Genesis

Topics by Chapter (and verse)

• 1, see creation
• 2-3, see Adam (and Eve)
• 4, see Abel (also Seth).
• 5-10, see Noah
• 11, see Babel
• 12-26, see Abraham and Lot (also Ishmael and Isaac)
• 27-50, see Jacob and Joseph

References

The creation story

We Do Not Believe in Genesis Literally--The World Was Not Created in Seven Days

"We Bahá'ís do not believe in Genesis literally. We know this world was not created in seven days, or six, or eight, but evolved gradually over a period of millions of years, as science has proved. As to where the idea of a seven-day week originated, it is certainly very ancient and you should refer to scholars for an answer."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, October 28, 1949, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1658)

26 - There is a Spark of Divinity in Man

"In the book of Genesis 1:26--This passage simply means that there is a spark of divinity in man, and not that man is co-equal with the Manifestation of God. Again the friends should avoid literal interpretations of the Bible."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, January 14, 1938, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1656)

Chapter 2

7th day refers to the Great Manifestation

"The 7th "day" of Genesis, 1st chapter, refers to the Great Manifestation."

(Attributed to 'Abdu'l-Bahá?, Prayers, Tablets, Instructions and Miscellany Gathered by American Visitors to the Holy City During the Summer of 1900, at http://bahairesearch.com/english/Baha%27i/Baha%27i_Studies/Compilations/Baha%27i_Prayers_9.aspx )

Sacrifice was of Ishmael not Isaac as per Gleanings and the Qur'an

"As to the question raised by the Racine Assembly in connection with Bahá'u'lláh's statement in the 'Gleanings' concerning the sacrifice of Ishmael: Although this statement does not agree with that made in the Bible, Genesis 22:9, the friends should unhesitatingly, and for reasons that are only too obvious, give precedence to the sayings of Bahá'u'lláh which, it should be pointed out, are fully corroborated by the Qur'an, which book is more authentic than the Bible including both the New and the Old Testaments. The Bible is not wholly authentic, and in this respect is not to be compared with the Qur'an, and should be wholly subordinated to the authentic writings of Bahá'u'lláh."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, July 28, 1936: Bahá'í News, No. 103, p. 1, October 1936, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1688)

See also

• Torah