11 And God H430 said, H559 Let the earth H776 bring forth H1876 grass, H1877 the herb H6212 yielding H2232 seed, H2233 and the fruit H6529 tree H6086 yielding H6213 fruit H6529 after his kind, H4327 whose H834 seed H2233 is in itself, upon the earth: H776 and it was so.
For G1063 the earth G1093 which G3588 drinketh in G4095 the rain G5205 that cometh G2064 oft G4178 upon G1909 it, G846 and G2532 bringeth forth G5088 herbs G1008 meet G2111 for them G1565 G2532 by G1223 whom G3739 it is dressed, G1090 receiveth G3335 blessing G2129 from G575 God: G2316
He causeth the grass H2682 to grow H6779 for the cattle, H929 and herb H6212 for the service H5656 of man: H120 that he may bring forth H3318 food H3899 out of the earth; H776 And wine H3196 that maketh glad H8055 the heart H3824 of man, H582 and oil H8081 to make his face H6440 to shine, H6670 and bread H3899 which strengtheneth H5582 man's H582 heart. H3824 The trees H6086 of the LORD H3068 are full H7646 of sap; the cedars H730 of Lebanon, H3844 which he hath planted; H5193 Where the birds H6833 make their nests: H7077 as for the stork, H2624 the fir trees H1265 are her house. H1004
Thou visitest H6485 the earth, H776 and waterest H7783 it: thou greatly H7227 enrichest H6238 it with the river H6388 of God, H430 which is full H4390 of water: H4325 thou preparest H3559 them corn, H1715 when thou hast so provided H3559 for it. Thou waterest H7301 the ridges H8525 thereof abundantly: H7301 thou settlest H5181 the furrows H1417 H1418 thereof: thou makest it soft H4127 with showers: H7241 thou blessest H1288 the springing H6780 thereof. Thou crownest H5849 the year H8141 with thy goodness; H2896 and thy paths H4570 drop H7491 fatness. H1880 They drop H7491 upon the pastures H4999 of the wilderness: H4057 and the little hills H1389 rejoice H1524 on every side. H2296 The pastures H3733 are clothed H3847 with flocks; H6629 the valleys H6010 also are covered over H5848 with corn; H1250 they shout for joy, H7321 they also sing. H7891
And God H430 said, H559 Behold, H2009 I have given H5414 you every herb H6212 bearing H2232 seed, H2233 which is upon the face H6440 of all the earth, H776 and every tree, H6086 in the which is the fruit H6529 of a tree H6086 yielding H2232 seed; H2233 to you it shall be H1961 for meat. H402
For he shall be as a tree H6086 planted H8362 by the waters, H4325 and that spreadeth out H7971 her roots H8328 by the river, H3105 and shall not see H7200 when heat H2527 cometh, H935 but her leaf H5929 shall be green; H7488 and shall not be careful H1672 in the year H8141 of drought, H1226 neither shall cease H4185 from yielding H6213 fruit. H6529
For G1063 a good G2570 tree G1186 bringeth G4160 G2076 not G3756 forth G4160 corrupt G4550 fruit; G2590 neither G3761 doth G4160 a corrupt G4550 tree G1186 bring forth G4160 good G2570 fruit. G2590 For G1063 every G1538 tree G1186 is known G1097 by G1537 his own G2398 fruit. G2590 For G1063 of G1537 thorns G173 men do not G3756 gather G4816 figs, G4810 nor G3761 of G1537 a bramble bush G942 gather they G5166 grapes. G4718
And every plant H7880 of the field H7704 before H2962 it was in the earth, H776 and every herb H6212 of the field H7704 before H2962 it grew: H6779 for H3588 the LORD H3068 God H430 had not H3808 caused it to rain H4305 upon the earth, H776 and there was not H369 a man H120 to till H5647 the ground. H127
For G1063 the earth G1093 bringeth forth fruit G2592 of herself; G844 first G4412 the blade, G5528 then G1534 the ear, G4719 after that G1534 the full G4134 corn G4621 in G1722 the ear. G4719
Ye shall know G1921 them G846 by G575 their G846 fruits. G2590 G3385 Do men gather G4816 grapes G4718 of G575 thorns, G173 or G2228 figs G4810 of G575 thistles? G5146 Even so G3779 every G3956 good G18 tree G1186 bringeth forth G4160 good G2570 fruit; G2590 but G1161 a corrupt G4550 tree G1186 bringeth forth G4160 evil G4190 fruit. G2590 A good G18 tree G1186 cannot G3756 G1410 bring forth G4160 evil G4190 fruit, G2590 neither G3761 can a corrupt G4550 tree G1186 bring forth G4160 good G2570 fruit. G2590 Every G3956 tree G1186 that bringeth G4160 not G3361 forth G4160 good G2570 fruit G2590 is hewn down, G1581 and G2532 cast G906 into G1519 the fire. G4442 Wherefore G686 by G575 their G846 fruits G2590 ye shall know G1921 them. G846
And G1161 now G2235 also G2532 the axe G513 is laid G2749 unto G4314 the root G4491 of the trees: G1186 therefore G3767 every G3956 tree G1186 which bringeth G4160 not G3361 forth G4160 good G2570 fruit G2590 is hewn down, G1581 and G2532 cast G906 into G1519 the fire. G4442
And the LORD H3068 God H430 commanded H6680 the man, H120 saying, H559 Of every tree H6086 of the garden H1588 thou mayest freely H398 eat: H398
And out H4480 of the ground H127 made H6779 the LORD H3068 God H430 to grow H6779 every tree H6086 that is pleasant H2530 to the sight, H4758 and good H2896 for food; H3978 the tree H6086 of life H2416 also in the midst H8432 of the garden, H1588 and the tree H6086 of knowledge H1847 of good H2896 and evil. H7451
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 1
Commentary on Genesis 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Ge 1:1, 2. The Creation of Heaven and Earth.
1. In the beginning—a period of remote and unknown antiquity, hid in the depths of eternal ages; and so the phrase is used in Pr 8:22, 23.
God—the name of the Supreme Being, signifying in Hebrew, "Strong," "Mighty." It is expressive of omnipotent power; and by its use here in the plural form, is obscurely taught at the opening of the Bible, a doctrine clearly revealed in other parts of it, namely, that though God is one, there is a plurality of persons in the Godhead—Father, Son, and Spirit, who were engaged in the creative work (Pr 8:27; Joh 1:3, 10; Eph 3:9; Heb 1:2; Job 26:13).
created—not formed from any pre-existing materials, but made out of nothing.
the heaven and the earth—the universe. This first verse is a general introduction to the inspired volume, declaring the great and important truth that all things had a beginning; that nothing throughout the wide extent of nature existed from eternity, originated by chance, or from the skill of any inferior agent; but that the whole universe was produced by the creative power of God (Ac 17:24; Ro 11:36). After this preface, the narrative is confined to the earth.
2. the earth was without form and void—or in "confusion and emptiness," as the words are rendered in Isa 34:11. This globe, at some undescribed period, having been convulsed and broken up, was a dark and watery waste for ages perhaps, till out of this chaotic state, the present fabric of the world was made to arise.
the Spirit of God moved—literally, continued brooding over it, as a fowl does, when hatching eggs. The immediate agency of the Spirit, by working on the dead and discordant elements, combined, arranged, and ripened them into a state adapted for being the scene of a new creation. The account of this new creation properly begins at the end of this second verse; and the details of the process are described in the natural way an onlooker would have done, who beheld the changes that successively took place.
Ge 1:3-5. The First Day.
3. God said—This phrase, which occurs so repeatedly in the account means: willed, decreed, appointed; and the determining will of God was followed in every instance by an immediate result. Whether the sun was created at the same time with, or long before, the earth, the dense accumulation of fogs and vapors which enveloped the chaos had covered the globe with a settled gloom. But by the command of God, light was rendered visible; the thick murky clouds were dispersed, broken, or rarefied, and light diffused over the expanse of waters. The effect is described in the name "day," which in Hebrew signifies "warmth," "heat"; while the name "night" signifies a "rolling up," as night wraps all things in a shady mantle.
4. divided the light from darkness—refers to the alternation or succession of the one to the other, produced by the daily revolution of the earth round its axis.
5. first day—a natural day, as the mention of its two parts clearly determines; and Moses reckons, according to Oriental usage, from sunset to sunset, saying not day and night as we do, but evening and morning.
Ge 1:6-8. Second Day.
6. firmament—an expanse—a beating out as a plate of metal: a name given to the atmosphere from its appearing to an observer to be the vault of heaven, supporting the weight of the watery clouds. By the creation of an atmosphere, the lighter parts of the waters which overspread the earth's surface were drawn up and suspended in the visible heavens, while the larger and heavier mass remained below. The air was thus "in the midst of the waters," that is, separated them; and this being the apparent use of it, is the only one mentioned, although the atmosphere serves other uses, as a medium of life and light.
Ge 1:9-13. Third Day.
9. let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place—The world was to be rendered a terraqueous globe, and this was effected by a volcanic convulsion on its surface, the upheaving of some parts, the sinking of others, and the formation of vast hollows, into which the waters impetuously rushed, as is graphically described (Ps 104:6-9) [Hitchcock]. Thus a large part of the earth was left "dry land," and thus were formed oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers which, though each having its own bed, or channel, are all connected with the sea (Job 38:10; Ec 1:7).
11. let the earth bring forth—The bare soil was clothed with verdure, and it is noticeable that the trees, plants, and grasses—the three great divisions of the vegetable kingdom here mentioned—were not called into existence in the same way as the light and the air; they were made to grow, and they grew as they do still out of the ground—not, however, by the slow process of vegetation, but through the divine power, without rain, dew, or any process of labor—sprouting up and flourishing in a single day.
Ge 1:14-19. Fourth Day.
14. let there be lights in the firmament—The atmosphere being completely purified, the sun, moon, and stars were for the first time unveiled in all their glory in the cloudless sky; and they are described as "in the firmament" which to the eye they appear to be, though we know they are really at vast distances from it.
16. two great lights—In consequence of the day being reckoned as commencing at sunset—the moon, which would be seen first in the horizon, would appear "a great light," compared with the little twinkling stars; while its pale benign radiance would be eclipsed by the dazzling splendor of the sun; when his resplendent orb rose in the morning and gradually attained its meridian blaze of glory, it would appear "the greater light" that ruled the day. Both these lights may be said to be "made" on the fourth day—not created, indeed, for it is a different word that is here used, but constituted, appointed to the important and necessary office of serving as luminaries to the world, and regulating by their motions and their influence the progress and divisions of time.
Ge 1:20-23. Fifth Day. The signs of animal life appeared in the waters and in the air.
20. moving creature—all oviparous animals, both among the finny and the feathery tribes—remarkable for their rapid and prodigious increase.
fowl—means every flying thing: The word rendered "whales," includes also sharks, crocodiles, &c.; so that from the countless shoals of small fish to the great sea monsters, from the tiny insect to the king of birds, the waters and the air were suddenly made to swarm with creatures formed to live and sport in their respective elements.
Ge 1:24-31. Sixth Day. A farther advance was made by the creation of terrestrial animals, all the various species of which are included in three classes: (1) cattle, the herbivorous kind capable of labor or domestication.
24. beasts of the earth—(2) wild animals, whose ravenous natures were then kept in check, and (3) all the various forms of creeping things—from the huge reptiles to the insignificant caterpillars.
26. The last stage in the progress of creation being now reached—God said, Let us make man—words which show the peculiar importance of the work to be done, the formation of a creature, who was to be God's representative, clothed with authority and rule as visible head and monarch of the world. In our image, after our likeness—This was a peculiar distinction, the value attached to which appears in the words being twice mentioned. And in what did this image of God consist? Not in the erect form or features of man, not in his intellect, for the devil and his angels are, in this respect, far superior; not in his immortality, for he has not, like God, a past as well as a future eternity of being; but in the moral dispositions of his soul, commonly called original righteousness (Ec 7:29). As the new creation is only a restoration of this image, the history of the one throws light on the other; and we are informed that it is renewed after the image of God in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness (Col 3:10; Eph 4:24).
28. Be fruitful, &c.—The human race in every country and age has been the offspring of the first pair. Amid all the varieties found among men, some black, some copper-colored, others white, the researches of modern science lead to a conclusion, fully accordant with the sacred history, that they are all of one species and of one family (Ac 17:26). What power in the word of God! "He spake and it was done. He commanded and all things stood fast" [Ps 33:9]. "Great and manifold are thy works, Lord God Almighty! in wisdom hast thou made them all" [Ps 104:24]. We admire that wisdom, not only in the regular progress of creation, but in its perfect adaptation to the end. God is represented as pausing at every stage to look at His work. No wonder He contemplated it with complacency. Every object was in its right place, every vegetable process going on in season, every animal in its structure and instincts suited to its mode of life and its use in the economy of the world. He saw everything that He had made answering the plan which His eternal wisdom had conceived; and, "Behold it was very good" [Ge 1:31].