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Book of Genesis Timeline

(Traditional setting: c. 2000–1600 BCE; final composition commonly dated to the 6th–5th century BCE)

The Book of Genesis recounts the origins of the world, humanity, sin, covenant, and the family of Israel, from creation through Joseph’s rise in Egypt. Less

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Composition history

The narrated period ends around 1200 BCE

1200 BCE

The period claimed by the earliest Pentateuchal sources to be described ended around 1200 BCE.

Gap between Pentateuchal sources and narrated period

1200 BCE - 500 BCE

There is a large gap between the earliest sources of the Pentateuch and the period they claim to describe, which ended around 1200 BCE.

Image source: Documentary hypothesis

Gap between Pentateuchal sources and narrated period

Possible fifth-century BCE composition of Genesis

500 BCE

The composition of Genesis is commonly placed possibly in the fifth century BCE, after the Babylonian captivity.

Genesis composition after the Babylonian captivity

500 BCE

Scholarly consensus holds that the Book of Genesis was composed several centuries after the events it narrates, following the Babylonian captivity, possibly in the fifth century BCE.

Image source: Book of Genesis

Genesis composition after the Babylonian captivity

Documentary hypothesis

J identified as the earliest source

900 BCE

Within the documentary hypothesis, J is identified as the earliest of the principal sources.

J associated with the southern Kingdom of Judah

900 BCE

The documentary hypothesis places J in the southern Kingdom of Judah.

J assigned to the ninth century BCE

900 BCE

According to the documentary hypothesis, J was produced during the 9th century BCE.

E assigned to the eighth century BCE

800 BCE

The documentary hypothesis dates E to the 8th century BCE.

E associated with the northern Kingdom of Israel

800 BCE

E was written in the northern Kingdom of Israel, according to the documentary hypothesis.

D assigned to the seventh century BCE

700 BCE

The documentary hypothesis dates D to the 7th century BCE.

D associated with Judah

700 BCE

D was written in Judah, according to the documentary hypothesis.

D linked to Josiah's reforms

625 BCE

D is associated with the religious reforms of King Josiah, dated approximately to 625 BCE.

Image source: Josiah

D linked to Josiah's reforms

Josiah's reforms dated approximately to 625 BCE

625 BCE

The religious reforms connected with D are dated around 625 BCE during the reign of King Josiah.

P associated with Babylon

500 BCE

The documentary hypothesis places the writing of P in Babylon.

Image source: Priestly source

P associated with Babylon

P assigned to the fifth century BCE

500 BCE

The P source is dated to the 5th century BCE.

P identified as the latest source

500 BCE

Within the documentary hypothesis, P is regarded as the latest of the principal sources.

Seventeenth-century challenge to single authorship

1600 - 1699

Richard Simon's 17th-century proposal challenged the idea that the Pentateuch, including Genesis, was produced by one author at one time.

Richard Simon proposes multiple Pentateuchal authors

1600 - 1699

In the 17th century, Richard Simon proposed that the Pentateuch had been written by multiple authors over a long period.

Late-nineteenth-century source criticism

1890 - 1899

The late 19th century saw broad scholarly adoption of a source-critical model in which the Pentateuch was composed from multiple documents.

Documentary hypothesis gains scholarly acceptance

1890 - 1899

By the end of the 19th century, most scholars had adopted the documentary hypothesis as an explanation of the Pentateuch's composition.

Historical interpretation

Greek historians blur myth, legend, and fact

600 BCE

The works of ancient Greek historians in the 6th century BCE did not distinguish between myth, legend, and facts in these accounts.

Ancient Greek historians connect families to heroic pasts

600 BCE

Notable examples in the works of ancient Greek historians of the 6th century BCE connected notable families of their own day to a distant and heroic past.

Sixteenth-century factual interpretation of Genesis

1500 - 1599

In the 16th century, European scholarship commonly approached Genesis as factual.

European scholars treat Genesis as factual

1500 - 1899

From the 16th through the 19th century, scholars in Europe generally treated Genesis as a factual account.

Seventeenth-century factual interpretation of Genesis

1600 - 1699

During the 17th century, European scholars continued to treat Genesis as factual.

Scheuchzer links fossils to the biblical flood

1700 - 1799

Scheuchzer's interpretation used fossils as evidence for a factual reading of the Genesis flood narrative.

Image source: Johann Jakob Scheuchzer

Scheuchzer links fossils to the biblical flood

Johann Jakob Scheuchzer interprets fossils as flood victims

1700 - 1799

In the 18th century, Johann Jakob Scheuchzer argued that fossils were the remains of creatures killed during the flood described in Genesis.

Eighteenth-century factual interpretation of Genesis

1700 - 1799

In the 18th century, Genesis was still generally treated as factual by European scholars.

Nineteenth-century factual interpretation of Genesis

1800 - 1899

European scholars continued to treat Genesis as factual during much of the 19th century.

Modern scholarship

David Clines publishes The Theme of the Pentateuch

1978

In 1978, David Clines published The Theme of the Pentateuch, a notable work in modern Pentateuchal scholarship.

Twenty-first-century consensus on Genesis composition

2000 - 2026

In the 21st century, most scholars came to a consensus that Genesis was composed after the Babylonian captivity, possibly in the fifth century BCE.

Modern scholarship places Genesis after the captivity

2000 - 2026

The modern scholarly consensus places the composition of Genesis after the Babylonian captivity and possibly in the fifth century BCE.

Key Facts

  1. Genesis opens with two creation accounts that establish God as the creator of the heavens, earth, and humanity.
  2. Adam and Eve’s disobedience introduces the themes of sin, judgment, mortality, and humanity’s separation from God.
  3. The Flood narrative describes Noah, divine judgment, and a covenant symbolized by the rainbow.
  4. God’s covenant with Abraham promises descendants, land, and blessing for all nations through his family.
  5. The book concludes with Joseph’s story, explaining how Jacob’s family settled in Egypt and laid the foundation for Israel’s later history.

Source

This Book of Genesis timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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