Reading Genesis 1:1–5

Instructions: Read each verse aloud, right to left. Identify every letter and vowel point. Pause at each syllable boundary. The word-for-word gloss below each row is there to orient you — focus on the Hebrew text, not the English.

בְּרֵאשִׁית	בָּרָא	אֱלֹהִים	אֵת	הַשָּׁמַיִם	וְאֵת	הָאָרֶץ
In‑beginning	created	God	[obj.]	the‑heavens	and‑[obj.]	the‑earth

וְהָאָרֶץ	הָיְתָה	תֹהוּ	וָבֹהוּ	וְחֹשֶׁךְ	עַל־פְּנֵי	תְהוֹם
And‑the‑earth	was	formless	and‑void	and‑darkness	upon‑face‑of	deep

וַיַּרְא	אֱלֹהִים	אֶת־הָאוֹר	כִּי־טוֹב	וַיַּבְדֵּל	אֱלֹהִים	בֵּין	הָאוֹר	וּבֵין	הַחֹשֶׁךְ
And‑saw	God	[obj.]‑the‑light	that‑good	and‑separated	God	between	the‑light	and‑between	the‑darkness

וַיִּקְרָא

אֱלֹהִים

לָאוֹר

יוֹם

וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ

קָרָא

לָיְלָה

וַיְהִי

עֶרֶב

וַיְהִי

בֹקֶר

יוֹם

אֶחָד

And‑called

God

to‑the‑light

day

and‑to‑the‑darkness

he‑called

night

and‑was

evening

and‑was

morning

day

one

KJV Translation — Genesis 1:1–5

1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

— Genesis 1:1–5 (KJV)

וְרוּחַ	אֱלֹהִים	מְרַחֶפֶת	עַל־פְּנֵי	הַמָּיִם
and‑Spirit‑of	God	hovering	upon‑face‑of	the‑waters

וַיֹּאמֶר	אֱלֹהִים	יְהִי	אוֹר	וַיְהִי	אוֹר
And‑said	God	let‑there‑be	light	and‑there‑was	light