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Were Animals or Humans Created First?

Some argue that Genesis 1:24-26 and 2:18-19 are contradictory concerning whether animals or humans were created first. The argument is that Genesis 1:24-26 says that animals were created first, while Genesis 2:18-19 says that humans were created first. However, there is a very reasonable interpretation of these passages that easily reconciles this apparent contradiction.

Scriptures – Were Animals or Humans Created First?

Genesis 1:24-26 – Animals Were Created First

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 1:24-26

Genesis 2:18-19 – Man Was Created First

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
Genesis 2:18-19

The Answer

Animals Were Created First

Genesis 2:19 says that God had formed every beast of the field. The most likely interpretation of this verse is that God had already created animals, and merely brought the animals to Adam in verse 19.

So, animals were created first, and then humans were created. There is simply no contradiction between Genesis 1:24-26 and Genesis 2:18-19.