, I'm glad you did, I think it is better that way, especially with His words rightly divided, thank you, Sister.

Love, Walter

 

[Pilgrimshope]

That's a great explanation! I'm glad I asked this question here so I can come back and read it when I get myself mixed up again. I also like your explanation because it makes it very clear that there isn't a contradiction between Gen 1 and 2. I've seen where some people say that those chapters were written by different people and it's a contradiction, but I do not think that's true at all. Your explanation makes that very clear.

Yes you will notice a lot of times in the Bible the chapters are divided in the wrong places and it can cause some confusion but your right it’s never a contradiction . there’s always a clear answer in scripture , for the questions Scripture raises in us.

If chapter one was ended right here

“And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬


And chapter two started here it would make much clearer sense because it hearkens our mind back to the first verse of the first chapter

“These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

if that began chapter two it would bring our thinking back to here and would make more sense

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I’m glad it helped God bless

 

[maxwel]

This is one of those things I think I have always been puzzled by when I read Genesis... "

There are many complicated things in scripture... this is not one of them.


It is merely a re-telling of the same event from two perspectives... much the same way we do in everyday life, with ordinary everyday speech.
a. One account is very brief, like a synopsis.
b. One account is more detailed.

When you give a synopsis of a thing, and then explain the thing in more detail... that does not mean you lied.

This is a very normal way to talk, and to explain things.
We do this every day.



Take care, and have a great Christmas.
.

 

[hornetguy]

I have been thinking about this for some time now.
The wording almost makes it irreconcilable.... he created male and female, and that was the end of that day.
When He created Adam (notice, not "man".... what does Adam mean?) He placed him in the garden, and Adam was tasked with taking care of, and naming all the animals. Sometime during that period, God saw that Adam needed a helper, so He put Adam to sleep and created Eve from one of Adam's ribs. ...... so, ALL of this happened during that one day of creation? Hmmmm...
I have a working theory... I would not try to say it is fact, just some musings on my part.
Perhaps the 6th day of creation was when "mankind" was created, and they were told to scatter, be fruitful and multiply.
Everything that God told "mankind" on the 6th day does not match what he told Adam and Eve when they were cast from the garden.
I hypothesize that the creation of Adam (son of God) was a separate event... where God wanted two "perfect" humans to live in the garden, in Eden forever. They messed that up, so they were cast out into the world, where "mankind" had already established a foothold. Remember the Nephilim?
This could explain a LOT of arguments by "doubters" ...... who did Cain marry, when he was driven away? A woman of "mankind"
Why was the lineage of Jesus traced all the way back to Adam, in Luke? Jesus was the second "son of God"... this time, this son was actually God in the flesh.
Eve could still be the mother of all living, because all of "mankind" was presumably drowned in the flood, leaving only descendants of Adam and Eve.

Again, just something to think about...

 

[Pilgrimshope]

Matthew 19:4
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which
made them at the beginning made them male and female, ~KJV

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭

I wish i could get a closer look at that and learn more about how ?

1 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground,

2 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;

3 and man became a living soul.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet ( partner) for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:18, 21-22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

 

[Gideon300]

This is one of those things I think I have always been puzzled by when I read Genesis... and I've always felt weird speaking up about it in Sunday school or in front of church friends, so I figured I would ask it here to get people's thoughts. As a woman I have read the first few chapters of Genesis 1000 times to try to fully understand the nature of how God created us and what it's really trying to say.

Gen 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." But then Gen 2:7 says "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Obviously, here man (Adam) is alone... and there is no concept of male and female (except I guess among animals since God seems to have created both sexes at the same time). Then later after creating everything else and after Adam didn't find a helper "fit" for him, God creates woman from man (Gen 2:21-23).

Usually I manage to convince myself that maybe Gen 1 is just an introduction and that Gen 2 just has more detail about the order of creation. But then I get hung up on the wording "male and female" in Gen 1:27. Every translation seems to use that wording. It's just strange to me that it doesn't say "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; man and woman He created them." So it makes me wonder if "male and female" is more general... as in "God created man" (as in created all mankind or humankind) and he also created male and female versions of things (animals, people, other concepts like masculine, feminine, etc.)... as in "woman" is just grouped into that general category.

I would love to hear anyone else's opinion or other resources. It's just one of those things that really irks me because I can't "get it."

I believe that God was looking into the future when He stated, "male and female". We have the absurd situation in Australia where biological gender means very little now. While we are supposed to "believe the science" when it comes to climate change, it's "believe the whims of an ignorant child" when it comes to gender.

God is clear: male and female=man and woman. The alphabet soup of gender and sexual orientation is the result of wilful rebellion against God and His ordering. This nation is reaping what it has sown.