Interpreted against their ancient Near Eastern background, the opening chapters of Genesis anticipate that God’s plans for the earth center on the creation of an extraordinary temple-city where God will dwell in harmony with humanity. To this end, humans are given a royal and a priestly status, with the expectation that they will be God’s vicegerents on the earth. However, tempted by the serpent, Adam and Eve betray their Creator, resulting in their expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the loss of their special status. The subsequent narrative comes to a significant climax with an account of humanity’s attempt to construct an alternative city to the holy temple-city planned by God. These initial events set the scene for the call of Abraham and all that develops thereafter.
根据古代近东的背景，创世记的开篇章节预示，神对地球的计划中心在于创造一个非凡的神殿城市，使神与人类和谐共居。为此，人类被赋予王和祭司的身份，期望他们将成为神在地上的代理人。然而，被蛇诱惑后，亚当和夏娃背叛了创造者，导致他们被逐出伊甸园，失去了特殊的地位。随后的故事达到了一个重要的高潮，描述了人类试图建造一个替代的城邑，而不是神计划的圣城。这些初始事件为亚伯拉罕的呼召及其后的一切奠定了场景。

The opening chapters of Genesis are exceptionally important for understanding the rest of the Pentateuch. Apart from setting the initial scene, Genesis 1-3 determines the trajectory for all that follows. For this reason, it is vitally important to comprehend the essence of these chapters within their present literary context. Unfortunately, discussions of Genesis 1-3 are too often hijacked by those who are almost exclusively preoccupied by the modern debate on the relationship between contemporary science and the biblical view of creation. Though this issue needs to be addressed, we should constantly remember that the author of these chapters penned them as an introduction to the narrative that unfolds in the books of Genesis to Kings. As we shall presently see, this narrative begins with the expectation that humans were created to build for God a temple-city on the earth. Unfortunately, God’s plans are almost immediately thrown into chaos as Adam and Eve betray their Creator and subsequently their descendants pursue their own agendas by constructing God-less cities.
创世记的开篇章节对于理解五经的其余部分至关重要。除了设定初始场景外，创世记 1-3 章为后续的一切奠定了轨迹。因此，理解这些章节在当前文学背景中的本质是至关重要的。不幸的是，对创世记 1-3 章的讨论往往被那些几乎完全专注于现代科学与圣经创世观之间关系的现代辩论所主导。尽管这个问题需要解决，但我们应该始终记住，这些章节的作者是将其作为《创世记》到《列王纪》中叙事的引言撰写的。正如我们将要看到的，这个叙事始于人类被创造来为神在地上建造圣殿之城的期望。不幸的是，神的计划几乎立即陷入了混乱，亚当和夏娃背叛了他们的创造者，随后他们的后代通过建造没有神的城邑来追求自己的目标。

To understand how the opening chapters of Genesis introduce the larger narrative that extends to the end of the book of Kings, we must begin by observing that Genesis 1-3 provides two complementary descriptions of creation, a panoramic overview (1:1-2:3) followed by a close-up (2:4-3:24). The shift from the initial overview to the close-up is achieved by the special heading that comes in 2:4: “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created” (NRSV). Similar headings recur throughout Genesis, often functioning like the zoom lens on a camera, enabling the narrator to focus in on a smaller part of a larger
为了理解《创世记》开头几章如何引入从《列王纪》结尾延伸出来的更大叙事，我们必须从观察《创世记》1-3 章提供了两个互补的创造描述开始，一个全景概览（1:1-2:3），接着是一个特写（2:4-3:24）。从 2:4 开始的特殊标题实现了这一转变：“这是天和地被创造时的后代”（NRSV）。类似这样的标题在《创世记》中反复出现，通常像相机的变焦镜头一样，使叙述者能够聚焦于更大叙事中的较小部分。

1
scene. While Genesis 1:1-2:3 provides a panoramic description of creation, Genesis 2:4-3:24 concentrates on the creation of the first human couple, Adam and Eve, and their activity within the Garden of Eden.
场景。虽然《创世记》1:1-2:3 提供了创世的全景描述，但《创世记》2:4-3:24 却集中讲述了最初的人类夫妇亚当和夏娃的创造及其在伊甸园中的活动。

This zooming-in effect explains why the literary style of Genesis changes significantly between 1:1-2:3 and
这种逐步聚焦的效果解释了为什么《创世记》的文学风格在 1:1-2:3 之间发生了显著变化

2:4-3:24. Certain differences are very obvious. Genesis 1 is “repetitious, tabular, and formal.” By producing a highly structured account, the author reflects the order underlying the whole creation event. As M. A. Fishbane remarks, “The text thus provides a reflection of an orderly, harmonious creation. The alternation of the narrator’s voice with divine speech, of description with prescription, serves to present ‘the creation’ as a dispassionate recitation recurrently punctuated with vital divine energy. The text shifts rhythmically between actions and results which utilize the same words ('separate’ . . . ‘call’ . . . 'see’ . . . 'make’) and sequences. Its
2:4-3:24. 某些差异非常明显。创世记 1 章“重复、表格化且形式化。”通过产生一个高度结构化的记载，作者反映了整个创造事件背后的秩序。正如 M. A. Fishbane 所言，“因此，文本提供了一个有序、和谐的创造的反映。叙述者的声音与神的话语交替，描述与指令交替，旨在呈现‘创造’作为一个无情感的叙述，其间不断穿插着重要的神的活力。文本在动作与结果之间有节奏地转换，这些动作和结果使用了相同的词语（‘分开’……‘命名’……‘看见’……‘造出’）和序列。”
economy of vocabulary and technique produces a dictum of controlled energy and force.” In marked contrast, 2:4-3:24 has a quite different narrative style. No longer is the narrative shaped by a formal structure based on a seven-day scheme; gone is the repetition of chapter 1 . “Here . . . we meet concise and vivid stories told in a
经济上词汇和技巧的运用产生了一种受控的能量和力量。”相比之下，2:4-3:24 的叙述风格完全不同。不再是以七天方案为基础的形式结构来塑造叙述；第一章的重复也不见了。“在这里……我们遇到的是简洁生动的故事，以
masterful fashion.”  精湛的时尚。
This change in literary style is accompanied by differences in vocabulary, the most noteworthy of these being the names used for God. Throughout 1:1-2:3 the Creator is always referred to as Elohim, a Hebrew term meaning “God.” From 2:4 to 3:24, the divine designation is Yahweh Elohim (usually translated “Lord God”), although there is a noteworthy departure from this pattern in 3:1b-5, where Elohim (God) alone occurs.
这种文学风格的变化伴随着词汇的不同，其中最值得注意的是对神的称呼。在 1:1-2:3 中，创造者总是被称作 Elohim，这是一个希伯来词，意为“神”。从 2:4 到 3:24，神的称呼是 Yahweh Elohim（通常翻译为“主神”），但在 3:1b-5 中，有一个值得注意的偏离这一模式的地方，那里只出现了 Elohim（神）。

The variation in divine names coincides with another interesting feature of the text. When we analyze how God is described in Genesis $1-3$$1-3$1-31-3, we discover that he is portrayed in two distinct ways.
divine 名称的变化与文本的另一个有趣特征相吻合。当我们分析《创世记》中上帝的描述时，发现他以两种不同的方式被描绘。

In Genesis 1 the majestic transcendence of a powerful cosmic organizer is primary. In line with this basic viewpoint Elohim creates and orders the universe by a series of decrees. He issues his command and the results are automatic. God appears as a being who stands outside of his cosmos and controls it with his mighty word. Hence the possible “anthropomorphic” expressions of Genesis 1 (“God said,” “God saw,” and “God rested”) are reserved in character and tend to preserve the transcendence of God. They do not suggest the close proximity of a God who acts and looks 5
在《创世记》1 章中，一位强大的宇宙组织者宏伟超越的特质是主要的。根据这一基本观点，埃洛希姆通过一系列命令创造和安排了宇宙。他发出命令，结果自动产生。上帝表现为一个站在其宇宙之外并对之施以强大话语控制的存在。因此，《创世记》1 章中可能的“拟人化”表达（“上帝说”、“上帝看见”和“上帝安息”）在性质上保留了上帝的超越性，不暗示一个与之亲近、行动并观察的上帝。
like men.  像男人一样。
By way of contrast, the description of God in Genesis 2-4 is quite different.
相比之下，创世记 2-4 章中对神的描述大不相同。
Here his immanence, personal nearness, and local involvement on the human scene are basic features. Yahweh is not a detached sovereign overlord but a God at hand as an intimate master. He is a God with whom man has ready contact and immediate responsibility. Accordingly the anthropomorphisms of Genesis $2-4$$2-4$2-42-4 are so bold that they almost seem to depict Yahweh in terms of human limitations. He molds with his hands as a potter, he breathes into the mouth of a clay model, he plants a garden, he searches for a man, he has private conversations with man, woman, and beast, and
在这里，他的临在、个人的亲近以及在当地的人间事务中的参与是基本特征。耶和华不是高高在上的分离的主权君主，而是近在咫尺的亲密主宰。他是一位与人有直接接触并负有即时责任的神。因此，《创世记》中的拟人化描述如此大胆，几乎像是用人的局限来描绘耶和华。他用手抟土，向泥偶吹气，种植花园，寻找人，与人、女人和动物进行私下的对话，
he places a mark on yet another man.
他给另一个男人做了一个标记。
Given these differences between 1:1-2:3 and 2:4-3:24, it is hardly surprising that many scholars conclude that
鉴于 1:1-2:3 和 2:4-3:24 之间的这些差异，许多学者得出结论说是理所当然的，
two writers must have been responsible for producing such contrasting accounts.
两位作家可能负责撰写了如此迥异的记载。
Undoubtedly, there is a clear difference between the style and theological outlook of 1:1-2:3 and 2:4-3:24. With this there can be no disagreement. But, we must ask, why is this so? Why are two distinctive accounts of creation found at the beginning of Genesis?
无疑，1:1-2:3 和 2:4-3:24 的风格和神学观点之间存在明显的差异。对此没有人会不同意。但我们需要问，为什么会有这种情况？为什么《创世记》的开头会有两个不同的创世记记载？

By way of addressing this question, we need to recognize that the two descriptions of creation complement each other in a most remarkable way. This is especially so regarding their characterization of the Creator. In 1:1-2:3 God is revealed as separate and distant from his creation. In theological terms, he is transcendent. However, 2:4-3:24 pictures God as very close to humanity, walking and talking with Adam and Eve in the garden. In theological terms, God is immanent. By placing these accounts side by side, the opening sections of Genesis present a two-sided but complementary view of God. He is both transcendent and immanent.
为了解答这个问题，我们需要认识到这两种创造的描述以一种非常独特的方式相互补充。特别是在描述创造者方面尤为如此。在 1:1-2:3 中，上帝被揭示为与他的创造物分离且遥远。从神学的角度来看，他是超越的。然而，在 2:4-3:24 中，上帝被描绘为非常接近人类，与亚当和夏娃在花园中行走交谈。从神学的角度来看，上帝是内在的。通过将这些记载并列，创世记的开头部分呈现了一个两面但又互补的上帝形象。他是超越的，也是内在的。

This carefully balanced picture of God is also brought out by the narrator’s choice of divine names. In 1:1-2:3 we find repeatedly the designation Elohim (God). However, in 2:4-3:24 the name Yahweh is introduced. Whereas Elohim is the general designation for a deity, Yahweh is a personal name. The use of Yahweh after 2:4 emphasizes the personal nature of God’s relationship with humanity, something reflected in the contents of the narrative itself. For this same reason, in 3:1-5 the serpent always refers to God as Elohim
这幅精心平衡的神的形象也体现在叙述者选择的神的名字中。在 1:1-2:3 中，我们反复看到 Elohim（神）这一称呼。然而，在 2:4-3:24 中，引入了 Yahweh 这一名字。Elohim 是一般性的神的称呼，而 Yahweh 是一个个人的名字。在 2:4 之后使用 Yahweh 强调了神与人类关系的个人性质，这一点在叙述的内容中也得到了反映。出于同样的原因，在 3:1-5 中，蛇总是将神称为 Elohim。
and never as Yahweh; as God’s archenemy, the serpent refuses to use God’s personal name in the presence of Adam and Eve.
并且绝不使用耶和华这个名字；作为上帝的死敌，蛇在亚当和夏娃面前拒绝使用上帝的个人名字。

Although the two descriptions of creation in 1:1-2:3 and 2:4-3:24 are dissimilar, they should be viewed as complementary rather than contradictory. By having two accounts, Genesis enables us to see creation from two perspectives, enriching our understanding of what is going on. Remarkably, despite differing in content and literary style, the two accounts are united by the idea that the earth has been created to become God’s dwelling place (see below).
虽然 1:1-2:3 和 2:4-3:24 中对创造的描述有所不同，但应视为互补而非矛盾。通过有两个记载，创世记使我们能够从两个角度看待创造，丰富了我们对所发生事情的理解。令人惊讶的是，尽管在内容和文学风格上有所不同，这两个记载都以地球被创造成为上帝的居所这一理念相统一（详见下文）。

Most readers of Genesis 1 concentrate on the six days of creation. However, the opening section of Genesis comes to a climax with the seventh day. Unfortunately, this tends to be largely ignored because of the chapter division that separates day seven from days one to six. The present chapter divisions, however, were not there in the earliest form of Genesis.
大多数创世记第一章的读者都集中在六天的创造上。然而，创世记的开头部分以第七天达到了高潮。不幸的是，由于章节划分将第七天与第一到第六天隔开，这一点往往被忽略。然而，现在的章节划分在创世记最早的版本中并不存在。

The dominant motif in day seven involves God’s resting (Gen. 2:1-3). This could imply that the Creator was tired from so much creating. But such an interpretation seems somewhat banal, especially when in Genesis 1 God merely speaks and things are brought into being. Why the emphasis on rest?
第七天的主要图案涉及上帝的休息（创世记 2:1-3）。这可能意味着创造者因如此多的创造而感到疲惫。但这种解释似乎有些平淡，尤其是在创世记 1 中，上帝 merely 说话，事物便被创造出来。为什么强调休息呢？

The most plausible explanation for this unusual interest in rest comes from J. H. Walton: “On the seventh day we finally discover that God has been working to achieve a rest. This seventh day is not a theological appendix to the creation account, just to bring closure now that the main event of creating people has been reported. Rather, it intimates the purpose of creation and of the cosmos. God does not set up the cosmos so that only people will have a place. He also sets up the cosmos to serve as his temple in which he will find rest in
这种不寻常的对休息的兴趣最有可能的解释来自 J. H. 华尔顿：“在第七天，我们终于发现神一直在工作以达到休息的目的。这第七天并不是创造人类这一主要事件之后对创造记述的神学附录，而是暗示了创造和宇宙的目的。神不仅为人类安排了一个位置，也为他自己安排了一个可以找到休息的圣殿。
the order and equilibrium that he has established.” Walton arrives at this conclusion by reading Genesis in its ancient Near Eastern context. He observes that in extrabiblical accounts when gods become involved in creative activity, they do so in order to make a resting place for themselves. Normally this involves the
他建立的秩序和平衡。”瓦尔顿通过将《创世记》放在古代近东的背景下进行阅读，得出了这一结论。他观察到，在外圣经的记载中，当神参与到创造活动中时，他们这样做是为了为自己创造一个休息的地方。通常这涉及到
creation of a temple that stands at the heart of a city. Divine rest is associated with temple building.
在城市中心建造一座神庙。建造神庙与神圣的安宁相关。
Approaching the text of Genesis 1 independently of Walton, J. R. Middleton concludes that in this chapter God is portrayed as a cosmic builder:
独立于沃尔顿的研究，J. R. 中坚认为，在这一章中，上帝被描绘为一位宇宙建造者：

Suppose we press the question, what sort of building is God making in Genesis 1? Although not immediately obvious, the unequivocal answer given from the perspective of the rest of the Old Testament is this: God is building a temple. The notion of the cosmos as temple has its roots in the ancient Near Eastern worldview, in which temples were commonly understood as the royal palaces of the gods, in which they dwelled and from which they reigned. Furthermore, creation, followed by temple building and then divine rest, is a central theme in Mesopotamian, and perhaps Ugaritic, mythology (both Marduk and Baal have temples built for them after their conquest of the chaos
假设我们提出问题，在《创世记》第一章中，上帝正在建造什么样的建筑？虽然这并不明显，但从整本旧约的角度来看，明确的答案是：上帝正在建造一座圣殿。宇宙作为圣殿的概念源于古代近东的世界观，在这种观念中，神庙通常被认为是神的王宫，神居住并从那里统治。此外，创造、随后是圣殿建造，然后是神的安息，是美索不达米亚，也许还有乌加利神话中的一个核心主题（马杜克和巴力在战胜混沌之后都有神庙被建造）。

10
monster).
For both Walton and Middleton, the opening creation account in Genesis contains subtle allusions to temple building. As we shall see, the narrative in 2:4-3:24 reinforces this idea.
对于沃顿和莫丁顿来说，《创世记》中的开篇创世记述含蓄地提到了庙宇建造。正如我们将要看到的，2:4-3:24 的叙述强化了这一想法。