King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Complete Jewish Bible:
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. So there was evening, and there was morning, one day.
Berean Standard Bible:
God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
American Standard Version:
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And God{H430} called{H7121} the light{H216} Day{H3117}, and the darkness{H2822} he called{H7121} Night{H3915}. And the evening{H6153} and the morning{H1242} were the first{H259} day{H3117}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Psalms 74:16
- The day [is] thine, the night also [is] thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
Isaiah 45:7
- I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].
1 Thessalonians 5:5
- Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Psalms 104:20
- Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep [forth].
Genesis 8:22
- While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
Psalms 19:2
- Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
Jeremiah 33:20
- Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 1:5
Genesis 1:5 is part of the opening chapter of the Bible, which describes the creation of the world. The historical context of this verse is rooted in the ancient Israelite tradition, likely compiled during the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE) or later, with origins that may reach back to earlier oral traditions.
**Themes:**
1. **Divine Order**: The verse emphasizes God's power to create and establish order out of chaos. By naming the light "Day" and the darkness "Night," God demarcates time and introduces the concept of the day-night cycle.
2. **Cosmology**: It reflects an ancient cosmology where light and darkness are the first elements of creation, preceding the creation of the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19).
3. **Covenant and Creation**: The act of naming signifies authority and ownership, suggesting that God has dominion over creation, a theme that resonates with the idea of humanity's stewardship over the earth as expressed in the creation mandate (Genesis 1:28).
4. **Temporal Boundaries**: The mention of "evening and morning" establishes the framework for a day, which is significant in the Jewish tradition as the basis for the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11).
5. **Revelation and Knowledge**: The verse implies that God's creative work is accompanied by revelation, as He calls or names the phenomena, making them known and intelligible.
6. **Theological Significance**: Light is often associated with God's presence, holiness, and salvation in the Bible, while darkness can symbolize chaos, evil, or ignorance. The creation of light as the first act suggests an inherent goodness in the created world and God's triumph over chaos.
**Historical Context:**
The Priestly writers, responsible for this text, were likely addressing an audience in exile, emphasizing the sovereignty and goodness of their God amidst a foreign culture that worshipped other deities associated with the natural elements. The structured account of creation provided a theological foundation for the Israelites' understanding of the world and their place within it, contrasting with other ancient Near Eastern creation myths that often involved violent conflicts among gods.
In summary, Genesis 1:5 is a foundational verse in the biblical narrative, establishing themes of divine order, authority, and the temporal structure of the world, while also reflecting the historical context of its writers who sought to affirm the uniqueness and supremacy of the Israelite God in a time of uncertainty and cultural challenge.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; 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; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. - Strong's Number: H7121
There are 689 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָרָא
Transliteration: qârâʼ
Pronunciation: kaw-raw'
Description: a primitive root (rather identical with קָרָא 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); 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. - Strong's Number: H216
There are 191 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אוֹר
Transliteration: ʼôwr
Pronunciation: ore
Description: from אוֹר; illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.); bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun. - Strong's Number: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: 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); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. - Strong's Number: H2822
There are 77 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֹשֶׁךְ
Transliteration: chôshek
Pronunciation: kho-shek'
Description: from חָשַׁךְ; the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness; dark(-ness), night, obscurity. - Strong's Number: H3915
There are 223 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לַיִל
Transliteration: layil
Pronunciation: lah'-yil
Description: or (Isaiah 21:11) לֵיל; also לַיְלָה; from the same as לוּל; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity; (mid-)night (season). - Strong's Number: H6153
There are 130 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶרֶב
Transliteration: ʻereb
Pronunciation: eh'-reb
Description: from עָרַב; dusk; [phrase] day, even(-ing, tide), night. - Strong's Number: H1242
There are 189 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֹּקֶר
Transliteration: bôqer
Pronunciation: bo'-ker
Description: from בָּקַר; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning; ([phrase]) day, early, morning, morrow. - Strong's Number: H259
There are 801 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶחָד
Transliteration: ʼechâd
Pronunciation: ekh-awd'
Description: a numeral from אָחַד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,