Phylogenesis

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness, and the sea from land.

     And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Then the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly. And God blessed the life in the water, saying: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, transform and subdue it. Thus the seas roiled with creatures formless and invisible, and their breath sweetened the air. And God saw that it was good.

     And the evening and morning were the second day.

Then God took one creature into another and fashioned a rib for it. Seven ribs he thus fashioned to gather its bowels unto it, and within its bosom ten horns. And unto this creature was given dominion to multiply over the seas, even unto the land, to devour the other creatures unto itself. And God saw that it was good.

     And the evening and morning were the third day.

Then God charged the life in the sea to congregate. And so they congregated and took on shape, each according to its own form. And the sea was filled with creatures both creeping and fixed.

And God said, it is not good that a creature should multiply alone. Thus male and female he created them, that each creature after its own kind should leave its father and mother, and shall cleave to its wife. The two shall become one flesh, and they shall be saved in childbearing.

Thus with every living creature the sea was filled; fish both great and small. And from the sea the air was filled with fowl and every kind of bird, and the land with beasts and creeping things. And God saw that it was good.

     And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

And God 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, and breathed into his mouth a tongue to speak.

And God placed a tree upon the earth: the leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

And God blessed them, and said again unto them: This one command I give you: tend and nourish the tree; be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Thus did man subdue the earth, and God saw that it was good.

     And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

Then God saw his creation and said, Behold, the people are many, and they have many languages. They are scattered over the face of the earth. Thus did God show his face to Man, and breathe into him a new mind, that nothing will be restrained from him, which he has imagined to do.

And man said, Go, let us build for ourselves a city, each man taking a trade after his own interest. And man rent the earth, fashioning out of its bosom every good thing with which to nourish itself. And man pierced the heavens, surpassing even the fowl of the sky. And the mysteries of creation were known to man. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth.

And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good.

     And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Now the congregation of man took its own form: its legs were serpents of copper coming out of the sea; its body a calf of brass on the land; and it spake from a thousand mouths. Now the beast was more crafty than any man. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God commanded thee?

And the woman said unto the beast, We have received only the command: be fruitful and multiply, and nourish the tree, or ye shall surely die.

And the beast said unto the woman, Has not God greatly multiplied thy sorrow and thy conception? In sorrow thou bringest forth children; thy desire is to thy husband and he ruleth over thee. Ye shall not surely die: whatsoever thine eyes desire, keep not from them. Withold not your heart from any joy, and rejoice in all your labor. Therefore hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she hewed the branches and took of the fruit thereof, and did eat. And when her husband saw this, that her eyes were opened and she had become like man, that nothing her eyes desired had been kept from her, he greatly rejoiced in her.

     Thus on the seventh day did man rest from his labor.

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking. And God saw that the Tree of Life had been hewn, and man and woman together beneath it. And the Lord God called unto man, and said: What is this thou hast done? The beast begiled thee and you did eat; now see that all your labor will come to ruin and you shall be again like beasts.

And man grew old and fat beside the stump of the roots in the earth.

Therefore see that I have set before thee this day life and death. I command thee that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land as in days before whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship the beast, and serve it; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing.

Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.