the Hebrew iteration¶

First chapter is the Hebrew iteration of a standard ancient Levantine cosmology: first there was nothing but primordial chaos (which is also water), then the "elohim" (lit. "powers") get together to speak the world into existence, culminating in man and woman. Second chapter starts over with a barren land -- no plants, animals, or humans. We get our first mention of Yahweh, the patron deity of a monolatristic (not monotheistic) Canaanite tribe of Hebrews. The land being barren is attributed to storm god Yahweh not yet bringing rain. Instead of seven days of creation from out of a watery cosmic void, Yahweh is presented as starting from an existing desert, using a life-giving mist to make the ground lush and arable. He makes man out of dust, plants a garden in the east (Mesopotamia), and plops Adam in it. This account is more distinctly situated as the particular origin myth of the early Hebrews -- specifically why they worship Yahweh above the other gods, why they are nomadic, why they claim Babylonian lineage, etc. During the compilation of the Torah, it's clear that the editors included the first creation story as a way of establishing continuity with the broader Canaanite culture over which they sought hegemony -- think of Romans with the Greek pantheon, or Christians appropriating Yule. Analyzing the Hebrew Bible (and a bunch of other religious texts) through this lens is really fascinating -- so much more interesting than just believing it's divinely written. The most boring explanation of any of this is "God works in mysterious ways"