The KJV Audio Bible

Genesis 1 is a record of the creation of the world by God in six days, followed by rest on the seventh day. Day 1: God created light and separated it from darkness, establishing day and night. Day 2: God created the sky (firmament) to separate the waters above from the waters below. Day 3: God gathered the waters below to form seas and revealed dry land. He then created vegetation. Day 4: God created the sun, moon, and stars to govern day and night and to serve as signs for seasons, days, and years. Day 5: God created sea creatures and birds, blessing them to be fruitful and multiply. Day 6: God created land animals and then created humans — male and female — in His own image. He blessed them, commanded them to be fruitful and multiply, gave them dominion over all other creatures, and provided plants for food. Day 7: God completed His work and rested, blessing and sanctifying the seventh day. Throughout the account, God repeatedly observed that His creation was "good" and, after creating humans, He declared it "very good."

Genesis 2 provides an account of creation from a second perspective, focusing specifically on the creation of humans and the garden of Eden. The chapter begins by describing how God rested on the seventh day after completing the work of creation, blessing and sanctifying it as a holy day of rest. It then provides a more detailed account of how God formed man (Adam) from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him. God planted a garden in Eden as a perfect home for the man and placed him there to work it and care for it. The garden had all kinds of beautiful trees that provided food, including two special trees in the center: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God commanded Adam that he may eat from any tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, warning that, if he ate from it, he would "surely die." Four rivers flowed out from Eden, which are described with their geographic contexts. God observed that it was not good for the man to be alone and made a suitable help meet for him. God brought all the animals to Adam to name, but none were a suitable companion. Then God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, took one of his ribs, and from it created a woman. When Adam saw her, he joyfully recognized her as "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" and called her "woman" because she was taken out of man. The chapter concludes with the statement that this is why a man leaves his parents and is united with his wife, becoming one flesh. It notes that the man and woman were both naked and felt no shame.

Genesis 3 is the account of the rebellion of humanity, when sin first entered the world. The serpent, described as "more subtil than any beast of the field," approached Eve in the garden of Eden and questioned God's command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent told Eve that eating the fruit wouldn't cause death but would make them like God, knowing good and evil. Eve saw that the fruit looked good, desired its wisdom, and ate it. She then gave some to Adam, who also ate it. Their eyes were opened, they realized they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together in an effort to cover themselves. When they heard God walking in the garden, Adam and Eve hid. God called out to them, and Adam admitted they hid because they were naked and afraid. God asked if they ate from the forbidden tree. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. In Genesis 2, God had said that they would "surely die" if they ate from that tree. In Genesis 3, He described the curse that was to be the indirect consequence of humanity's rebellion: The serpent was cursed to crawl on its belly and eat dust, with enmity between it and the woman's offspring. The woman would experience pain in childbirth and be ruled by her husband. The man would toil amid thorns and thistles to produce food, eventually dying (returning to dust). God made garments out of animal skins for Adam and Eve to wear. God expelled Adam and Eve from Eden to prevent them from eating from the tree of life and living forever in their sinful and fallen state (with the curse). God placed cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 4 is the account of Cain and Abel, the first children of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had two sons: Cain (who became a farmer) and Abel (who became a shepherd). Both brothers brought offerings to God. Cain brought produce from his fields, while Abel brought the firstborn from his flock. God accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's, causing Cain to become angry and envious. God warned Cain about the power of sin. Despite this warning, Cain lured Abel into a field and murdered him. When God asked Cain where Abel was, Cain famously replied, "Am I my brother's keeper?" God cursed Cain to be a restless wanderer on the earth and marked him so no one would kill him. Cain settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden, and built a city named after his son Enoch. Genesis 3 concludes with a brief genealogy of Cain's descendants, including Lamech (who boasted about killing a man). Adam and Eve then had another son, named Seth.

Genesis 5 contains the genealogy from Adam to Noah, often called "the book of the generations of Adam." This chapter traces ten generations through the line of Seth (Adam's son), showing the lineage that would eventually lead to Noah. The chapter follows a consistent pattern for each patriarch: Name of the person Age when their firstborn son was born How many years they lived after that Their total lifespan Brief mention of other sons and daughters Here's the genealogical line with their ages: Adam (lived 930 years) Seth (lived 912 years) Enos (lived 905 years) Cainan (lived 910 years) Mahalaleel (lived 895 years) Jared (lived 962 years) Enoch (lived 365 years — did not die but "walked with God ... and he was not, for God took him") Methuselah (lived 969 years — the oldest person recorded in the Bible) Lamech (lived 777 years) Noah (introduced at the end of the chapter) The chapter concludes by mentioning Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 6 mentions that "there were giants in the earth" and includes a passage about "sons of God" taking "daughters of men" as wives, resulting in offspring described as "mighty men which were of old, men of renown." As humanity multiplied on earth, their wickedness increased dramatically. Genesis 6 says that "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," causing God deep grief over creating humankind. God resolved to wipe out all living creatures from the earth because of this widespread corruption and violence. "But, Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" and is described as righteous and blameless among the people of his time. God instructed Noah to build an ark of cypress wood, providing specific dimensions. The ark was to have three decks and rooms throughout, and it was to be covered with pitch inside and out. God announced His plan to bring a flood to destroy all life, but He established a covenant with Noah. God commanded Noah to bring his wife, sons, and his sons' wives into the ark, along with two (male and female) of every kind of animal to keep them alive. Noah was also instructed to store food for his family and the animals. Genesis 6 concludes with Noah's obedience: "According to all that God commanded him, so did he."

Genesis 7 is the account of the global flood. God commanded Noah to enter the ark with his family (wife, three sons, and their wives) because He found Noah righteous. God instructed Noah to take seven pairs of clean animals and one pair of unclean animals, plus seven pairs of birds, to preserve their species. Noah was told that, in seven days, God would send rain for forty days and nights to destroy all living creatures on earth. Noah, at 600 years old, followed God's instructions completely, bringing his family and the animals into the ark. On the seventeenth day of the second month "were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Rain fell for forty days and forty nights, causing waters to rise and lift the ark above the earth. The waters prevailed so mightily that they covered even the highest mountains by more than twenty feet. Every living thing on dry land — humans, animals, birds, and creatures that move on the ground — perished in the flood. Only Noah and those with him in the ark survived. The waters flooded the earth for 150 days.

Genesis 8 is the account of the conclusion of the global flood and Noah's emergence from the ark. God remembered Noah and all the creatures in the ark and sent a wind to help the floodwaters recede. After 150 days, the waters began to decrease. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to recede. By the first day of the tenth month, the tops of mountains became visible. After 40 more days, Noah opened the window of the ark and sent out a raven, which flew back and forth until the earth was dry. He then sent out a dove, which returned, finding no place to rest. Seven days later, he sent the dove again, and it returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf, indicating the waters had receded. After another seven days, he sent the dove once more, and this time it didn't return. When Noah was 601 years old, on the first day of the first month, the waters had dried from the earth. By the 27th day of the second month, the earth was completely dry. God then commanded Noah to leave the ark with his family and all the animals, instructing them to be fruitful and multiply on the earth. After exiting, Noah built an altar and offered burnt offerings from the clean animals. God was pleased with the sacrifice and promised never again to curse the ground because of humans or destroy all living creatures this way.

Genesis 9 describes God's covenant with Noah after the flood waters receded. God blessed Noah and his sons, telling them to "be fruitful, and multiply" to repopulate the earth. God established a new relationship between humans and animals (saying animals would now fear humans), and humans were now permitted to eat animals for food. God prohibited eating meat with blood still in it and established the sanctity of human life, declaring that whoever shed human blood would have their blood shed in return. God made a covenant with Noah, promising never to destroy all life with a flood again, and He established the rainbow as the sign of this covenant. After the flood, Noah planted a vineyard, made wine, became drunk, and lay uncovered in his tent. Ham saw his father's nakedness and told his brothers, but Shem and Japheth respectfully covered their father without looking at him. When Noah woke up, he cursed Canaan (Ham's son) to be a servant to his brothers, and he blessed Shem and Japheth. Genesis 9 concludes by noting that Noah lived 350 years after the flood, dying at age 950.

Genesis 10, often called the "Table of Nations," provides a genealogical record of Noah's descendants through his three sons — Shem, Ham, and Japheth — and how they populated the earth after the flood. The chapter begins with Japheth's descendants, who generally settled in the regions of Asia Minor, the Mediterranean islands, and parts of Europe. Notable descendants include Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, and others who became ancestors of various peoples and nations. Ham's descendants are listed next, including Cush, Mizraim (Egypt), Put, and Canaan. This section specifically mentions Nimrod, a son of Cush described as "a mighty hunter before the LORD" who established kingdoms in Mesopotamia, including Babel. The descendants of Canaan became the Canaanite peoples who settled in the land that would later be promised to Abraham. Genesis 10 then details Shem's descendants, who primarily settled in the Middle East and became ancestors of the Semitic peoples, including the Hebrews. Notable descendants include Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad (an ancestor of Abraham), Lud, and Aram. The chapter concludes by explaining that these are the families of Noah's sons according to their genealogies and nations. From these, the nations spread over the earth after the flood.

Genesis 11 consists of two main sections: the tower of Babel and the genealogy of Shem to Abram. At this time, all people on earth spoke the same language. They settled in the plain of Shinar (Babylonia). They decided to build a city with a tower reaching to the heavens to make a name for themselves and avoid being scattered. God came down to see the city and tower. He was concerned about what humans might achieve if they remained united with one language. So He confused their language so they couldn't understand each other. This caused people to scatter across the earth. The city was called Babel because God confused the language of the world there. (The Hebrew word bāḇel is rooted in the word bālal, which means "to confuse.") Genesis 11 also records the descendants of Shem (one of Noah's sons), tracing the lineage from Shem to Terah, the father of Abram (later renamed Abraham). The record shows the gradual decrease in human lifespan after the flood. The genealogy ends with Terah taking his family, including Abram, from Ur of the Chaldees toward Canaan. They settled in Haran, where Terah died.

Genesis 12 marks a pivotal turning point in the Bible with the call of Abram (later renamed Abraham) and God's covenant with him. God's Call to Abram (Verses 1-3): God commanded Abram to leave his country, his relatives, and his father's house to go to a land that God would show him. God promised to make Abram into a great nation, bless him, make his name great, and make him a blessing to others. God further promised to bless those who blessed Abram and curse those who cursed him, declaring that all people on earth would be blessed through him. Abram's Journey (Verses 4-9): At 75 years old, Abram obeyed God's call and departed from Haran with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all their servants and possessions. They traveled to Canaan, where God appeared to Abram and promised to give this land to his descendants. Abram built altars to the Lord at Shechem and Bethel before continuing his journey toward the Negev. Abram in Egypt (Verses 10-20): A severe famine struck Canaan, forcing Abram to seek refuge in Egypt. Fearing that the Egyptians might kill him to take his beautiful wife Sarai, Abram instructed her to say she was his sister (she was his half-sister). As anticipated, Pharaoh's officials noticed Sarai's beauty and took her into Pharaoh's palace, while Pharaoh rewarded Abram with livestock and servants. But, God afflicted Pharaoh and his household with serious diseases because of Sarai. When Pharaoh discovered the truth, he confronted Abram, returned Sarai, and ordered them to leave Egypt.

Genesis 13 is the account of Abram (later renamed Abraham) and his nephew Lot separating due to conflicts between their herdsmen. After returning from Egypt to Canaan with his wife Sarai and Lot, Abram was very wealthy with livestock, silver, and gold. They traveled to Bethel where Abram had previously built an altar. Both Abram and Lot had accumulated so many possessions and livestock that the land couldn't support them living together. Their herdsmen began quarreling over grazing land and water resources. To resolve this conflict, Abram generously offered Lot the choice of land. Lot chose the well-watered plain of Jordan near Sodom, which is described as being like "the garden of the LORD," while Abram remained in Canaan. After their separation, God spoke to Abram and renewed His promise, telling him to look in all directions — north, south, east, and west — promising to give all the land he could see to him and his descendants forever. God also promised that Abram's offspring would be as numerous as the dust of the earth. Abram then moved his tents to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built another altar to the Lord.

Genesis 14 is an account of a regional war and Abram's rescue of his nephew Lot. Four kings waged war against five kings from the region of Sodom and Gomorrah. The five kings had been subject to Chedorlaomer for 12 years but rebelled in the thirteenth year. In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and his allies attacked and defeated several peoples in the region before confronting the five kings in the Valley of Siddim. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell into tar pits, while the rest escaped to the hills. The victorious four kings plundered Sodom and Gomorrah, taking their possessions and food supplies. Lot, Abram's nephew who was living in Sodom, was captured along with his possessions. When Abram learned of Lot's capture, he gathered 318 trained men from his household and pursued the four kings, defeating them near Damascus and recovering all the captives and goods. After Abram's victory, two significant encounters occurred: Melchizedek, king of Salem and "the priest of the most high God," brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram. Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. The king of Sodom offered Abram the goods while requesting the return of his people. Abram refused to take anything except what his men ate and a share for his allies.

Genesis 15 centers on God's covenant with Abram (later renamed Abraham). God appeared to Abram in a vision, telling him not to fear and promising to be his shield and very great reward. Abram expressed concern about remaining childless, noting that his servant Eliezer stood to inherit his household. God reassured Abram that his heir would come from his own body. God took Abram outside and told him to count the stars, promising his descendants would be just as numerous. Abram believed God's promise, and this faith was credited to him as righteousness. God then identified Himself as the Lord who brought Abram from Ur of the Chaldees to give him the land of Canaan. When Abram asked for assurance regarding the promised land, God instructed him to bring specific animals for a covenant ceremony. Abram prepared the animals (except the birds) by cutting them in half, and he drove away birds of prey that attempted to eat the carcasses. As the sun set, Abram fell into a deep sleep. God revealed that Abram's descendants would be strangers and slaves in a foreign land before returning to Canaan. After darkness fell, a smoking fire pot and flaming torch (representing God's presence) passed between the animal pieces, formally establishing the covenant. God defined the boundaries of the land promised to Abram's descendants, from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.

Genesis 16 provides an account of Sarai (Abram's wife), her Egyptian servant Hagar, and the birth of Ishmael. After ten years in Canaan with no children, Sarai suggested that Abram have a child with her servant Hagar, following a common custom of that time. Abram agreed, and Hagar became pregnant. Once pregnant, Hagar began to look down on Sarai, who then treated Hagar harshly in response. Hagar ran away to the desert, where an angel of the LORD found her near a spring. The angel told her to return to Sarai and submit to her authority. The angel also gave Hagar a promise: She would have many descendants through her son, whom she should name Ishmael ("God hears"), because the LORD had heard her affliction. The angel prophesied that Ishmael would be "a wild man" whose hand would be against everyone — and everyone's hand would be against him. Hagar returned and gave birth to Ishmael when Abram was 86 years old.

Genesis 17 depicts God's covenant with Abram when he was 99 years old. God appeared to Abram, identified Himself as "the Almighty God" (El Shaddai), and established a covenant with several key elements. God changed Abram's name to Abraham ("father of many nations") and promised that kings would come from his line. The covenant was established as an "everlasting covenant" between God and Abraham's descendants. God promised the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. He instituted circumcision as the sign of the covenant — every male was to be circumcised on the eighth day of their life. God changed Sarai's name to Sarah ("noblewoman" or "princess") and promised she would bear a son despite being 90 years old. Abraham laughed at the idea of having a child at his age, but God confirmed Sarah would have a son named Isaac. Abraham asked God to bless Ishmael (his son with Hagar), and God promised to make him fruitful as well. Abraham, Ishmael, and all the males in Abraham's household were circumcised that same day.

Genesis 18 is the account of Abraham's encounter with three visitors at the oaks of Mamre and God's revelation about the coming judgment on Sodom. The chapter begins with the LORD appearing to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. Abraham saw three men approaching, rushed to meet them, and offered generous hospitality. He had Sarah prepare bread while he selected a choice calf to be prepared, and he served them under a tree. During the meal, the visitors asked about Sarah's whereabouts and then announced that, when they return in a year, Sarah would have a son. Sarah, listening from the tent entrance, laughed to herself in disbelief because both she and Abraham were elderly. The LORD questioned why Sarah laughed and reminded them that nothing is too difficult for the LORD. Sarah denied laughing (out of fear), but the LORD confirmed she did just that. As the men prepared to leave and go toward Sodom, the LORD decided to reveal His plans to Abraham. The LORD told Abraham about the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah due to their grave sin and said that He would go investigate the situation. This led to a remarkable negotiation between Abraham and the LORD. Abraham approached and asked if the LORD would destroy the righteous with the wicked. He began by asking if the LORD would spare the city if 50 righteous people were found there. God agreed, and Abraham progressively lowered the number — from 50 to 45, to 40, to 30, to 20, and finally to 10. Each time, the LORD agreed to spare the city if that number of righteous people could be found. Genesis 18 ends with the LORD leaving after this conversation and Abraham returning to his place.

Genesis 19 recounts the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, focusing on the rescue of Lot and his family. The chapter begins with two angels arriving in Sodom, where Lot insisted they stay at his house. Before they retired for the night, the men of Sodom surrounded Lot's house, demanding to "know" the visitors. Lot refused and offered his daughters instead, but the angels struck the men with blindness and warned Lot to flee with his family because God planned to destroy the city for its wickedness. At dawn, the angels urged Lot to leave immediately. When he hesitated, they took him, his wife, and two daughters by the hand and led them outside the city, instructing them to flee to the mountains and not look back. Lot negotiated to go to the small town of Zoar instead. As Lot reached Zoar, God rained sulfur and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying the cities and all inhabitants. Lot's wife looked back — and was turned into a pillar of salt. Genesis 19 concludes with Lot and his daughters living in a cave in the mountains. Believing they're the only survivors, the daughters got their father drunk on successive nights and slept with him to preserve their family line. Each daughter bore a son — Moab (father of the Moabites) and Benammi (father of the Ammonites).

Genesis 20 provides an account of Abraham's sojourn in Gerar. Abraham moved to the region of Gerar, where he told people that his wife Sarah was his sister (similar to his earlier deception in Egypt). King Abimelech of Gerar took Sarah into his harem, not knowing she was already married. God appeared to Abimelech in a dream, warning him that Sarah was a married woman and that he was as good as dead for taking her. Abimelech, who had not yet approached Sarah, protested his innocence to God, saying he acted with a clear conscience since Abraham claimed she was his sister. God acknowledged Abimelech's innocence but instructed him to return Sarah to Abraham, who was a prophet who would pray for him. Abimelech confronted Abraham about the deception. Abraham explained he feared for his life because he thought there was no fear of God in Gerar — and technically Sarah was his half-sister. Abimelech gave Abraham livestock, servants, and silver as compensation, and he invited him to live in his land wherever he pleased. Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and female servants so they could bear children again (God had closed all the wombs in Abimelech's household because of Sarah).