There are two creation stories in the book of Genesis.
Yes, the two stories were obviously written by different authors.
The first creation story is in Genesis chapter 1. The second creation story is in Genesis chapter 2.
It is important we remember that the second creation story is not a continuation of the first.
The first started and ended as it should. The second started and ended as well.
How did we know this?
There is an introduction beginning each of the stories, and there is also a conclusion for each of the stories.
The first story opened with an introduction in Genesis 1:1
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
Then God started creating things, animals, etc to fill the formless void, at the peak was when he created humans, male and female TOGETHER, and gave them power over everything.
Then in Genesis 2:1, we saw how the narrative of this particular creation story reaches its conclusion:
“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.” Genesis 2:1.
It went on and on stating how God had finished the work of creation on the sixth day and had to rest on the seventh day. Verse 3 captures it thus:
“And he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. For in it, he had ceased from all his work: the work whereby God created whatever he should make.”
Note: He CEASED from all his work: the WORK of creation.
That brings the story of the first creation to an end. Full stop!
Did you hear Adam? No!
Did you hear Eve? No
What about the Garden of Eden? No!
That is another story entirely. That story is the second creation story… It began from Genesis 2:4. . .
This is the introduction:
“This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth . . . .”
Then we are giving a narration of the things God created and also the creation man (Adam), and later on, he made man to sleep, took his rib, and created the woman (Eve). . .
The narration came to an end in Genesis 3:24, where God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden, and then he placed a Cherub with a flaming sword to guard the tree of life.
The end of the second story.
