Bible Firsts in Genesis 1 to 4
—A simple list

Bible Firsts

Genesis chapter 1

• The first light. 3Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good (Genesis 1:3-4 NKJV).
• The first day. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day (Genesis 1:5 NKJV).
• The first plant life. 11 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. (Genesis 1:11-12 NKJV).
• The first sea life and bird life. 20 Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens..." (Genesis 1:20-23 NKJV).
• The first land life. 24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so... (Genesis 1:24-25 NKJV).
• The first man and woman. 26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27 NKJV).
• The first food. 29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food." (Genesis 1:29 NKJV).

Genesis chapter 2

• The first Sabbath. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (Genesis 2:3 NKJV).
• The first breath. 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (Genesis 2:7 NKJV).
• The first garden. 8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:8-9 NKJV).
• The first occupation. 15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (Genesis 2:15 NKJV).
• The first prohibition. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17 NKJV).
• The first marriage. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man (Genesis 2:21-22 NKJV).

Genesis chapter 3

• The first question. 1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1 NKJV).
• The first lie 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5 NKJV).
• The first disobedience. 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6 NKJV).
• The first shame. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. (Genesis 3:7 NKJV).
• The first guilt. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8 NKJV).
• The first confession. 9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" 10So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself" (Genesis 3:9-10 NKJV).
• The first curse. 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life" (Genesis 3:14 NKJV).
• The first Messianic prophecy. 15 "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15 NKJV).
• The first mother. 16 To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you." ... 20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. (Genesis 3:16,20 NKJV).
• The first animal deaths. 21 Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21 NKJV).
• The first punishment. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:24 NKJV).

Genesis chapter 4

• The first childbirth. 1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD." (Genesis 4:1 NKJV).
• The first animal sacrifice. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, (Genesis 4:4 NKJV).
• The first invented worship. 3 ...It came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 5 ...but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. (Genesis 4:3,5 NKJV).
• The first murder. 8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. (Genesis 4:8 NKJV).
• The first vagabond. 12 [God said to Cain,] "When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth." (Genesis 4:12 NKJV).
• The first city. 17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And [Cain] built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son —Enoch. (Genesis 4:17 NKJV).
• The first polygamy. 19 Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah (Genesis 4:19 NKJV).
• The first nomads. 20 And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. (Genesis 4:20 NKJV).
• The first musicians. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. (Genesis 4:21 NKJV).
• The first craftmen. 22 And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron (Genesis 4:22 NKJV).
• The first revival. 26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 4:25 NKJV).