Every ordering of the Bible places Genesis first, and as such it sets the stage for what follows. Jews have long revered Genesis as the first book in the Torah, the most authoritative part of the Hebrew Bible. Christians have paid particular attention to Genesis because of its focus on God’s work with humanity prior to the giving of the law. When Islam arose, it too featured a prominent focus on traditions from Genesis, such as the stories of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac, and Joseph. As a result, three major religious traditions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—all lay claim to
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