Genesis Past Paper PDF

**Creation and Early Humanity** 1. **What is the structure of the Creation narrative in Genesis 1?** - A seven-day structure where God creates the world in six days and rests on the seventh. Key days include: - Day 1: Light and darkness - Day 2: Separation of w...

**Creation and Early Humanity** 1. **What is the structure of the Creation narrative in Genesis 1?** - A seven-day structure where God creates the world in six days and rests on the seventh. Key days include: - Day 1: Light and darkness - Day 2: Separation of waters (sky) - Day 3: Land, seas, and vegetation - Day 4: Sun, moon, and stars - Day 5: Birds and sea creatures - Day 6: Land animals and humanity - Day 7: Rest (Sabbath) 2. **How does the Creation narrative in Genesis 2 differ from Genesis 1?** - Genesis 2 provides a more detailed, anthropocentric account focusing on the creation of Adam and Eve, their life in the Garden of Eden, and the relationship between humanity and God. 3. **What is the significance of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil?** - It represents moral choice and human free will. Eating its fruit led to the Fall, introducing sin and death into the world. 4. **What was the first sin, and what were its consequences?** - The first sin was Adam and Eve's disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit. Consequences included expulsion from Eden, labor pains, toil, and mortality. 5. **What role does the serpent play in the Fall?** - The serpent tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, introducing the theme of deception and rebellion against God. 6. **How does the story of Cain and Abel reflect human sin?** - It illustrates jealousy and murder, showing the rapid escalation of sin. Cain's punishment and God's mercy are central themes. **The Flood and Noah** 7. **Why did God send the Flood?** - To cleanse the earth of human wickedness while preserving Noah, his family, and the animals as a remnant. 8. **What was the sign of God's covenant with Noah?** - The rainbow, symbolizing God's promise never to destroy the earth by flood again. 9. **What was Noah instructed to do during the Flood?** - Build an ark to save his family and pairs of every animal, ensuring the survival of life on earth. **The Tower of Babel** 10. **What was the purpose of the Tower of Babel, and why did God intervene?** - Humans sought to build a tower to reach the heavens, symbolizing pride and rebellion. God confused their languages to scatter them. 11. **How does the story of Babel explain human diversity?** - It provides an origin story for the diversity of languages and nations. **The Patriarchs** 12. **What was God's promise to Abraham?** - God promised Abraham descendants, land (Canaan), and that his lineage would bless all nations. 13. **What test did Abraham face with Isaac?** - God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, testing his faith and obedience. God ultimately provided a ram as a substitute. 14. **Who were Abraham's wives and sons?** - Sarah (wife) and Hagar (concubine). Sons: Isaac (by Sarah) and Ishmael (by Hagar). 15. **What role did Isaac play in Genesis?** - Isaac was Abraham's son and the father of Jacob and Esau, continuing the covenant lineage. 16. **Who were Jacob's wives, and how many children did he have?** - Wives: Leah and Rachel. He also had children with their maidservants, Zilpah and Bilhah. Jacob had twelve sons, who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel, and one daughter, Dinah. 17. **Why is Jacob renamed Israel?** - After wrestling with a divine being, Jacob was renamed Israel, meaning "He struggles with God." 18. **What is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah?** - God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah due to their wickedness. Lot and his family were warned to flee, but Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. 19. **What happened between Lot and his daughters after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah?** - Lot's daughters, believing they were the last people on earth, got their father drunk and had children by him, resulting in the Moabite and Ammonite peoples. 20. **What is the story of Hagar and Ishmael?** - Hagar, Sarah's maidservant, bore Ishmael to Abraham. She and Ishmael were later sent away but survived in the wilderness due to God's provision. 21. **What happened during Jacob's dream at Bethel?** - Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending. God reaffirmed the covenant with him. 22. **What was the conflict between Jacob and Esau?** - Jacob tricked Esau into selling his birthright and later deceived their father Isaac into giving him the blessing meant for Esau. 23. **What is the story of Dinah and the Shechemites?** - Dinah, Jacob's daughter, was raped by Shechem. Her brothers, Simeon and Levi, avenged her by deceiving and killing the men of Shechem. 24. **What role did Rachel's theft of her father's idols play in Genesis?** - Rachel stole Laban's household idols when Jacob fled with his family, symbolizing the tension between pagan practices and God's covenant. **Joseph and Egypt** 25. **What role does Joseph play in the Genesis narrative?** - Joseph's story demonstrates God's providence. Sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph rises to power in Egypt and saves his family during a famine. 26. **How did Joseph's brothers deceive their father?** - They sold Joseph into slavery and told their father, Jacob, that he had been killed by a wild animal, showing him Joseph's coat covered in goat's blood. 27. **What is the significance of Joseph's reconciliation with his brothers?** - Joseph forgives his brothers and ensures their survival during a famine, leading to the Israelites settling in Egypt. 28. **What was Pharaoh's dream, and how did Joseph interpret it?** - Pharaoh dreamed of seven fat cows and seven lean cows, and seven healthy ears of grain and seven thin ears. Joseph interpreted it as seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, advising Pharaoh to store food. 29. **What happened when Jacob blessed his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh?** - Jacob crossed his hands, giving the greater blessing to the younger Ephraim over the elder Manasseh, symbolizing the reversal of traditional inheritance norms.