The Book of Genesis is the first book in both the Hebrew and Christian bibles—the first offering in the Pentateuch or the Torah, which is the primary textual and spiritual authority for ancient and modern Jews alike. It presents a narrative of the creation of the world and the nation of Israel. Being a diverse document, it contains a variety of traditions, genres, and potentially comes from multiple sources although it is traditionally credited to Moses (ca. 1500 BCE). The story of Genesis is set in the Fertile Crescent, which stretches from the Persian Gulf to Syria down to Egypt. Genesis, therefore, is lived out where civilization began, where law, writing, and monarchies originated.
