TOPICAL NOTE 11: HOW the EARLY GENESIS ACCOUNTS BECAME PART of MODERN BIBLES

The information trail of these ancient accounts into today’s bibles is presented here. It was summarized from details in other Topical notes as referenced below. The key human and linguistic pathway markers from the early oral pre-Flood accounts by the first humans, Adam and Eve and others into Moses’ Genesis record in the Hebrew scriptures are shown in blue text. Names of other important bible figures who lived long before Moses composed Genesis are shown in bold text. Then how the trail continued into modern bibles is presented.

Topical note 4, World’s oldest writing provides evidence the early originally spoken accounts by Adam and Eve and others were recorded in writing later by their son Seth's descendants (Genesis 5:1-28) after it was developed sometime before the Flood. Notice that Genesis 5:1 stated “This is the written account of Adam’s line” [1984 NIV]. Genesis 5:1 in most modern English bible versions uses “written account” or “book” to describe its hardcopy form. In v1, Moses called this account a “sphr” in Hebrew (meaning “scroll” in English)* so the Hebrews who used scrolls would understand it was a written record. It's uncertain that pre-Flood humans developed flexible scrolls for writing and more likely the original document was inscribed on rigid clay tablets.   

*Scripture4All Hebrew on-line interlinear bible

These valued historical pre-Flood writings were then carried by Noah in the ark, along with his written log of events during the Flood (Genesis 6:9-8:19) that obviously was too lengthy and detailed to be an oral account.  These writings were evidently recorded in Mesopotamian pictographic proto-cuneiform that archeology shows was the only human writing in use before 3000BCE- at the time of the Flood (c3200BCE according to historian Josephus). So this great human achievement- a practical writing system, would have been developed earlier during the pre-Flood period. Some scholars refer to this earliest writing discovered as stone inscriptions in Mesopotamia was “note taking” rather than a “language” that has many verb forms. However, the pictographic readability of these ancient accounts evidently survived the historical confusion of spoken language at Babel (Topical note 3B) that God used to disperse the humans to fill the earth (Genesis 11:5-8). So, they could be understood and passed on to later generations.  

Noah’s eldest son, Shem inherited these early pre-Flood records from Noah that later became Genesis 1-9 along with those that were made soon after the Flood that became Genesis 10-11.  All of these early historical records were kept by Shem’s religiously observant descendants in the Middle East, and finally the Hebrews through Aram and Eber to Abraham (Genesis 10:22 – 11:31). Shem's descendants are called "semites".

Evidence shows that some of Japheth’s descendants memorized these records that were kept by Shem before they migrated worldwide, long before Genesis was written: The Hmong people of Indo-China today who claim to be Japheth’s descendants carried their memories eastward in rhythmic song form after the dispersion as they migrated to fill the earth. Then they settled Indo-China c2000BCE. The Hmongs’ memorized creation and Flood accounts and bible genealogies they quote in songs they sing at weddings and funerals today as their history are essentially the same as those in the Genesis accounts that Moses wrote c1450BCE centuries after they migrated. Japheth's other descendants who migrated into Europe, the early Greek settlers, composed a paraphrased version of the Flood account that matched Moses' Genesis account. And the (pre-Christian) ancient Saxons claimed their genealogies went back to Japheth as in the Genesis accounts, and they provide a date for the Flood year that independently closely agrees with Josephus’. (See Topical note 4, Japheth's descendants).

The descendants of Noah's third son, Ham evidently had no family access to these Godly written accounts (Topical note 4, Noah's Vineyard) and they began the world's first pagan cultures in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Canaan where they settled. Ham's descendants, Nimrod and his family in Mesopotamia and Cush and his family in Egypt produced powerful lasting civilizations with huge cities and complete written languages, but Canaan’s civilization in Canaan did poorly as Noah prophesized in Genesis 9:25-27 (Topical note 4, Noah’s Vineyard). God later helped the Hebrews (below) to conquer Canaan’s land at this strategic crossroads of three continents and future empires for use to promote Him and His ways to the world from there. (See Topical note 3B, Table of Nations, and internet maps to locate the first nations that Noah's early descendants began).

Later, Shem’s Hebrew descendants who kept the ancient historical records also made their own more recent accounts about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and God’s promises to them that were contained in what became Genesis 11-50 of the Hebrew scriptures.  These were kept as oral traditions and/or in Akkadian cuneiform for a few generations until written Hebrew was developed. Abram (later named Abraham) was raised in Ur of the Chaldeans.  He was a wealthy 75 year old man when he left with his family to relocate as aliens in Canaan and begin the Hebrew presence there as God directed him (Genesis 11:31, 12:1-4) c2000BCE. So, evidently Abraham knew Akkadian cuneiform that was then a written business language in the Middle East.  And soon after Abraham’s time his Hebrew descendants wrote these historical accounts using the new easy-to-learn Hebrew alphabet.  Written Hebrew was a simplified 22 character purely phonetic version of Egyptian hieroglyphics that was produced c1850BCE (400 years before Moses lived) shortly after Abraham’s descendants moved to Egypt. Linguistic evidence suggests it was developed by Jacob’s grandson, Manasseh (Authorship of the Hebrew Law commentary and {1,1a}). Moses acquired these accounts in written Hebrew from Hebrew families during their Exodus from Egypt (c1450BCE). He then compiled them into his book of Genesis with God’s direction in written Hebrew that he had learned earlier when he lived in Pharaoh’s court.

The completed Hebrew scriptures:

Forty years after their Exodus from Egypt the Hebrews began the conquest of Canaan, and then they lived there for most of the next 1500 years both independently and as “Jews” subjected to a sequence of foreign powers- first the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians, and later the Greeks and Romans. During these turbulent times in the Middle East before their rule by the Greeks and Romans, Moses composed the Torah (The books of the Law, including Genesis). And the prophets and religious leaders completed their other scriptures. They were all preserved on renewable scrolls. So, this credible written information trail extended from the early oral accounts of Adam and Eve and others before the Flood into Moses’ Book of Genesis.  How Moses' Book of Genesis became part of modern English bibles is covered below.  

Early bibles:

The book of Genesis and the other Hebrew scriptures remained with the Jews until the first century AD. Then suddenly large numbers of Christian gentiles gained access to them when they joined the rapidly growing church with Jewish roots that was begun by St. Paul and the other apostles. Before complete bibles were made the early Greek-speaking Christians throughout the Roman Empire used the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew scriptures for their “Old Testament” (OT) in Greek, and the “New Testament” (NT) collection of the gospel accounts and letters by Christ’s apostles in Greek.  The NT Greek scripture portions were endlessly hand copied for use in early churches into the 4^th century AD. Thousands of complete manuscripts and fragments still survive.  Then complete bound bibles that contained both the Greek Septuagint OT and Greek NT writings were used by churches for a time. The Codex Sinaiticus bible (c350AD) is the oldest surviving single-book Greek Bible. Until recently it was kept in St. Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai but most of it was moved to university libraries in England, Germany, and Russia (internet). In 384AD St. Jerome completely revised earlier Latin OT and NT writings into the Latin Vulgate bible (in the language of Roman common people) for the Roman Catholic church as commissioned by Pope Damascus. Although Latin eventually fell into disuse by common people, updated versions of this translation are still in use by Latin trained Catholic clergy. 

Medieval “illuminated manuscripts” were made as complete bound bibles for use in Catholic churches from about 400-1400AD (1,000 years!). Today, many are displayed in museums. Some oversized bibles were made that were carried by two priests. They all included beautifully hand-painted color illustrations and elaborately decorated page headers, and edges with gold. The Latin text was written in ornate calligraphy. Especially talented monks devoted their time to prepare them in special scriptoriums where they worked without distractions.     

History of Modern English bibles:

Centuries later, beginning with John Wycliffe in England c1390AD bible scholars who were Catholic clergy but acted independently of the Roman church began translating the scriptures into complete bibles in the languages of common people of late Medieval Europe. Wycliffe translated the Roman Catholic church’s Latin Vulgate bible into English. Later scholars translated all the scriptures from the original Hebrew and Aramaic, and Greek. Some like William Tyndale in England (c1525AD) paid the ultimate price of martyrdom for their work at the hands of the Catholic Church that prohibited translating the approved scriptures- the church “canon” into common languages.  Church leaders reasoned that untrained translators would make errors and deceive people, and a biblically literate laity would question Catholic doctrines (internet reference). Millions worldwide are indebted to the sacrifice of these scholars who put the Bible back into the hands of the common people. All of the above early and modern bible versions were hand copied. 

Non-canonical religious writings:

However, Christian and Jewish leaders provided a great service by filtering through a growing body of religious literature and rejecting unacceptable or false writings that were not allowed as church “canon”.  The official Hebrew scriptures (OT) closed with the Book of Malachi c433BC, and the New Testament (NT) closed with the Book of Revelation c100AD.  Much of the rejected literature “surfaced” after the OT and NT closed. The NT/OT pseudepigrapha (including the Gospel of Thomas) falsely alleged to originate from reputable biblical authorities and it conflicted with accepted scriptures or promoted unbiblical teaching. The OT apocrypha (including Macabees) are genuine and valued ancient Hebrew writings but they were not accepted into the Hebrew scriptures. The apocrypha are included in some bible versions, and the pseudepigrapha are in other books so those who are interested may read them.

Printed bibles:

Newly developed printing presses mass produced bibles in Europe starting c1450AD.  First, the printed version of the Latin Vulgate was used by the Catholic clergy.  A century later William Tyndale’s translation that was derived from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek became the first printed English language bible. Wycliffe’s previous hand-copied English bible from Latin Vulgate had low circulation because it was too expensive for most individuals to own. Chapter and verse numbers were included to quickly locate text. Various bible translations proliferated.  The combined Old and New Testaments- the complete printed bible quickly became the world’s most widely read book by individuals for hundreds of years.  Today it is perhaps still the most widely owned book in the western world, but it is in great demand for serious reading in countries where it is banned.  God created humans in His “image” with an ability and innate desire to know Him.  However, their “likeness” to Him can be lost through ungodly lifestyle choices (Genesis 1:26-27 commentary).

Independent researcher December 2025

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