I am currently reading the Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis 1-15 (by Wenham). So far it is very well written. He has some great observations on the first section of Genesis (1:1 - 2:3) that I find very interesting (maybe it is just the mathematician in me that likes all the numbers!):

For example, he mentions that "2:1-3 echoes 1:1 by introducing the same phrases but in reverse order: 'he created,' 'God,' 'heavens and earth' reappear as 'heavens and earth' (2:1) 'God' (2:2), 'created' (2:3). This chiastic pattern brings the section to a neat close which is reinforced by the inclusion 'God created' linking 1:1 and 2:3."

Then, here is what inspired the title to this post- "The correspondence of the first paragraph, 1:1-2, with 2:1-3 is underlined by the number of Hebrew words in both being multiples of 7. 1:1 consists of 7 words, 1:2 of 14 (7 x 2) words, 2:1-3 of 35 (7 x 5) words. The number seven dominates this opening chapter in a strange way, not only in the number of words in a particular section but in the number of times a specific word or phrase recurs. For example, 'God' is mentioned 35 times, 'earth' 21 times, 'heaven/firmament' 21 times, while the phrases 'and it was so' and 'God saw that it was good' occur 7 times."

What does it all mean? Perhaps it was just a way to make the passage easier to remember for oral tradition. Perhaps it is meant to indicate the beauty and symmetry of God and his creation. Any other thoughts?

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