Genesis 1:23

KJV

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the evening {H6153} and the morning {H1242} were the fifth {H2549} day {H3117}.

Complete Jewish Bible

So there was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.

Berean Standard Bible

And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

American Standard Version

And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 1:23 serves as the concluding statement for the fifth day of creation, a concise yet profound declaration that marks the completion of a pivotal phase in God's unfolding cosmic design. This verse punctuates the divine acts of bringing forth a vast array of life into the aquatic and aerial realms, underscoring God's meticulous order, deliberate progression, and the inherent goodness of His creative work.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Genesis 1:23 immediately follows God's magnificent commands and actions on the fifth day of creation. Verses [Genesis 1:20-21](/genesis/1-20-21 "God creates sea creatures and birds") describe God's spoken word for the waters to "teem with swarms of living creatures" and for birds to "fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens." This command is swiftly followed by the creation of "great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind." God then blesses these newly created beings, commanding them to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth" ([Genesis 1:22](/genesis/1-22 "God's blessing for multiplication")). The recurring phrase, "And the evening and the morning were the fifth day," functions as a divine punctuation mark, signifying the structured, purposeful, and complete progression of creation, a consistent pattern observed throughout the entire [creation week in Genesis 1](/genesis/1 "The Creation Account in Genesis 1").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, creation accounts often featured chaotic struggles among deities or the emergence of the world from pre-existing matter. The Genesis account stands in stark contrast, presenting a singular, sovereign God who creates ex nihilo (from nothing) through His spoken word, bringing order out of formlessness. The concept of a "day" in the ancient world, particularly among the Hebrews, typically followed a sunset-to-sunset reckoning, beginning with the evening. This understanding is reflected in the phrase "evening and morning," which clearly delineates a complete, literal 24-hour period, distinguishing it from the more amorphous "ages" or "epochs" found in other cosmologies. This precise temporal framework highlights the deliberate, sequential, and non-evolutionary nature of God's creative acts, emphasizing His absolute control over time and space.
* **Key Themes:** Genesis 1:23 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the chapter and the broader book. Firstly, it reinforces the theme of **Divine Order and Deliberate Progression**. Each day's conclusion, marked by the "evening and morning" formula, demonstrates God's methodical, step-by-step approach to creation, bringing form and filling in a structured sequence, from light and sky to land, vegetation, celestial bodies, and finally, living creatures. Secondly, it highlights **God's Sovereignty Over Time**. By defining and concluding each day, God establishes the very fabric of temporal existence, demonstrating His absolute control not only over creation but over the passage of time itself. This sets a precedent for human understanding of time, work, and rest, culminating in the Sabbath rest of the seventh day ([Genesis 2:2-3](/genesis/2-2-3 "God rests on the seventh day")). Thirdly, it underscores the **Completed Nature and Goodness of God's Work**. The consistent declaration of a day's end implies that God's work for that period was perfectly accomplished and inherently good, as affirmed repeatedly in [Genesis 1](/genesis/1 "The Creation Account").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **evening (Hebrew, _ʻereb'_):** From the root meaning "to set" or "to grow dark," this term refers to the dusk or the period of darkness that begins a day in the ancient Hebrew reckoning. It signifies the transition from light to darkness and the commencement of a new temporal unit, emphasizing the cyclical nature of time as ordained by God.
* **morning (Hebrew, _bôqer'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to cleave" or "to break forth," this word describes the dawn, the breaking of day. When paired with "evening," it marks the transition from darkness to light and the completion of a full day cycle, underscoring the divine establishment of a complete, measurable temporal unit.
* **day (Hebrew, _yôwm'_):** This versatile term can denote a literal 24-hour period, the daylight portion of a day, or a more extended, indefinite period. In the context of Genesis 1, its consistent pairing with "evening" and "morning" and its numerical sequence strongly indicates a literal, sequential 24-hour period, emphasizing the precise and orderly progression of God's creative acts.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the evening and the morning":** This precise phrase, consistently repeated throughout the creation account (e.g., [Genesis 1:5](/genesis/1-5 "The first day"), [Genesis 1:8](/genesis/1-8 "The second day"), [Genesis 1:13](/genesis/1-13 "The third day"), [Genesis 1:19](/genesis/1-19 "The fourth day"), [Genesis 1:31](/genesis/1-31 "The sixth day")), establishes the divine definition of a "day." In ancient Hebrew reckoning, a day began with the evening (darkness) and concluded with the morning (light), signifying a complete cycle of 24 hours. This structure emphasizes God's methodical and orderly progression in creation, marking distinct, measurable periods of divine activity.
* **"were the fifth day":** The numerical designation "fifth" unequivocally marks the completion of another specific, finite period within God's creative week. This declaration signifies that the work assigned to this particular day—specifically, the creation of sea creatures and birds—was fully accomplished and brought to its intended conclusion. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty over time, His ability to initiate and conclude His creative acts with precision, and the progressive nature of His grand design, moving systematically towards its ultimate culmination.

#### Literary Devices
Genesis 1:23, like the other day-concluding verses in the creation account, primarily employs **Repetition** and **Formulaic Language**. The phrase "And the evening and the morning were the [ordinal] day" is a consistent refrain throughout [Genesis 1](/genesis/1 "The Creation Account"). This **Repetition** serves several crucial functions: it provides a clear, rhythmic structure to the narrative, emphasizing the sequential and orderly nature of God's creative acts; it reinforces the concept of a literal, defined "day" as a unit of time; and it acts as a divine punctuation mark, signifying the completion and transition between distinct creative phases. This **Formulaic Language** lends an authoritative, solemn, and liturgical quality to the text, underscoring the divine origin and immutable nature of the creation account. It also aids in memorization and oral transmission, embedding the foundational truth of God's ordered creation into the consciousness of the audience.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 1:23, by marking the end of the fifth day, profoundly reinforces the theological truth of God's purposeful and ordered creation. It highlights that God is not a God of chaos, but of precision and design, bringing forth life and structure in a methodical sequence. Each "day" signifies a distinct, completed phase of His grand plan, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all of creation, including time itself. This consistent pattern of "evening and morning" establishes the very framework of temporal existence, setting a divine precedent for the rhythm of life, work, and rest, ultimately pointing to the Sabbath as a divine institution.

* [Exodus 20:11](/exodus/20-11 "The reason for the Sabbath command")
* [Psalm 33:6](/psalm/33-6 "God created by His word")
* [Hebrews 4:4](/hebrews/4-4 "God rested on the seventh day")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
As we reflect on God’s meticulous and purposeful work in marking the conclusion of the fifth day, we are called to recognize His unwavering faithfulness in bringing His plans to completion. The divine declaration of "evening and morning" for each day reminds us that God operates with precision, order, and intentionality. This should inspire us to trust in His divine order for our own lives, knowing that He is sovereign over every season and will bring His promises to fruition in His perfect timing, just as He did in creation. It encourages us to embrace the rhythms of work and rest, acknowledging that just as God completed His work for each day, He also provides for our needs within the boundaries of His perfect design. We are invited to find peace in His sovereignty, knowing that He is actively working, bringing all things to their intended purpose, and that His creative power is still at work in the world and in our lives.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the consistent pattern of "evening and morning" in Genesis 1 shape your understanding of God's character and His approach to creation?**
* **In what areas of your life do you need to trust more deeply in God's divine order and His perfect timing, rather than striving in your own strength?**
* **How can reflecting on the completed nature of God's work on each day of creation encourage you when facing unfinished tasks or unfulfilled desires in your own life?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of the phrase "evening and morning" in Genesis 1:23?**

Answer: This phrase, repeated throughout the creation account, is crucial for defining the nature of a "day" in Genesis 1. It signifies a literal 24-hour period, beginning with darkness (evening) and concluding with light (morning), consistent with ancient Hebrew reckoning. This precise demarcation emphasizes the orderly, sequential, and distinct nature of God's creative work, marking specific periods of divine activity and completion, rather than indefinite geological ages. It underscores God's control over time and His methodical approach to bringing creation into being, as seen in [Genesis 1:5](/genesis/1-5 "The first day").

**Why is the numerical designation "fifth day" important in this verse?**

Answer: The use of a numerical adjective like "fifth" reinforces the idea of a chronological sequence of distinct, finite periods within the creation week. It clearly indicates that God's creative acts were not random or continuous, but were organized into specific, measurable segments of time. This numerical progression, leading systematically to the culmination of God's work on the sixth day and His rest on the seventh ([Genesis 2:1-3](/genesis/2-1-3 "God finishes creation and rests")), demonstrates God's intentional design, His methodical progression, and the completion of specific creative acts within defined temporal boundaries. It highlights the purposeful and deliberate nature of God's grand design for the cosmos.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Genesis 1:23 specifically marks the conclusion of the fifth day, its emphasis on divine order, completion, and God's sovereignty over time finds its ultimate fulfillment and revelation in Jesus Christ. He is the pre-existent [Word](/john/1-1 "Jesus, the Word of God") through whom all things were made, and "without him was not anything made that was made" ([John 1:3](/john/1-3 "All things were made through Him")). Just as God brought each day of creation to its perfect finish, Christ is the one who upholds the universe by the word of His power ([Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Christ upholds all things")) and brings all of God's redemptive plan to its perfect completion. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end ([Revelation 22:13](/revelation/22-13 "Jesus is the Alpha and Omega")), demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all time and creation, not just its initiation but its ongoing sustenance and ultimate consummation. In Christ, the divine order established in creation finds its ultimate purpose and redemption, as He is the one through whom God reconciles all things to Himself ([Colossians 1:16-20](/colossians/1-16-20 "Christ is supreme over all creation")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.