Day 2 Readings:

Genesis 2
Psalm 3
Psalm 4

Comments:

The chapter and verses were not a part of the scripture when it was first written. They were added much later. Because we are human, we tend to read the Bible as it is divided for us. But sometimes the divisions do not make sense. For example, Genesis 2:1-3 are the concluding verses for all of chapter 1. Verse 4 begins a new section. Why did someone start chapter 2 where they did? I do not know.

Chapter 2 verse 4 begins the second creation story. By that, I don’t mean a completely different story. It’s the same creation, just a different version. Can you feel the difference? One of the first obvious differences is that in the first creation story God is referred to as “God.” In the second creation story, God is referred to as “LORD God.” It is important to note the difference.

“God” is a generic word referring to a deity. “God” is not God’s name. We will learn God’s name in the second book of the Bible (Exodus 3:15). Whenever you see in your Bible “Lord” written with the “ord” in small caps (LORD) it is referring to God’s name as God gave it to Moses in Exodus. We are not entirely sure how to pronounce that name, often written as YWHW or Yahweh. And the Jewish people believed that to mispronounce it or even to write it improperly would be breaking one of the ten commandments, so they came up with another way to write and say it. Thus, LORD is their way of acknowledging God as God revealed himself to Moses in Exodus 3:15. To add the word “God” to LORD as in LORD God is to emphasize which God we are talking about. Whoever you think God is, God in this story is the one who revealed himself to us as “I Am” or YHWH or Yahweh. (If you see the word Jehovah in your Bible or in some old hymns, it is the same as Yahweh, just a different way of spelling and pronouncing it.)

Confused? Don’t be! What’s important here is that the first creation story uses the generic term “God” for God and the second creation story is more specific by using LORD God to refer to God.

What other differences do you read in the two creation stories?

How are these differences important?

What reason could there be for these differences?