Genesis 1:22

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

And God {H430} blessed {H1288} them, saying {H559}, Be fruitful {H6509}, and multiply {H7235}, and fill {H4390} the waters {H4325} in the seas {H3220}, and let fowl {H5775} multiply {H7235} in the earth {H776}.

Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, multiply and fill the water of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.

Commentary

Genesis 1:22 marks a significant moment in the creation narrative, specifically on the fifth day, as God addresses the living creatures He has just brought forth. This verse highlights God's active involvement in His creation, not merely bringing things into existence but also bestowing upon them the capacity and command to thrive and reproduce.

Context

This verse follows God's creation of the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves in the waters, and every winged fowl after their kind, described in Genesis 1:21. It is the first time God issues a direct blessing and command to living beings. This blessing sets the stage for the abundance and diversity of life that would fill the earth's waters and skies, demonstrating God's immediate provision and purpose for His new creations before even creating mankind.

Key Themes

  • Divine Blessing and Empowerment: The phrase "God blessed them" signifies divine favor and empowerment. God not only created these creatures but also endowed them with the inherent ability and mandate to fulfill their purpose. This blessing is foundational to the sustainability of life on Earth.
  • Procreation and Abundance: The command "Be fruitful, and multiply" is central. It reveals God's design for life to propagate, ensuring the continuation and flourishing of species. This isn't just a permission but a divine imperative for abundance, filling the designated habitats—the seas and the earth (for fowl). This echoes the later blessing given to humanity in Genesis 1:28.
  • God's Orderly Design: The specific instructions to "fill the waters in the seas" and "let fowl multiply in the earth" underscore God's meticulous and orderly design for creation. Each creature has its place and purpose within the ecosystem, designed to thrive in its intended environment.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "blessed" is barak (בָּרַךְ), which carries the sense of conferring favor, prosperity, and power to succeed. When God blesses, He imparts the ability to achieve the desired outcome. The twin commands "Be fruitful" (parah, פָּרָה - to bear fruit, be productive) and "multiply" (rabah, רָבָה - to become great, increase, be numerous) are powerful verbs indicating exponential growth and teeming life, highlighting God's desire for a vibrant and populated creation.

Practical Application

Genesis 1:22 reminds us of the incredible design and inherent potential God built into creation from its very beginning. It speaks to God's generosity and His desire for life to flourish. For us today, it encourages an appreciation for the natural world, recognizing the divine power that sustains its cycles of life and reproduction. It also subtly hints at the principle of stewardship, as humans are later given dominion over this abundant creation (Genesis 1:26).

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Cross-References

  • Genesis 8:17 (6 votes)

    Bring forth with thee every living thing that [is] with thee, of all flesh, [both] of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.

  • Psalms 107:38 (5 votes)

    He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

  • Genesis 1:28 (5 votes)

    And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

  • Job 40:15 (5 votes)

    ¶ Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.

  • Job 42:12 (4 votes)

    So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

  • Genesis 9:1 (4 votes)

    ¶ And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

  • Psalms 128:3 (3 votes)

    Thy wife [shall be] as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.