“Why are there two accounts of the creation of man in the book of Genesis?”
We do not have two different accounts of the creation of man in the book of Genesis. Genesis 1:26-27 tells of God creating man on the sixth day. It tells us that God created male and female which started the human race. Genesis 2 is not another account of another creation of man. Genesis 2 deals with a more detailed account of the creation of Adam and Eve.
Genesis 1:26-27 only deals with the fact that God made man to be over the things of earth. It also states that man was made in the image of God. It tells us that God made male and female. But Genesis 1:26-27 does not deal in detail about the creation of man and woman. God wanted man to know more about his origin and so in Genesis 2 He gives a discussion about the matter.
Genesis 2 tells us a number of things about man and his creation that are not mentioned in Genesis 1:26-27. Genesis 2 tells us that God made man from “the dust of the ground” (Gen. 2:7). It tells us that God breathed into the nostrils of man the breath of life (Gen. 2:7). It also tells us that “man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). It should be noted that man is a “living soul” not a dying soul. Man has something about him that will never die and that is his soul. All of the other created things do not have this uniqueness about them. The beast of the field and the fowl of the air do not have a living soul. Man and man alone possesses this. God wanted us to know this about man, and so we have Genesis 2:7. These are not mentioned in Genesis 1:26-27.
Genesis tell us about the first home of man. God made a garden in which man was to dwell, and it was called the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8-15). Genesis 2 tells us about the restrictions God placed on man while he was to dwell in Eden (Gen. 2:15-17). Neither of these things is mentioned in Genesis 1:26-27.
Genesis 2 tells us that it was not good for man to be alone (Gen. 2:18). Genesis 2 tells us about Adam naming all the living creatures (Gen. 2:19-20). Genesis 2 tells us how the woman came into being. It tells us that God caused Adam to go into a deep sleep, and from his side God took a rib and closed up the flesh thereof (Gen. 2:21). Genesis 2 tells of God bringing the woman to the man and what the man had to say about the matter (Gen. 2:22-24). Genesis 2 tells us why the female was called “woman” (Gen. 2:23). None of these things are mentioned in Genesis 1:26-27. God wanted us to know about these things.
Genesis 2 tells us about how we are to love each other as husband and wife. We are to leave all and cleave to each other (Gen. 2:24). Genesis 1:26-27 does not mention this.
I have one person that has flooded me with mail about the two accounts of creation in Genesis. He thinks he has made one of the biggest discoveries of the age with reference to this, I suppose. He, like most other atheists, has not one particle of Biblical interpretation about him. His head is filled with muddy water when it comes to this matter. Most atheists declare how void of Bible knowledge they really are every time they open their mouths on Bible subjects.
– Malcolm L. Hill January 12, 1934- June 26, 2012