by jimwalton » Wed Jan 30, 2019 4:14 am
Since the first of 10 toledoth statements ("these are the generations of...") doesn't come until Gn. 2.4, 1.1-2.3 can rightfully be considered a preface to the book, and Gn. 1.1 functions as a title. It is the heading of the chapter—a literary introduction, a summary of what follow—and the chapter then explains what is meant by "God created the heavens and the earth."
Since the first of 10 toledoth statements ("these are the generations of...") doesn't come until Gn. 2.4, 1.1-2.3 can rightfully be considered a preface to the book, and Gn. 1.1 functions as a title. It is the heading of the chapter—a literary introduction, a summary of what follow—and the chapter then explains what is meant by "God created the heavens and the earth."