[Editor's note: Because of the great variety and density of events recorded in this week's reading, the "Parshah summary" this week consists of the full text of the Parshah.]

In the beginning G-d created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep; and the spirit of G-d hovered above the surface of the waters. And G-d said: Let there be light; and there was light. And G-d saw the light, that it was good; and G-d divided the light from the darkness. And G-d called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

And G-d said: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide water from water. And G-d made the firmament, and divided the waters which were below the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And G-d called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

And G-d said: Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. And G-d called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas; and G-d saw that it was good. And G-d said: Let the earth sprout grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after its kind; and G-d saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

And G-d said: Let there be luminaries in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. And let them be for luminaries in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth; and it was so. And G-d made the two great luminaries; the great luminary to rule the day, and the small luminary to rule the night; and the stars also. And G-d set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and G-d saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

And G-d said: Let the waters swarm abundantly with moving creatures that have life, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And G-d created the great sea-creatures, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and G-d saw that it was good. And G-d blessed them, saying: Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply in the earth. And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

And G-d said: Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind; and it was so. And G-d made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the earth after its kind; and G-d saw that it was good.

And G-d said: Let us make Man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

And G-d created Man in His own image, in the image of G-d He created him; male and female He created them.

And G-d blessed them; and G-d said to them: Be fruitful, and multiply, fill the earth, and conquer it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. And G-d said: Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, on which is the fruit yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food; and it was so.

And G-d saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

And the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their host. And G-d completed on the seventh day His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. And G-d blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because in it he rested from all his work which G-d had created, to make.

The Creation of Man

These are the chronicles of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that G-d made the earth and the heavens.

And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet grown; for G-d had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the earth.

And G-d formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

And G-d planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground G-d made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the Tree of Life also in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and branched into four streams. The name of the first is Pishon; that it is which compasses the whole land of Havila, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good; there is bdellium and the shoham stone. And the name of the second river is Gichon; it compasses the whole land of Kush. And the name of the third river is Chiddekel; that is it which goes toward the east of Assiria. And the fourth river is Perat.

And G-d took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to work it and to keep it.

And G-d commanded the man, saying: "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, you shall not eat of it; for on the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

And G-d said: It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helpmeet opposite him.

And out of the ground G-d formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the air; and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helpmeet opposite him.

And G-d caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his sides, and closed up the flesh in its place. And G-d built the side which He had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man.

And the man said: "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother, and cleaves to his wife; and they become one flesh."

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they felt no shame.

The Sin

Now the serpent was craftier than all the beasts of the field which G-d had made. And he said to the woman: "Has G-d said, You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?"

And the woman said to the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, G-d has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"

And the serpent said to the woman: "You shall not surely die. For G-d knows that on the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the voice of G-d walking in the garden in the breeze of the day; and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of G-d amongst the trees of the garden.

And G-d called to the man, and said to him: "Where are you?"

And he said: "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

And he said: "Who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you that you should not eat?'

And the man said: "The woman. whom You did give to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat."

And G-d said to the woman: "What is this that you have done?"

And the woman said: "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat."

And G-d said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, cursed be you above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Unto the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply the pain of your child bearing; in sorrow you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you."

And to the man he said: "Because you have hearkened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it'; cursed is the earth because of you, in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field. By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it were you taken; for dust you are, and to dust shall you return."

And the man called his wife's name Eve (Chavah), because she was the mother of all living (chai). And G-d made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them.

And G-d said: Behold, the man is become like one of us, knowing good and evil. And now, what if he put forth his hand, and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat, and live for ever?

And G-d banished him from the Garden of Eden, to till the earth from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and he placed the cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and the bright blade of a revolving sword, to guard the way to the Tree of Life.

Cain and Abel

And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain saying, "I have acquired a man from G-d." And she again bore, his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the earth.

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the earth an offering to G-d. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat parts thereof; and G-d paid heed to Abel and to his offering. But to Cain and to his offering He paid no heed; and Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

And G-d said to Cain: "Why are you angry? and why are you crestfallen? If you doest well, shall you not be accepted? and if you doest not well, sin crouches at the door, and to you shall be his desire; Yet you may rule over him."

And Cain had words with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

And G-d said to Cain: "Where is Abel your brother?"

And he said: "I know not; am I my brother's keeper?"

And He said: "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to Me from the ground.

"And now cursed are you from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the earth, it shall not henceforth yield to you her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shall you be on the earth."

And Cain said to G-d: "Is my sin too great to forgive? Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from Your face I shall be hid; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth, and it shall come to pass, that anyone that finds me shall slay me."

And G-d said to him: "Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And G-d set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should smite him. And Cain went out from the presence of G-d, and dwelt in the land of Nod, to the east of Eden.

And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived, and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

And to Enoch was born Irad ; and Irad begot Mechuyael; and Mechuyael begot Metushael; and Metushael begot Lemekh.

And Lemekh took to him two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Tzillah. And Adah bore Yaval ; he was the father those who dwell in tents and keep herds. And his brother's name was Yuval; he was the father of those who handle the harp and the flute. And Tzillah, she also bore Tuval-Cain, forger of every sharp instrument in brass and iron; and the sister of Tuval-Cain was Naamah.

And Lemekh said to his wives: "Adah and Tzillah, hear my voice; wives of Lemekh, hearken to my speech; for I have slain a man by wounding, a child by hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lemekh seventy and sevenfold."

And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son, and called his name Seth; For G-d, has set me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh ; then men began to call upon G-d by name.

The First Ten Generations

This is the book of the chronicles of Man; in the day that G-d created mankind, in the likeness of G-d he made him. Male and female He created them; and He blessed them, and called their name Man, in the day when they were created.

And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth. And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years; and he begot sons and daughters. And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.

And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begot Enosh. And Seth lived after he begot Enosh eight hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died.

And Enosh lived ninety years, and begot Kenan. And Enosh lived after he begot Kenan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died.

And Kenan lived seventy years, and begot Mahalalel. And Kenan lived after he begot Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died.

And Mahalalel lived sixty five years, and begot Jared. And Mahalalel lived after he begot Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and he begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety five years; and he died.

And Jared lived a hundred and sixty two years, and he begot Enoch. And Jared lived after he begot Enoch eight hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty two years, and he died.

And Enoch lived sixty five years, and he begot Metushelah. And Enoch walked with G-d after he begot Methuselah three hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty five years. Enoch walked with G-d; and he was not, for G-d took him.

And Methuselah lived a hundred and eighty seven years, and begot Lemekh. And Metushelah lived after he begot Lemekh seven hundred and eighty two years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Metushelah were nine hundred and sixty nine years; and he died.

And Lemekh lived a hundred and eighty two years, and begot a son. And he called his name Noah ("comfort"), saying: This one shall comfort us for our work and the toil of our hands, because of the earth which G-d has cursed. And Lemekh lived after he begot Noah five hundred and ninety five years, and begot sons and daughters. And all the days of Lemekh were seven hundred and seventy seven years; and he died.

And Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japeth.

A World Gone Awry

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them. And the sons of god saw that the daughters of men were fair; and they took them wives of all whom they chose.

And G-d said: My spirit shall not always strive on account of man, for that he also is flesh; and his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. There were Nefilim in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of G-d came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; these were mighty men of old, men of renown.

And G-d saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that all the impulse of the thoughts of his heart was only evil, all day long continually. And G-d regretted that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. And G-d said: I will obliterate man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man, and beast, and creeping things, and the birds of the air; for I regret that I have made them.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of G-d.