Why are there two different creation accounts in the bible?
The contradictions start in the opening chapters of the Bible, where inconsistent creation stories are told. Genesis chapter 1 says the first man and woman were made at the same time, and after the animals. But Genesis chapter 2 gives a different order of creation: man, then the animals, and then woman.
Bob B—I have read the bible 3 times in its entirety, it isn’t rocket science. The bible myth follows the same template as many other myths but your wouldn’t learn that unless you studied them.
First, you use the world, “accounts,” I use the word story. These are creation stories. They are not supposed to be history. Even so, more modern historical accounts of modern history sometimes differs. When you read an account of WWI or the civil war from the views of opponents you get a different view. Be that as it may, notice in chapter one God is used as the name of God. In Chapter 2 it is LORD, notice all caps.
These were written by two different traditions a hundred years apart. Biblical writers were inspired by God but God did not dictate the scriptures. Whenever God inspires that inspiration goes through the writer and takes on that person’s bias and personal agenda. We have to be less critical and ask what God is saying to us today in those words written 2500 year ago.
I always write as part of these answers the Bible needs to be studied not just read. Anyone can read it but I am sorry to say it takes years to study it. One needs to know the history of the time it was written, when it was written, what it was written, to whom it was written and finally what it is saying to us today.
Mark and Matthew for example, same story but written at two different times and both authors had their own agenda, what they want to accomplish and who they were writing to.
