Narrates events, from the creation of the world, through the biblical patriarchs, to the settlement of the chosen people by God in Egypt. It can be divided into two parts: The first part concerns the history of primitive humanity (Gn 1-11). The second part deals with the history of the people that God chose as His (Gn 12-50).
| Author | Moses |
| For whom it was written | Israelites |
| Chapter amount | 50 |
| Verse amount | 1533 |
| Adam | The first man created by God in His image and likeness. |
| Eve | The first woman. God created her from one of Adam's ribs. |
| Noah | According to the Lord's command, Noah built the Ark and saved himself from the flood. |
| Abraham | From him descends the Jewish people, and through Ishmael, the Arabs. |
| Isaac | Son of the promise made by God to Abraham. |
| Jacob | Son of Isaac and Rebekah. He bought his brother Esau's birthright and later deceived his father, stealing his brother's blessing. |
| Joseph | Son of Jacob and Rachel. He had several experiences with God, being sold as a slave by his brothers and interpreting dreams until he became the governor of Egypt. |
| 1, 2 | God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. |
| 3 | Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, sin and are expelled from paradise. |
| 4 | Cain kills his brother Abel, both sons of Adam and Eve. |
| 5 | This is the book of the generations of Adam. |
| 6 | The people disobeys God and God promises to destroy the Earth with a great flood (the flood), then He commands Noah to build the ark according to His instructions. |
| 7 | Noah, his family, and two animals of each kind enter the ark. Then God sends the flood upon the earth for forty days. Everything that was on dry land died. |
| 8 | The waters of the flood recede and Noah and his family leave the ark. |
| 9 | God makes a covenant with Noah where He promises that He will never again destroy the earth with a flood. |
| 10 | This chapter speaks about Noah's generation. It talks about his sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. |
| 11 | It tells the story of the tower of Babel and the confusion of languages. |
| 12 | God makes a promise to Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. Then Abraham departs for the land that God shows him. |
| 13, 14 | Having a dispute between Abraham's and Lot's (his nephew) herdsmen, Abraham and Lot separate. Later, Abraham rescues Lot, who had been captured by enemy soldiers. |
| 15 | God encourages Abraham by promising him a son and that his descendants will be like the stars in the sky. |
| 16 - 18 | The first son of Abraham, named Ishmael, is born. But he is not the son promised by God, so God promises Abraham another son. |
| 18, 19 | Because of sin, God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah with rain of sulfur and fire, saving Lot and his family. |
| 20 | Abraham denies that Sarah is his wife and later confesses his lie and admits to having erred by acting this way. |
| 21 | The son promised by God to Abraham is born and is called Isaac. |
| 22 | God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham obeys God, but when Abraham is about to kill his son, God stops him and provides a ram. |
| 23, 24 | It tells us about the death of Sarah and about Isaac's marriage to Rebekah. |
| 25 | Abraham dies at 175 years old. Isaac, Abraham's son, has twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Esau, in a moment of hunger, sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. |
| 26 | God repeats His promise to Isaac, saying that his descendants would be like the stars in the sky. |
| 27 | Jacob deceives his father and takes the blessing that should have been given to his brother, Esau. Esau becomes furious. |
| 28 | Jacob, afraid of his brother, flees to Haran. On the way, God speaks to him in dreams, telling him that He will protect him and bring him back to that land. |
| 29, 30 | Jacob marries Leah and Rachel and has several children, one of whom is Joseph. |
| 31 - 33 | Jacob returns to Canaan and makes peace with his brother Esau. |
| 35 | Following divine orders, Jacob raises an altar in Bethel. God changes Jacob's name to Israel. |
| 36 | It speaks about the descendants of Esau. |
| 37 | Joseph is sold by his brothers. Soon after, he is resold to Potiphar, an Egyptian captain. |
| 39 | Potiphar's wife accuses Joseph of something he did not do, so Joseph is thrown into prison. |
| 40 | Joseph, in prison, interprets two dreams. |
| 41 | Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams. Then Pharaoh appoints Joseph as governor of Egypt. |
| 42 | Joseph's brothers go down to Egypt to buy food. Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognize Joseph. |
| 43 | When the food in Canaan runs out, Joseph's brothers go to Egypt taking Benjamin, as required by Joseph. |
| 44 | Joseph threatens to keep Benjamin imprisoned in Egypt due to an accusation of theft. |
| 45 | Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and invites them to live with him in Egypt. |
| 46 | Joseph's family moves to Egypt. |
| 47 | Joseph buys all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. |
| 48, 49 | Jacob blesses his sons and Joseph's sons and dies. |
| 50 | Joseph comforts his brothers who are afraid of what they did to Joseph in the past. Joseph dies and is buried in Egypt. |