Traditional folk tale openers focus the attention of the audience, and prepare them for what they are about to hear. But begin a Bible story with “Once upon a time” and it gives entirely the wrong impression. The Bible is not a Fairy Tale, but it is not Tiresome Facts either. It is a True Tale. The greatest story ever told, and it just so happens to be factual.
This post is a collection of story beginnings suitable for Bible stories.
Actual Bible Verse Story Beginnings
Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another…
Note the placement in time (used the same language), placement in space (Shinar), and then the introduction of dialogue.
Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying…
Note the placement in time (after Moses’ death) and the introduction of the next main character (Joshua).
Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him…
Note the placement in space (Jericho) and the literary triplet (lifted up his eyes and looked and behold) which gives the listeners time to prepare themselves for the introduction of the next character.
Now it came about after many days, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies on every side, and Joshua was old, advanced in years, that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and their heads and their judges and their officers, and said to them, “I am old, advanced in years.”
After giving the placement in time, I count two uses of repetition by this author.
Now it came about in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah.
Note the four parts: When this took place, the main character, where he is located, and what he did that set the tale in motion.
Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
Note three things: Placement in time, event that sets the story in motion, and introduction of the main character. (Except, in a twist, the “certain man” is not the main character of this story.)
Possible Generic Bible Story Beginnings
In the time of the judges, in a land of rainy winters and craggy rocks, there lived a man named…
In the time of the United Kingdom, in a land of dry summers and sand dunes, there lived a woman named…
I have no idea if Israel actually has sand dunes. Research failed to find an answer.
In the time of the Divided Kingdom, in a land of rugged desert and green hills, there lived…
In the days long past, in the time of the Exile, in the days of the Babylonians, there lived…
Before the beginning of time, before the beginning of everything, before there was a beginning…there was God.
Would work best for the story of Creation, or any story where God had a plan set into motion before the foundations of the world.
Beyond the field outside, beyond the ocean, beyond the costal plains, there lived a man.
Israel does have coastal plains. Of course, if your main character lives next to the Mediterranean, you will have to change this beginning.
Beyond our church, beyond the ocean, beyond the costal plains, there stood a city.
Beyond the field outside, beyond the ocean, beyond the sands of Africa and the forests of Europe, there is a land of craggy hills and hidden caves.
The actual Bible story beginnings in this post were found by searching BibleGateway. Just reading through a book of the Bible and marking where each episode begins and ends can be a fascinating exercise. If you try it, use a literal translation such as the NASB. The NIV tries to smooth out the passages for easier readability and in the process strips them of their oral storytelling markers. Look at Joshua 5:13 for an example.
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