Genesis 1:1
| KVJ | NIV | Alter | Artscrolls |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. | In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. | When God began to create heaven and earth, | In the beginning of God's creating the heavens and the earth |
Scripture references
In the beginning
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, and the earth upon which thou standest. (Moses 2:1)
And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the , and formed the and the earth. (Abraham 4:1)
When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth (Prov 3:19).
Personal Comments
In the beginning
In the “Beginning.” the Hebrew word for beginning “bə·rê·šîṯ”, “reshith” From the same root as ro'sh; the first, in place, time, order, or rank (specifically, a firstfruit) refers to a time before time. That is why Rabbis believe Rosh Hashanah is the day of creation.
Also, the question is, at the beginning of what? Beginning signifies a marker that something starts, and in contrast with the concept of eternal without beginning or end. God is eternal, meaning he was there in the beginning, meaning he is outside the beginning of what we understand our reality is.
And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless? (Moses 1:3).
And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity. (Moses 6:67).
Who hath appointed Michael your prince, and established his feet, and set him upon high, and given unto him the keys of salvation under the counsel and direction of the Holy One, who is without beginning of days or end of life. (D&C 78:16).
Then the word at the beginning used in Genesis 1:1 refers to the beginning of our earth and reality, and God is outside that and belongs to a realm where there is no beginning nor end.
In the context of the book of Moses, the account of creation we have was triggered because Moses wanted to know all of his creations and the different earths God created in the universe (Moses 1:30), however, God said he would only show him an account of this earth:
And now, Moses, my son, I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest; and thou shalt the things which I shall speak. (Moses 1:40)