Did Genesis 1:1 Really Say “God Created the Heavens and the Earth” — or “He Created Gods, the Heavens and the Earth”? A Philological Reconsideration

Text and Context

Did you know that the literal and exact translation of the first line of Genesis is “In the beginning, he created Gods, the heavens and the earth”?

This may sound strange or even blasphemous, but the idea is intriguing—especially when considered through the philological lens proposed by the Italian biblical scholar Mauro Biglino. My curiosity was further stirred by the fact that Genesis was written in Hebrew, a Semitic language whose grammatical structure differs significantly from that of Greek or Latin.

Suppose one follows a strictly grammatical and historical-linguistic perspective. In that case, the opening line appears to describe an unnamed being—grammatically masculine, since the Hebrew verb used is בָּרָא (bārā), which is a third-person masculine singular form, thus clearly defined as male in grammatical gender. (Semitic languages, unlike Indo-European ones, recognise only masculine and feminine genders, with no neuter form.)

In this sense, the Hebrew text indicates that this being—referred to by a masculine verb form—created the gods, the heavens, and the earth.

The Hebrew Text and Its Literal Reading

The Hebrew of Genesis 1:1 reads:

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ

Berēʾšît bārā ʾĕlōhîm ʾēt haššāmayim wəʾēt hāʾāreṣ

Word-by-word translation

בְּרֵאשִׁית (berēʾšît) – “In [the] beginning”

בָּרָא (bārā) – “he created” (third-person masculine singular)

אֱלֹהִים (ʾĕlōhîm) – grammatically plural noun: “gods”

אֵת (ʾēt) – particle marking the definite direct object

הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ (haššāmayim wəʾēt hāʾāreṣ) – “the heavens and the earth”

Grammatical Analysis

It was only later, through theological interpretation, that Elohim—though plural in form—was said to refer to a single deity. The reasoning behind this interpretation rested on the singular verb bārā (“he created”), which was taken to indicate a singular subject.

From this tension arose the concept of the pluralis majestatis (“royal plural”), a grammatical notion used in Latin and later European languages to express majesty or greatness. However, this concept is not native to Semitic grammar. The Hebrew language conveys divine or royal majesty differently and does not use plural forms for singular nouns in this manner.

A strictly literal grammatical reading of Genesis 1:1 suggests instead that Elohim cannot function as the subject of the verb. If Elohim (“gods”) were the subject, the verb would have to be plural—בָּרְאוּ (bārʾū)—meaning “they created.” Since the verb is singular, the only consistent grammatical interpretation is that Elohim serves as the object of the action.

Thus, the verse would most accurately read:

“In the beginning, he created gods (or leaders), the heavens, and the earth.”

Historical and Semantic Implications

In its earliest context, when Hebrew thought still reflected traces of a polytheistic or henotheistic worldview, ancient readers may well have understood the verse in this way. Only later, as Israelite religion evolved toward monotheism, did interpreters redefine Elohim as the singular “God,” despite the verb form contradicting that reading.

The word אֱלֹהִים (Elohim), however, has a broader semantic range than merely “gods.” It can also refer figuratively or honorifically to powerful human authorities, such as judges or leaders—figures who act with divine-like authority. In Exodus 21:6 and 22:8 9, for instance, Elohim is translated as “judges”:

“…then his master shall bring him to the judges (Elohim).” (Exodus 21:6, KJV)

Most historical linguists, notably Mark S. Smith in The Origins of Biblical Monotheism, argue that Elohim originally denoted a divine assembly and only later became a singularized title for Israel’s national deity, YHWH.

The Singular ‘El’ and the New Testament Connection

The singular form of Elohim is El. This singular form of El appears throughout the Bible and carries over into the New Testament. On the cross, Jesus cries out:

“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” — “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Here Eli represents the singular form of Elohim. It is noteworthy that this phrase was left in Hebrew (or Aramaic) even in the Greek Gospel texts. This linguistic choice highlights the complexity and significance of the term Elohim, as well as its profound connection to earlier Semitic conceptions of divinity.

Conclusion

The literal, grammatical reading of Genesis 1:1 presents a far more complex picture than later theological traditions suggest. The Hebrew verb bārā is unmistakably third person masculine singular, implying a specific actor—he created—and not a collective or abstract action. Meanwhile, the plural noun Elohim resists simplification as a singular “God.”

In this light, the opening of Genesis may describe the creation of the world by a single deity or being. Still, this description is even more theologically complex than it is usually stated because this being or deity was even superior to what ancient people thought or believed to be their gods. This opening line affirms that there is a supreme being over the gods. It was this supreme being that created the gods, and these gods were created together with the heavens and the earth. Thus, the act of a singular being brought forth the Elohim—the divine assembly itself—together with the heavens and the earth.