the first book of the Old Testament, containing the history of the creation, and of the lives of the patriarchs. The book of Genesis stands at the head of the Pentateuch. Its author is held to be Moses, and contains the relation of 2369 years, or from the beginning of the world till the death of Joseph. The Jews were forbidden to read the beginning of Genesis, and the beginning of Ezekiel, until they had attained thirty years of age. The Hebrews call this book Bereshith, because it begins with that word, which, in their language, signifies principio, or in the beginning. The Greeks give it the name Genesis, Γενεσις; production, generation, because it begins with the history of the production or generation of all beings. This book, besides the history of the creation, contains an account of the original innocence and fall of man; the propagation of mankind; the rise of religion; the general defection and corruption of the world; the deluge; the restoration of the world; the division and confounding of the earth; and the history of the first patriarchs till the death of Joseph. It was easy for Moses to be satisfied of the truth of what he delivered in this book, because it came down to him through a few hands; for from Adam to Noah there was one man, Methuselah, who lived long enough to see them both; in like manner Shem conversed with Noah and Abraham, Isaac with Abraham and Joseph, from whom the records of this book might easily be conveyed to Moses by Amram, who was contemporary with Joseph.

in Geometry, denotes the formation of a line, line, or solid by the motion or flowing of a point, line, surface.