Welcome to “Ehrman Errs,” a blog series devoted to using our conversational AI to refute each alleged biblical contradiction that is posed in the article on Bart Ehrman’s website: 50 Contradictions in the Bible: The Biggest, Most Shocking Differences.
Today’s alleged contradiction:
#3 – Two Creation Stories
In exploring other biblical contradictions, we are (for now) staying with the Book of Genesis, which begins with two distinct accounts of creation. In Genesis 1:1-2:3, it unfolds in a structured, ordered sequence over six days, culminating in the creation of humanity (male and female) together on the sixth day. In Genesis 2:4-25, however, the narrative is more focused on human formation. Here, man (Adam) is created first from the dust of the ground, followed by vegetation, animals, and finally, a woman (Eve) as a helper. This portrayal is more intimate and anthropocentric, with God personally shaping Adam and breathing life into him.
How Does Ehrman Err?
Bart Ehrman’s observation is a common one, but a careful reading of the text, using the historical-grammatical method, shows that Genesis 1 and 2 are not contradictory but complementary accounts of creation.
1. Different Literary Purposes and Focuses
Genesis 1:1–2:3 provides a broad, chronological overview of the entire creation week. It is structured, poetic, and emphasizes God’s sovereign power in creating everything out of nothing. Genesis 2:4–25, on the other hand, zooms in on the sixth day, giving a more detailed, relational account of the creation of humanity, especially the first man and woman. This is a common literary technique in ancient Near Eastern writing—moving from the general to the specific.
2. Genesis 1: The Overview
Genesis 1:27 summarizes the creation of humanity:
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, ESV)
Here, “man” (adam in Hebrew) refers to humanity as a whole, and the verse states that both male and female were created in God’s image. The focus is on the fact and dignity of human creation, not on the sequence or method.
3. Genesis 2: The Details of Day Six
Genesis 2:7 and following give a close-up of how God created the first man and woman:
“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7, ESV)
Later, God creates the woman from the man’s rib (Genesis 2:21–22). This account is not a second, contradictory creation, but an expansion of the events of day six, focusing on the unique relationship between man, woman, and God.
4. Apparent Order of Creation
Bart Ehrman suggests a contradiction in the order—plants and animals seem to come after Adam in Genesis 2, whereas in Genesis 1, they precede humanity. However, the Hebrew verb forms in Genesis 2:19 can be translated as “Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky…” (see NIV footnote). This translation indicates that the animals were already created before Adam, consistent with Genesis 1.
5. No Real Contradiction
Genesis 1 and 2 are not two competing stories, but two perspectives: one panoramic, one close-up. Genesis 1 tells us what God did; Genesis 2 tells us how He did it, especially regarding humans.
6. Biblical and Scholarly Support
As GotQuestions.org explains:
“Genesis 1 describes the ‘six days of creation’ (and a seventh day of rest); Genesis 2 covers only one day of that creation week—the sixth day—and there is no contradiction. In Genesis 2, the author steps back in the sequence to focus on the sixth day, when God made mankind.”
—GotQuestions.org, “Why are there two different Creation accounts in Genesis chapters 1-2?”
7. Additional Scriptural Support
- Genesis 2:18: “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’”
This shows the narrative is focused on Adam’s experience, not on a new chronological order. - Matthew 19:4–5: Jesus Himself refers to both Genesis 1 and 2 as harmonious:
“He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female [Gen 1:27], and said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”
[Gen 2:24]?’”
Conclusion
There is no contradiction between Genesis 1 and 2. Rather, Genesis 2 provides a focused, detailed account of the creation of humanity already summarized in Genesis 1. Both chapters together give us a fuller picture of God’s creative work, highlighting both His power and His personal care for humanity.
References:
Matthew 19:4–5
Genesis 1:27
Genesis 2:7, 2:18