Genesis 1:8

WEB

God called the expanse “sky”. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.

BSB

God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

KJV

And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Matthew Henry

Verses 6–8

Genesis 1:6–8

We have here an account of the second day's work, the creation of the firmament, in which observe, 1. The command of God concerning it: Let there be a firmament, an expansion, so the Hebrew word signifies, like a sheet spread, or a curtain drawn out. This includes all that is visible above the earth, between it and the third heavens: the air, its higher, middle, and lower, regions - the celestial globe, and all the spheres and orbs of light above: it reaches as high as the place where the stars are fixed, for that is called here the firmament of heaven (Gen 1:14, Gen 1:15), and as low as the place where the birds fly, for that also is called the firmament of heaven, Gen 1:20. When God had made the light, he appointed the air to be the receptacle and vehicle of its beams, and to be as a medium of communication between the invisible and the visible world; for, though between heaven and earth there is an inconceivable distance, yet there is not an impassable gulf, as there is between heaven and hell. This firmament is not a wall of partition, but a way of intercourse. See Job 26:7; Job 37:18; Psa 104:3; Amo 9:6. 2. The creation of it. Lest it should seem as if God had only commanded it to be done, and some one else had done it, he adds, And God made the firmament. What God requires of us he himself works in us, or it is not done. He that commands faith, holiness, and love, creates them by the power of his grace going along with his word, that he may have all the praise. Lord, give what thou commandest, and then command what thou pleasest. The firmament is said to be the work of God's fingers, Psa 8:3. Though the vastness of its extent declares it to be the work of his arm stretched out, yet the admirable fineness of its constitution shows that it is a curious piece of art, the work of his fingers. 3. The use and design of it - to divide the waters from the waters, that is, to distinguish between the waters that are wrapped up in the clouds and those that cover the sea, the waters in the air and those in the earth. See the difference between these two carefully observed, Deu 11:10, Deu 11:11, where Canaan is upon this account preferred to Egypt, that Egypt was moistened and made fruitful with the waters that are under the firmament, but Canaan with waters from above, out of the firmament, even the dew of heaven, which tarrieth not for the sons of men, Mic 5:7. God has, in the firmament of his power, chambers, store-chambers, whence he watereth the earth, Psa 104:13; Psa 65:9, Psa 65:10. He has also treasures, or magazines, of snow and hail, which he hath reserved against the day of battle and war, Job 38:22, Job 38:23. O what a great God is he who has thus provided for the comfort of all that serve him and the confusion of all that hate him! It is good having him our friend, and bad having him our enemy. 4. The naming of it: He called the firmament heaven. It is the visible heaven, the pavement of the holy city; above the firmament God is said to have his throne (Eze 1:26), for he has prepared it in the heavens; the heavens therefore are said to rule, Dan 4:26. Is not God in the height of heaven? Job 22:12. Yes, he is, and we should be led by the contemplation of the heavens that are in our eye to consider our Father who is in heaven. The height of the heavens should remind us of God's supremacy and the infinite distance there is between us and him; the brightness of the heavens and their purity should remind us of his glory, and majesty, and perfect holiness; the vastness of the heavens, their encompassing of the earth, and the influence they have upon it, should remind us of his immensity and universal providence.

Cross-references: Gen 1:14 · Gen 1:15 · Gen 1:20 · Job 26:7 · Job 37:18 · Ps 104:3 · Amos 9:6 · Ps 8:3 · Deut 11:10 · Deut 11:11 · Mic 5:7 · Ps 104:13 · Ps 65:9 · Ps 65:10 · Job 38:22 · Job 38:23 · Ezek 1:26 · Dan 4:26 · Job 22:12

Hebrew interlinear

H7121

קָרָאqârâʼ/kaw-raw'/

v — call out to

Derivation: a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea of accosting a person met);

to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

KJV: bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.

קָרָא

vb — call

קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read

Qal

1.

a. call, cry, utter a loud sound

b. call, cry

2.

a. call unto some one

b. cry for help

3. proclaim

4.

a. read aloud

b. read to oneself

5. summon

6. call = name

Niph.

1. reflex.

2. pass. be called

Pu. be called

H430

אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/

n-m — gods, God, magistrates

Derivation: plural of 433;

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.

אֱלֹהִים

n.m.pl — gods

אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.

1. pl. in number.

a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

c. angels

d. gods

2. pl. intensive

a. god or goddess

b. godlike one

c. works of God, or things belongng to him

d. God

3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

4. אֱלֹהִים = God

H7549

רָקִיעַrâqîyaʻ/raw-kee'-ah/

n-m — expanse, firmament, visible arch of the sky

Derivation: from 7554;

properly, an expanse, i.e. the firmament or (apparently) visible arch of the sky

KJV: firmament.

רָקִיעַ

n.m — extended surface

רָקִיעַ n.m. extended surface, (solid) expanse

1. (flat) expanse

2. the vault of heaven, or ‘firmament,’ regarded by Hebrews as solid, and supporting ‘waters’ above it

H8064

שָׁמַיִםshâmayim/shaw-mah'-yim/

n-m — sky, aloft

Derivation: dual of an unused singular שָׁמֶה; from an unused root meaning to be lofty;

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)

KJV: air, × astrologer, heaven(-s).

שָׁמַי

n.m — heavens

[שָׁמַי] n.m. only pl. שָׁמַיִם 421 heavens, sky

1.

a. visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are

b. phrases

2.

a. as abode of God

b. Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind

3. הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations

H1961

הָיָהhâyâh/haw-yaw/

v — exist, be, become, come to pass

Derivation: a primitive root (compare 1933);

to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

KJV: beacon, × altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, follow, happen, × have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, × use.

הָיָה

vb — fall out

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

I.

1.

a. Fall out, happen

b. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

2. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

a.

(1). וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

(2). rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

b. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

II. Come into being, become

1.

a. abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

b. sq. prep.

2. become

a. sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

b. sq. pred. adj.

c. become like

d. sq. pred. לְ pers.

e. sq. לְ pred.

f. oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

g. with עַל and לְ

h. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

III. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

1. exist, be in existence

2. abide, remain, continue

3. with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

4. as copula, joining subj. & pred.

5. periphrastic conjug.

Niph.

1. either be done, be brought about, or occur, come to pass

2. be done, finished, gone

H6153

עֶרֶבʻereb/eh'-reb/

n-m — dusk

Derivation: from 6150;

dusk

KJV: day, even(-ing, tide), night.

עֶ֫רֶב

n.[m.] — set

עֶ֫רֶב 131 n.[m.] (sun)set, evening

1.

a. evening, orig. sunset

b. du. in phrase between two evenings, i.e. prob. between sunset and dark

2. (late poet.) = night

H1242

בֹּקֶרbôqer/bo'-ker/

n-m — dawn, morning

Derivation: from 1239;

properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning

KJV: ( ) day, early, morning, morrow.

בֹּ֫קֶר

n.m — morning

בֹּ֫קֶר 214 n.m. morning

1. morning (of point of time, time at which, never during which, Eng. morning = forenoon

2. morrow, next day

H3117

יוֹםyôwm/yome/

n-m — day

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to be hot;

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)

KJV: age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, × required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.

יוֹם

n.m — day

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

1. day, opp. night

2. Day as division of time

3. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

4. Pl. days of anyone

5. Days

6. יוֹם = time

7. Phrases

H8145

שֵׁנִיshênîy/shay-nee'/

n — double, second, again

Derivation: from 8138;

properly, double, i.e. second; also adverbially, again

KJV: again, either (of them), (an-) other, second (time).

שֵׁנִי

m — second

שֵׁנִי m. שֵׁנִית f. 157 adj.num.ord. second

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