← Back

In The Beginning God Created The Heavens And The Earth

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth is the opening phrase of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible (also known as the Old Testament in Christianity). In Hebrew, this phrase is translated as בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ (B'reishit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve'et ha'aretz). In Latin, it is rendered as In principio creavit Deus caelum et terram, and in Greek, it appears as Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν (En archē epoiēsen ho Theos ton ouranon kai tēn gēn). This verse marks the beginning of the Judeo-Christian creation narrative, describing the initial act of creation by God. It sets the stage for the subsequent accounts of the formation of the world and the creation of humanity, establishing a monotheistic perspective on the origin of the universe and life. The phrase has been widely studied, interpreted, and referenced in theological, philosophical, and literary contexts throughout history.