Gen 1 and 2: Do They Conflict?

[Marcia]

Crabtownboy wrote:
I have never figured out how literalists reconcile the two creation stories in Genesis. Maybe we should start a thread on that topic

Speak and your wish is granted! :laugh:

I thought that the account in Gen 2 is looking at creation from another viewpoint - it's not giving another set of facts but it does add info to what is given in the the first chapter. It starts from the end and goes backward. I think this is a pattern in Hebrew literature. And it helps to remember that the Bible was not written in chapters, so what we call chapter 1 flowed into chapter 2 as a body of writing together, not separately.

Other comments?

 

[Revmitchell]

The only conflict between the two are in the minds of those who have a low view of scripture.

 

[Lukasaurus]

Genesis 1 - six day overview

Genesis 2 - Garden of Eden creation

Gen 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

When God created the garden, it was empty of any other life, but the rest of the world was teeming (with the exception of man).

 

[donnA]

I've never seen a conflict here, chp 2 is a more detailed telling of the creation story then chp 2, just as Lukasaurus said.
They only people who see conflicts and contradictions in scripture are those who do not believe scripture and are looking for evidence to prove they are right not to believe it.

 

[Bob Alkire]

I've never seen a conflict.

 

[Joseph M. Smith]

"Conflict" is too strong a term. "Different perspective" is better, and different purpose is also applicable. Remember your documentary hypothesis ... that Genesis 1 is a Priestly document, designed to elevate the place of the sabbath; but Genesis 2 is a blend of J and E, focusing on the divine-human relationship.

Yes, the chronology is different. But let's not insist on Genesis being history as we might read in the newspaper. It is proclamation, designed to preach a point about all of us, in whatever time we may live.