Primeval history

The Primeval history (German: Urgeschichte) or primeval cycle is the Biblical narrative in the first eleven chapters of the first book, Genesis, covering from the beginning of creation up to the birth of Abraham, and is followed by the Patriarchal age. This comprises the first two weekly Torah readings, Bereshit (parsha) and Noach (parsha). The principal themes of each of the chapters are:

• Genesis creation narratives
  • Hexameron or six days of creation — chapter 1
  • Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden — chapter 2
• Fall of man — chapter 3
• Cain and Abel — chapter 4
• Genealogies of Genesis
  • The Kenites, progeny of Cain, invention of pastoralism, of music and of metalworking, Lamech, his wives and sons — chapter 4
  • The progeny of Seth including Enoch (ancestor of Noah), Methuselah, Lamech (father of Noah) and Noah — chapter 5
• Genesis flood narrative
  • Nephilim and building of Noah's Ark — chapter 6
  • Description of the Flood — chapter 7
  • The landing of the Ark on the Mountains of Ararat, dove with olive branch — chapter 8
  • Noachic covenant and rainbow, Curse of Canaan— chapter 9
• Table of Nations or Sons of Noah, Nimrod and Ashur, cities of Babel and Nineveh , "And the Earth was divided" — chapter 10
• Tower of Babel and continuing Genealogies of Genesis: Shem through Abraham (known as "Abram") — chapter 11

See also

Allegorical interpretations of Genesis

Enûma Eliš

Framework interpretation (Genesis)