Genesis 1:28

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

And God {H430} blessed {H1288} them, and God {H430} said {H559} unto them, Be fruitful {H6509}, and multiply {H7235}, and replenish {H4390} the earth {H776}, and subdue it {H3533}: and have dominion {H7287} over the fish {H1710} of the sea {H3220}, and over the fowl {H5775} of the air {H8064}, and over every living thing {H2416} that moveth {H7430} upon the earth {H776}.

Complete Jewish Bible

God blessed them: God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth.”

Berean Standard Bible

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

American Standard Version

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 birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 1:28 records God's inaugural blessing and comprehensive commission to humanity immediately following their creation in His image. This foundational decree establishes humanity's unique dignity, purpose, and delegated authority within the created order. It outlines a dual mandate: the "Procreative Mandate" to "be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth," extending human presence and God's image across the globe; and the "Cultural Mandate" to "subdue it and have dominion" over creation, calling humanity to responsible stewardship, development, and benevolent governance of the earth and its creatures as God's vice-regents. This verse defines humanity's original calling to flourish and steward creation in partnership with God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This pivotal verse appears at the culmination of the sixth day of creation, directly after the creation of humankind—male and female—in God's very image in [Genesis 1:27](/genesis/1-27 "Creation of Humanity in God's Image"). Having brought forth all of creation through His Word, God now turns His attention to His crowning creation, bestowing upon them a singular blessing and a comprehensive commission. The preceding verses establish God as the sovereign Creator, bringing forth an ordered cosmos. Humanity, uniquely created *in the image of God*, is set apart from the rest of creation, not merely as another creature but as God's representative on earth. [Genesis 1:28](/genesis/1-28 "The Cultural and Procreative Mandate"), therefore, is not an arbitrary command but the logical outflow of humanity's unique status and identity as *imago Dei*, setting the stage for the entire narrative of human history, establishing humanity's relationship with God, with one another, and with the rest of the created world. It is the divine blueprint for human flourishing and responsibility in a pre-fall world.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The ancient Near East, where the book of Genesis originated, often featured creation myths that depicted gods struggling for power or creating humanity for servile purposes. In stark contrast, the Genesis account presents a singular, sovereign God who creates an orderly cosmos and intentionally places humanity at its pinnacle, not as slaves, but as co-regents. The concept of "dominion" (Hebrew: *radah*) would have resonated with the idea of kingship, but uniquely, this kingship is delegated to *all* humanity, male and female, collectively. The commands to "be fruitful and multiply" and "fill the earth" reflect a divine desire for flourishing and expansion, a stark contrast to the often-harsh realities of ancient life where high infant mortality and limited resources made population growth a blessing. This divine blessing and mandate set the stage for a unique relationship between humanity and creation, distinct from surrounding cultures that might deify nature or exploit it without ethical considerations.
* **Key Themes:** Genesis 1:28 contributes significantly to several major theological and narrative themes within the broader book of Genesis and the Bible as a whole. It powerfully articulates the theme of **Divine Blessing and Favor**, demonstrating God's benevolent posture towards His creation, especially humanity. It is central to the theme of **Humanity's Unique Dignity and Purpose** as the *imago Dei*, highlighting their distinct role as God's representatives. The verse introduces the **Procreative Mandate**, emphasizing the sanctity of life and the importance of family for the expansion of God's image-bearers. Crucially, it establishes the **Cultural Mandate**, calling humanity to active, responsible stewardship and development of creation, echoing the later command to [tend and keep the Garden](/genesis/2-15 "Humanity's Role in Eden"). This foundational command sets up the narrative tension that unfolds after [the Fall in Genesis 3](/genesis/3 "The Fall of Humanity"), where humanity's ability to fulfill these mandates is corrupted, yet the underlying divine purpose remains.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **blessed (Hebrew, _bârak'_):** From a primitive root meaning "to kneel," this word implies an active bestowal of divine favor, power, and enablement. It signifies God's delight in His creation and His desire for humanity's success and prosperity, providing the inherent capacity to fulfill the subsequent commands. It is an act of divine empowerment, enabling humanity to participate in God's ongoing creative work.
* **subdue (Hebrew, _kâbash'_):** A primitive root meaning "to tread down," "to conquer," or "to bring into subjection." This term signifies humanity's responsibility to actively engage with the earth, harnessing its potential, cultivating its resources, and developing its inherent capacities. It implies bringing order out of potential chaos, developing creation for human flourishing and God's glory, not through exploitation but through responsible management.
* **dominion (Hebrew, _râdâh'_):** A primitive root meaning "to tread down," "to rule," or "to govern." This grants humanity a unique authority and oversight over the animal kingdom and, by extension, the entire created order. This dominion is not tyrannical but benevolent, reflecting God's own wise, loving, and orderly governance. As God's vice-regents, humanity is called to exercise this authority with care, wisdom, and responsibility, mirroring the character of the Creator.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And God blessed them,"**: This opening phrase signifies a divine impartation of favor, power, and enablement. It underscores that humanity's ability to "be fruitful" and "subdue" is not inherent but a gift from the Creator, rooted in His good intentions and provision. This blessing is foundational, indicating God's delight in His creation and His desire for humanity's success and prosperity.
* **"and God said unto them,"**: This highlights the direct, personal nature of God's address to humanity. Unlike other aspects of creation that come into being by divine fiat, humanity receives a direct commission, emphasizing their unique relationship with the Creator and their capacity for understanding and obedience.
* **"Be fruitful, and multiply,"**: This is the first direct command given to humanity, often termed the "Procreative Mandate." The Hebrew words denote abundant increase and growth. This command is not merely biological but profoundly theological, reflecting God's desire to fill the earth with His image-bearers, thereby extending His presence, glory, and delegated authority through the proliferation of human life.
* **"and replenish the earth,"**: The King James Version's use of "replenish" here means "to fill completely" in 17th-century English. The Hebrew word simply means "to fill" or "to be full." Thus, the command is to *fill* the earth with the multiplying human population, establishing human presence, culture, and God's delegated rule across the globe. It signifies the expansion of the *imago Dei* throughout the created order.
* **"and subdue it:"**: This is often referred to as the "Cultural Mandate." It signifies humanity's responsibility to actively engage with the earth, harnessing its potential, cultivating its resources, and developing its inherent capacities. This involves agriculture, engineering, science, art, and all forms of cultural development that bring order, beauty, and utility out of the raw material of creation. It is about bringing order out of potential chaos, developing creation for human flourishing and God's glory.
* **"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."**: This grants humanity a unique authority and oversight over the animal kingdom and, by extension, the entire created order. This dominion, however, is not tyrannical but benevolent, reflecting God's own wise, loving, and orderly governance. As God's vice-regents, humanity is called to exercise this authority with care, wisdom, and responsibility, ensuring the well-being of creation, mirroring the character of the Creator who entrusts them with this sacred trust. It is a delegated kingship, intended to reflect God's own perfect rule.

#### Literary Devices
Genesis 1:28 employs several key literary devices that amplify its significance. The most prominent is **Repetition**, particularly of the phrase "And God blessed them, and God said unto them," which underscores the divine origin and authority of the commands that follow. This repetition emphasizes the intentionality and directness of God's interaction with humanity. The verse also features **Parallelism** in its commands: "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" forms a cohesive unit, as does "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." This structural parallelism highlights the dual aspects of the human mandate: procreation and stewardship. Furthermore, the passage functions as a **Divine Commission** or **Mandate**, a formal declaration of purpose and authority, setting out humanity's role as God's vice-regents. The comprehensive scope of the dominion—over "fish," "fowl," and "every living thing that moveth upon the earth"—uses **Merism** to indicate total authority over all categories of animal life, implying authority over the entire created order.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 1:28 is inextricably linked to Genesis 1:27. Humanity's capacity to "be fruitful, multiply, fill, subdue, and have dominion" flows directly from being created in God's image. This verse defines what it means to *live out* the *imago Dei*—to reflect God's own creative, ordering, and sustaining character in the world. Humans are unique among creation, endowed with rationality, morality, and the capacity for relationship with God, enabling them to fulfill this divine mandate. This passage establishes humanity's original vocation as co-laborers with God in the ongoing development and stewardship of creation. It points to a purposeful existence rooted in divine command, encompassing both procreation (the Procreative Mandate) and cultural development (the Cultural Mandate). Every sphere of human activity, from family life to scientific endeavor, finds its root in this divine commission.

* [Genesis 9:1](/genesis/9-1 "Repetition of the Mandate to Noah")
* [Psalm 8:6-8](/psalms/8-6-8 "Humanity's Dominion over Creation")
* [Colossians 1:15](/colossians/1-15 "Christ as the Image of the Invisible God")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 1:28 continues to shape our understanding of human purpose and responsibility today. For believers, this verse calls us to:
* **Embrace the Sanctity of Life and Family**: Recognizing procreation as a divine blessing, we are called to value human life from conception and to uphold the institution of marriage and family as God's primary means for filling the earth and raising new generations in His ways. This involves nurturing healthy relationships, investing in family life, and recognizing the profound spiritual and societal impact of raising children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
* **Practice Responsible Stewardship of Creation**: We are mandated to be thoughtful and active caretakers of the earth. This involves wise environmental practices, sustainable resource management, and a commitment to preserving the beauty and integrity of God's creation, not as a means to an end, but as an act of worship and obedience. Our dominion is a delegated authority, requiring us to manage creation as God's property, for His glory and the good of all.
* **Engage in Cultural Development and Innovation**: The Cultural Mandate calls us to be creative and productive in all spheres of life—art, science, education, business, governance, and technology. We are to develop culture in ways that honor God, serve humanity, bring order out of chaos, and contribute to the flourishing of society and creation, exercising our God-given abilities for the common good. This means pursuing excellence in our vocations and seeking to redeem and transform culture for Christ.
* **Live with Purpose and Vocation**: Every legitimate human endeavor, when pursued with integrity and for God's glory, can be seen as an extension of this original mandate. Our work, our families, and our engagement with the world are not merely secular pursuits but opportunities to live out our God-given purpose as image-bearers, reflecting God's order, creativity, and care in every aspect of our lives.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific ways can I, as an individual, live out the "Procreative Mandate" and the "Cultural Mandate" in my daily life?**
* **How does understanding humanity's original purpose in Genesis 1:28 change my perspective on environmental issues or my professional work?**
* **What does it mean to exercise "benevolent dominion" in a world marked by exploitation and brokenness?**
* **How can I better reflect God's image in my relationships and my interactions with the created world?**

### FAQ

**Does "subdue" and "have dominion" give humanity permission to exploit the earth?**

Answer: No. While the words imply control and authority, the context of humanity being created in [God's image](/genesis/1-27 "Creation of Humanity in God's Image") and God's own benevolent rule over creation, as seen in [Psalm 103:19](/psalms/103-19 "God's Sovereign Rule"), indicates that human dominion is meant to be a reflection of God's wise, loving, and orderly governance. It is a call to responsible stewardship, cultivation, and care, not reckless exploitation. Humanity is a vice-regent, entrusted with creation, not a tyrant with absolute rights over it.

**Is the command to "be fruitful and multiply" still binding on all people today?**

Answer: The general principle of valuing life and the family remains, but the specific command to "fill the earth" (which is now largely populated) is understood in a broader sense. For individuals, the New Testament introduces the [value of singleness for the sake of the kingdom](/1_corinthians/7-7 "Paul's Teaching on Singleness") (compare [Matthew 19:10-12](/matthew/19-10-12 "On Celibacy for the Kingdom")). However, the underlying truth that human life is a blessing and that humanity is to extend God's presence and glory through spiritual fruitfulness and discipleship remains.

**How does [The Fall](/genesis/3 "The Fall of Humanity") (Genesis 3) affect humanity's ability to fulfill these mandates?**

Answer: The Fall did not revoke the mandates, but it corrupted humanity's ability to fulfill them perfectly. Sin introduced toil, pain, and conflict into both the Procreative and Cultural Mandates, as seen in [Genesis 3:16-19](/genesis/3-16-19 "Consequences of the Fall"). Childbearing became painful, and working the ground became laborious. Dominion became prone to tyranny and exploitation, and stewardship became marred by selfishness. Yet, the original calling remains, now pursued in a fallen world and in need of redemption through Christ.

**What is the difference between the "Procreative Mandate" and the "Cultural Mandate"?**

Answer: The "Procreative Mandate" ("be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth") primarily concerns the biological and social expansion of humanity through family and population growth. It emphasizes the sacredness of life and the extension of God's image through human generations. The "Cultural Mandate" ("subdue, have dominion") concerns humanity's active engagement with and development of the natural world, creating culture, science, art, and order from creation's raw potential. Both are intertwined aspects of humanity's original purpose to reflect God's creative and ordering character.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Genesis 1:28, though given in a pre-fall context, finds its ultimate meaning and redefinition in Jesus Christ. As the true and perfect [Imago Dei](/colossians/1-15 "Christ, the Image of God") (compare [Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Christ, the Radiance of God's Glory")), Christ embodies what it means to perfectly reflect God's image and perfectly fulfill the mandates given to humanity. Adam failed to perfectly exercise benevolent dominion, succumbing to temptation and bringing creation under a curse. Christ, the "last Adam" (as described in [1 Corinthians 15:45](/1_corinthians/15-45 "The Last Adam")), perfectly fulfills the dominion mandate. He demonstrates true dominion over nature (calming storms, walking on water, as seen in [Mark 4:39](/mark/4-39 "Jesus Calms the Storm")), over disease, and over spiritual forces, not through force but through divine authority and redemptive love. His kingship is the benevolent, righteous rule that humanity was always meant to exercise. Through His redemptive work on the cross and His resurrection, Christ begins the process of restoring humanity's ability to fulfill the original mandates. The [curse on creation is ultimately reversed](/romans/8-19-23 "Creation's Groaning and Future Redemption") in Him, and the toil associated with the mandates is transformed into purposeful labor for God's kingdom. Believers, united with Christ, are empowered by the Holy Spirit to once again "be fruitful" (spiritually, bearing the [fruit of the Spirit](/galatians/5-22-23 "The Fruit of the Spirit")) and to "subdue" and "have dominion" in a way that reflects God's character, working for the flourishing of creation and humanity in a fallen world, anticipating the New Creation. The command to "fill the earth" is ultimately fulfilled in the New Creation, where the redeemed humanity, a vast multitude from every tribe and nation (as envisioned in [Revelation 7:9](/revelation/7-9 "The Great Multitude in Heaven")), will perfectly inhabit and worship God in a renewed heavens and earth (as described in [Revelation 21:1-4](/revelation/21-1-4 "The New Heaven and New Earth")). In the resurrection, the "procreative mandate" gives way to a spiritual "fruitfulness" in the Kingdom (as Jesus teaches in [Matthew 22:30](/matthew/22-30 "Marriage in the Resurrection")). The "cultural mandate" finds its eschatological fulfillment in the eternal city, the New Jerusalem, where human culture, purified and perfected, is brought into the presence of God (as seen in [Revelation 21:24-26](/revelation/21-24-26 "The Nations Walk in the Light of the New Jerusalem")). Christ is the one through whom all things are being reconciled and brought to their intended glorious end, including humanity's original calling to rule and reign with Him (as promised in [Revelation 22:5](/revelation/22-5 "They Will Reign Forever and Ever")).

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.

Cross-References

Genesis 9:1

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

Genesis 9:7

And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

Leviticus 26:9

For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.

Psalms 128:3

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

Psalms 128:4

Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

Genesis 22:17

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Genesis 22:18

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.