The Origins of “In the Beginning . . .”: Genesis 1:1 in Light of the Biblical Hebrew Reading Traditions

Abstract This study addresses the question of whether the lack of a definite article in the prepositional phrase בראשית in Gen 1:1 necessitates a construct/relative interpretation (e.g., “When God began to create . . .”) or permits a more traditional adverbial interpretation (e.g., “in the beginning, God created . . .”) in light of the grammatical systems of the various reading traditions of Biblical Hebrew attested throughout history. I argue that the lack of an article in the prepositional phrase בראשית is actually entirely compatible with the “adverbial” interpretation according to the grammars of Second Temple–period Hebrew reading traditions, provided that ראשית is construed either as a generic referent (“initially, God created . . .”) or as a globally unique referent (“in THE beginning, God created . . .”). This conclusion is based on an analysis of the distribution of the article in non-Tiberian reading traditions attested throughout history (Greek/Latin transcriptions, Palestinian, Babylonian, Samaritan). It may also be demonstrated that a gradual increase in the distribution of the article in inseparable prepositional phrases in the precursors of Tiberian Hebrew is likely what led to the emergence of the construct/relative interpretation among medieval Jewish commentators. This discussion is further contextualized in the history of interpretation, particularly with respect to ancient and medieval translation traditions.