King James Bible
"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,"
The Hebrew word 'toledot' (generations) typically introduces genealogies but here uniquely applies to creation itself, marking a literary transition from the cosmic creation account to focus on humanity. This phrase treats the heavens and earth as having their own 'family history,' emphasizing their origin story. This passive construction emphasizes that creation was an act done to the heavens and earth by an external agent, underscoring their dependent, created nature rather than self-existence. The personal name 'LORD God' (Yahweh Elohim) appears for the first time here, combining the covenant name with the creator title to introduce a more intimate narrative focus. The reversed order (earth before heavens) and the singular 'day' signal a shift in perspective from the seven-day framework to humanity's earthly story.