Genesis 1:26 – 27 uses two different Hebrew words to describe humanity’s creation: asa and bara. chromosome# 2

Both imply God’s direct involvement, but asa indicates that God made human beings from existing material, whereas bara signifies the creation of something entirely new. In light of Genesis 2:7, this distinction could be understood to indicate that God used a preexisting “template” that he then reshaped to create the physical makeup of human beings, to which he then imparted his image. Could it be that part of the reshaping activity involved fusing together two chromosomes to make human chromosome 2?

After all, genetic engineers—who are made in God’s image—are capable of altering organisms by manipulating genetic material. Would it not then follow that the Creator might do the same? Could God be thought of as a Divine genetic engineer? It seems no manipulation of the data, but instead a reasonable conclusion drawn from scientific advance shedding light on ancient biblical texts.