Genesis 1:6
Genesis 1:6 in Multiple Translations
And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, to separate the waters from the waters.”
¶ And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God said, Let there be a solid arch stretching over the waters, parting the waters from the waters.
God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters to divide the waters.”
Againe God said, Let there be a firmament in the mids of the waters: and let it separate the waters from the waters.
And God saith, 'Let an expanse be in the midst of the waters, and let it be separating between waters and waters.'
God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God said: Let there be a firmament made amidst the waters: and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Then God said, “I command that there be an empty space like a huge dome to separate the water that is above it from the water on the earth that is below it!”
Then God said, “I want something to split the water in half.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 1:6
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Genesis 1:6 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אֱלֹהִ֔ים
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר
יְהִ֥י
רָקִ֖יעַ
בְּת֣וֹךְ
הַמָּ֑יִם
וִיהִ֣י
מַבְדִּ֔יל
בֵּ֥ין
מַ֖יִם
לָמָֽיִם׃
אֱלֹהִ֔ים
’ĕ·lō·hîm
H430
And God
Noun - masculine plural
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר
way·yō·mer
H559
said
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
יְהִ֥י
yə·hî
H1961
Let there be
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
רָקִ֖יעַ
rā·qî·a‘
H7549
an expanse
Noun - masculine singular
בְּת֣וֹךְ
bə·ṯō·wḵ
H8432
between
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
הַמָּ֑יִם
ham·mā·yim
H4325
the waters
Article | Noun - masculine plural
וִיהִ֣י
wî·hî
H1961
to
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
מַבְדִּ֔יל
maḇ·dîl
H914
separate
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
בֵּ֥ין
bên
H996
. . .
Preposition
מַ֖יִם
ma·yim
H4325
the waters
Noun - masculine plural
לָמָֽיִם׃
lā·mā·yim
H4325
from the waters
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 1:6
אֱלֹהִ֔ים
’ĕ·lō·hîm
H430
"And God"
Noun - masculine plural
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Definition: This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 2247 OT verses. KJV: angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 22:12; Exodus 3:11.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר
way·yō·mer
H559
"said"
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
יְהִ֥י
yə·hî
H1961
"Let there be"
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3132 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
רָקִ֖יעַ
rā·qî·a‘
H7549
"an expanse"
Noun - masculine singular
The Hebrew word for the sky or heavens, describing the firmament as a solid surface. It appears in Genesis 1:6-8, where God separates the waters. The KJV translates it as 'firmament'.
Definition: 1) extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament 1a) expanse (flat as base, support) 1b) firmament (of vault of heaven supporting waters above) 1b1) considered by Hebrews as solid and supporting 'waters' above
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: firmament. See also: Genesis 1:6; Psalms 19:1; Psalms 150:1.
בְּת֣וֹךְ
bə·ṯō·wḵ
H8432
"between"
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
This word refers to the middle or center of something, such as a group of people or a physical space. It can also mean among or between things, as seen in various Bible translations.
Definition: 1) midst, middle 1a) midst, middle 1b) into, through (after verbs of motion) 1c) among (of a number of persons) 1d) between (of things arranged by twos) 1e) from among (as to take or separate etc)
Usage: Occurs in 390 OT verses. KJV: among(-st), [idiom] between, half, [idiom] (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), [idiom] out (of), [idiom] through, [idiom] with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:6; Numbers 35:5; 2 Chronicles 32:4.
הַמָּ֑יִם
ham·mā·yim
H4325
"the waters"
Article | Noun - masculine plural
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 522 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
וִיהִ֣י
wî·hî
H1961
"to"
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3132 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
מַבְדִּ֔יל
maḇ·dîl
H914
"separate"
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
This verb means to separate or divide, and is used in various contexts, including to set apart or make a distinction. It is translated as divide, separate, or difference in the KJV.
Definition: 1) to divide, separate 1a) (Hiphil) 1a1) to divide, separate, sever 1a2) to separate, set apart 1a3) to make a distinction, difference 1a4) to divide into parts 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to separate oneself from (reflexive of 1a2) 1b2) to withdraw from 1b3) to separate oneself unto 1b4) to be separated 1b5) to be excluded 1b6) to be set apart
Usage: Occurs in 40 OT verses. KJV: (make, put) difference, divide (asunder), (make) separate (self, -ation), sever (out), [idiom] utterly. See also: Genesis 1:4; Deuteronomy 29:21; Isaiah 56:3.
בֵּ֥ין
bên
H996
". . ."
Preposition
Between is the meaning of this preposition, used to show a location or a choice, like either or, as seen in Exodus where it describes the space between two objects.
Definition: : between between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between
Usage: Occurs in 247 OT verses. KJV: among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within. See also: Genesis 1:4; Joshua 24:7; Psalms 68:13.
מַ֖יִם
ma·yim
H4325
"the waters"
Noun - masculine plural
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 522 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
לָמָֽיִם׃
lā·mā·yim
H4325
"from the waters"
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 522 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
Study Notes — Genesis 1:6
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Genesis 1:6 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Genesis 1:6
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 1:6
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
- Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
- Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
- Cambridge Bible on Genesis 1:6
- Barnes' Notes on Genesis 1:6
- Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
- Sermons on Genesis 1:6
Context — The Second Day
4And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.
5God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
6And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, to separate the waters from the waters.”
7So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so. 8God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 51:15 | The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. |
| 2 | Psalms 33:6 | By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth. |
| 3 | Job 37:18 | can you, like Him, spread out the skies to reflect the heat like a mirror of bronze? |
| 4 | Job 26:7–8 | He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth upon nothing. He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 10:12–13 | The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses. |
| 6 | Psalms 104:2 | He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent, |
| 7 | Psalms 148:4 | Praise Him, O highest heavens, and you waters above the skies. |
| 8 | Psalms 136:5–6 | By His insight He made the heavens. His loving devotion endures forever. He spread out the earth upon the waters. His loving devotion endures forever. |
| 9 | Psalms 33:9 | For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. |
| 10 | Psalms 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. |
Genesis 1:6 Summary
In Genesis 1:6, God creates an expanse, or sky, to separate the waters above from the waters below, showing His power and control over creation. This act of separation is a demonstration of God's order and design, as seen in other parts of the Bible, such as Psalm 104:6-9, where God controls the waters. Just as God spoke and the expanse came into being, we can trust that His word is powerful and effective in our lives (Psalm 33:6-9). By trusting in God's goodness and provision, we can have confidence in His plan for our lives, just as He provided a habitable environment for life on earth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the 'expanse' in Genesis 1:6 refer to?
The expanse refers to the sky or atmosphere that separates the waters above from the waters below, as seen in Genesis 1:7-8, where God calls it 'sky' and separates the waters beneath it from the waters above.
Why did God need to separate the waters from the waters?
God separated the waters to create a habitable environment for life on earth, as described in Genesis 1:9-10, where the dry land appears and is called 'earth', and the gathering of the waters is called 'seas', similar to Psalm 104:6-9 which describes God's control over the waters.
Is the 'expanse' the same as the heaven mentioned in Genesis 1:1?
While both terms refer to the heavens, the 'expanse' in Genesis 1:6 specifically refers to the atmosphere surrounding the earth, whereas the 'heaven' in Genesis 1:1 is a broader term that encompasses all of God's creation, as seen in Psalm 8:3-4 which describes the heavens as God's handiwork.
How does this verse relate to the concept of God's sovereignty?
Genesis 1:6 demonstrates God's sovereignty over creation, as He speaks and brings into being the expanse, separating the waters, similar to Psalm 33:6-9 which describes God's power and control over all creation.
Reflection Questions
- What does the concept of separation in Genesis 1:6 teach us about God's order and design in our lives?
- How does the creation of the expanse in this verse relate to our understanding of God's power and majesty?
- What role does faith play in trusting God's plan for our lives, just as the expanse was formed by God's word?
- In what ways can we see the beauty and wonder of God's creation in the simple act of separating the waters?
- How does this verse encourage us to trust in God's goodness and provision, just as He provided a habitable environment for life on earth?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 1:6
And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,.... On which the Spirit of God was sitting and moving, Genesis 1:2 part of which were formed into clouds, and drawn up into heaven
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 1:6
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. Let there be a firmament , [ raaqiya` (H7549)] - expansion.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
A firmament; or, an extension, or a space or place extended or stretched out, and spread abroad like a tent or curtain, between the waters, though not exactly in the middle place; as Tyrus is said to sit, or be situated in the midst of the seas, , though it was but a little space within the sea. But of these things see more in .
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
Genesis 1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.Ver. 6. Let there be a firmament.] Yet not so firm, but it shall be dissolved. That it is not presently so; that those windows of heaven are not opened, as once in the deluge, having no better a bar than the liquid air, and we suddenly buried in one universal grave of waters; see a miracle of God’ s mercy, and thank him for this powerful word of his, "Let there be a firmament." Bartholinus tells us, that in the year of Christ 1551, a very great multitude of men and cattle were drowned by a terrible tempest, the clouds suddenly dissolving, and the waters pouring down amain with such a strange stupendous violence, that the massy walls of many cities, various vineyards, and fair houses were utterly destroyed and ruined. Clouds, those bottles of rain, are vessels as thin as the liquor which is contained in them. There they hang and move, though weighty with their burdens. How they are upheld, saith a reverend divine, and why they fall here and now, we know not, and wonder. They water our lands, as we do our gardens, and are therefore called our heavens. Barthol. l. 2. De Meteoris D. H.
Contemp.
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
(6) A firmament.—This is the Latin translation of the Greek word used by the translators of the Septuagint Version. Undoubtedly it means something solid; and such was the idea of the Greeks, and probably also of the Hebrews. As such it appears in the poetry of the Bible, where it is described as a mighty vault of molten glass (Job 37:18), upheld by the mountains as pillars (Job 26:11; 2 Samuel 22:8), and having doors and lattices through which the Deity pours forth abundance (Genesis 7:11; Psalms 78:23). Even in this “Hymn of Creation” we have poetry, but not expressed in vivid metaphors, but in sober and thoughtful language. Here, therefore, the word rendered “firmament” means an expanse. If, as geologists tell us, the earth at this stage was an incandescent mass, this expanse would be the ring of equilibrium, where the heat supplied from below was exactly equal to that given off by radiation into the cold ether above. And gradually this would sink lower and lower, until finally it reached the surface of the earth; and at this point the work of the second day would be complete.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
Verse 6. And God said, Let there be a firmament] Our translators, by following the firmamentum of the Vulgate, which is a translation of the στερεωμα of the Septuagint, have deprived this passage of all sense and meaning. The Hebrew word רקיע rakia, from רקע raka, to spread out as the curtains of a tent or pavilion, simply signifies an expanse or space, and consequently that circumambient space or expansion separating the clouds, which are in the higher regions of it, from the seas, c., which are below it. This we call the atmosphere, the orb of atoms or inconceivably small particles but the word appears to have been used by Moses in a more extensive sense, and to include the whole of the planetary vortex, or the space which is occupied by the whole solar system.
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 1:6
6–8. The Firmament of the Heaven 6. Let there be … waters] The work of the “second day” is the creation of the so-called “firmament” of heaven. The Hebrews had no conception of an infinite ethereal space. The vault of heaven was to them a solid arched, or vaulted, structure, resting upon the pillars of the earth (Job 26:11). On the top of this dome were the reservoirs of “the waters above the heaven,” which supplied the rain and the dew. Beneath the earth were other reservoirs of waters, which were the sources of the seas, lakes, rivers and springs. After the creation of light the next creative act was, according to the Hebrew cosmogony, the division of the primaeval watery abyss, by means of a solid partition which is here denoted by the word rendered “firmament.” The waters are above it and below it. a firmament] This word reproduces the Lat. firmamentum; LXX στερέωμα. The Hebrew rβqξa denotes (see Heb. Lex.) “extended surface, (solid) expanse” (as if beaten out; cf.
Job 37:18). For the verb raq‘a=beat, or spread, out, cf. Exodus 39:3, Numbers 17:4, Jeremiah 10:4, Ezekiel 1:22, “and over the head of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament … stretched forth over their heads above.” Compare Job 37:18, “canst thou with him spread out (tarqi‘a) the sky which is strong as a molten mirror?” See Psalms 19:1; Psalms 150:1, Daniel 12:3, where “firmament” = sky.
Barnes' Notes on Genesis 1:6
- IV. The Second Day 6. רקיע rāqı̂ya‛, “expanse;” στερέωμα stereōma, רקע rāqa‛, “spread out by beating, as leaf gold.” This expanse was not understood to be solid, as the fowl is said to fly on the face of it Genesis 1:21.
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 1:6
SECOND DAY — HEAVENS, Genesis 1:6-8. 6. Let there be a firmament — Hebrews, ψχις; Sept., στερεωμα; Vulg., firmamentum. The Hebrew word properly means something spread out; margin, expansion.
Sermons on Genesis 1:6
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Through the Bible) Genesis 1:1-18 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the creation of the earth and the existence of a designer. They explain that on the first day of creation, God brought the earth out of darkne |
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(The Power of the Holy Spirit - 1) the Breath of God by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker begins a series of messages on the power of the Holy Spirit. He focuses on the use of word pictures by Jesus to illustrate spiritual truths. The first p |
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(Genesis) Genesis 1:6-8 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of the firmament as mentioned in the Bible. They explain that the firmament refers to the space or air between the waters above an |
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God's Glorious Works by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher shares a humorous story about a golfer who gets a hole in one despite struggling with his game. The preacher uses this story to illustrate the frustrat |
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God as the Sovereign Saviour by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses Psalm 18, where David recounts his experience of being delivered by God from his enemies. David describes the sorrows and fears he face |
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Elihu's Exhortation on God's Dealings With Man by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses the power and awesomeness of God as seen in the forces of nature, particularly in a lightning storm. He emphasizes how small and helple |
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Exposition on Psalm 48 by St. Augustine | St. Augustine preaches on the significance of the Church of Christ as the firmament, symbolizing strength and resistance to worldly temptations. He emphasizes the importance of pra |