Genesis 1

God created the heaven and the earth verse 1,2 and the light on the first day 3 on the second the firmament or expansion severe the lowermost or uppermost waters 6 on the third he severeth the dry land and the waters 9 createth grass and fruitful trees 11 on the forth the sun moon and stars 14 on the first great and small fishes together with the fowls blessing them 20 on the sixth the beasts of the earth 24 and at the last man male and female according to his own image 26 likewise distinguishing the food of man and that of the beast 29 and approving all his creatures to be good 31.

1. In the beginning [viz. of the creation of all creatures which by creation received their being because there was none of them before only God was and is without beginning Psalms 90:2 Proverbs 8:22,23 Colossians 1:17 compare this with John 1:1] God created [to create in this chapter and elsewhere is as much as to say to make some excellent thing that was not before whether it be out of nothing verse 1 or out of somewhat else firsts created out of nothing as verse 21, 27 of the Hebrew word Elohim rendered God here see below chapter 20 on verse 13.] the heaven and the earth [by the heaven or heavens the Hebrew word using the word in the singular number and the earth there may be understood in the first verse either the heaven and the earth as they were created on the first day or all this world with all the creatures of heaven and earth therein contained compare Genesis 2:1.]

2. Now the earth [understand here the earth which now is so namely as in that beginning it was created on the first day not as it became or was fashioned afterwards by the successive acts of creation] was waste and void [Heb wastness and deformity and emptiness or vanity which is said being destitute yet that shape order distinctness and calmness usefulness and inhabitants which afterwards it was furnished and embellished withal the Hebrew here used in the write imply the utmost devastation and desolation hideousness vanity nothingness or emptiness of anything see Deuteronomy 32:10 1Samuel 12.21 Job 12:24 Psalms 107:40 Isaiah 34:11 and 44.9 Jeremiah 4:23] and darkness was upon abyss [Heb. upon the face of the abyss that is upon the deep and bottomless waters which covered the earth like a garment and stood above the mountain Psalms 104:6 see 2 Peter 3:5] and the spirit of God [understand here by the word spirit the holy ghost not the wind which was not yet created] wavered[or hovered or bestirred himself viz. for to sustain and foment the first being and condition of the earth and waters as they were then that through the powerful operation of the spirit there might be brought forth thence such excellent creatures it seems to be an allusion to such fowls and birds as fit hatching on their eggs to brig forth young ones thence and afterwards do hover and flutter over them to tend ease and cherish them in their feeble condition see Deuteronomy 32:11] upon the waters [that is upon the surface or uppermost part of the waters that covered the earth.]

3. And God said [God saying is his will and command and deed Psalms 33:9 and 140.5 which he did execute by the essential word which was God and with God from eternity John 1:1, 2 Psalms 3:6] let there be light [that is a clear bright luminous substance enlightening the dark lump or chaos by its circuit constituting day and night] and there was light.

4. And God saw the light that it was good [spoken of God after the manner of men the meaning is Gos approved of his creatures that is called good here which is pleasing to God godly and lovely in itself useful and serviceable to the creature especially to man] and God made partition between light and the darkness [viz. so as that the light succeeded the darkness and the darkness the light to make up night and day by turns.]

5. And the Lord called the light day and the darkness night and he had been evening and morning first day [Heb. one day but it is very usual with the Hebrews to put on for first as Genesis 8:5 Numbers 29:1 Matthew 28:1 1Corinthians 16.2 the meaning of these words is that night and day had made up one natural day together with which the Hebrew began with the evening the darkness having been before the light and ended with the approach of the next evening comprehending twenty four hours.]

6. And god said let there be expansion [the Heb. word he used cometh from a root that signified to spread forth or stretch abroad and by it is there to be understood here all the space that is comprehended between the nethermost and uppermost waters] in the midst of the waters and let that divide [Heb. be making divisions or partitions] between waters and waters [which are explained in the next verse.]

7. And God made that expansion and made that partition between the waters that are under expansion [viz. within and upon the earth Heb. that are from under &c as so verse 9] and between the waters that are above expansion [Heb. from above &c. understand the clouds which are carried and the nethermost part of this expanded space or happily some other waters which may have taken their place in the upper region after partition] and it was thus.

8. And God called the expansion heaven then it had been evening and hit had been morning the second day.

9. And God said let the waters from under the heaven be gathered together in one place and let the dry land be seen [by that it appears that the superficies or surfaces of the earth was all covered over before with water even the mountains themselves as was noted above verse 2] and it was thus.

10. And God called the dry land earth and the gathering of water seas [not sea but seas in regard that the Hebrews do they understand not only the main sea as Ecclesiastes 1:7 likewise al other particular and midland seas, lakes, gulfs, and gatherings or confluences of waters see Genesis 14:3 Exodus 14:23 numbers 34.11 Matthew 4:18 John 21:1 and elsewhere] and God saw that it was good.

11. And God said let the earth sprout forth grass sprouts seed sowing herbs [that is such as of the felt doth yield bringing forth bear spread and shed seeds see below verse 12 & 29] the fruitful tree bearing fruits [Heb. wood of fruit] according to its kind whose seed shall therein upon the earth and it was thus.

12. And the earth brought forth grass sprouts seed sowing herbs according to its kind and the fruit bearing tree whose seed was therein and God saw that it was good.

13. Then it had been evening and it had been morning the third day.

14. and god said let there be expansion of the heaven [see psalms 74.16] to make partition between the day and between the night and let there be for signs and for set time and for das and years [that they may serve for signing and marking out of different constitution o times and seasons as spring and summer , autumn, winter, the lengthening, shortening, equalizing of night and day eclipses &c. together with the observations of set or certain days and weeks and months and years in the behalf as well the church as of the state civil and the household of household affairs and actions in this life.]

15. And let them be for life in the expansion of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was thus.

16. Then God made the two great lights [Viz. the sun and the moon which are called great in regard of their outward appearance and as they come under the apprehension of outer sight and by reason likewise of their singular influence and operation] the great light for the dominion of the day and that little light [viz. in comparison of the sun] for the dominion of the night also of the stars.

17. And God put them [Heb. gave them] in the expansion of heaven to give light upon the earth.

18. And for to have dominion in the day in the night and for to make partition between the light and between the darkness and God saw that it was good.

19. Then it had been evening and it had been morning the fourth day.

20. And God said let the waters bring fourthly abundantly crawling of living souls [Heb. crawling or creeping souls meaning such creatures thereby as have life and sense and therefore move and stir about especially in the sea and other waters by swimming implied in this place though otherwise the Hebrew word here rendered crawling is likewise applied to the creature flying in the air Leviticus 11:20 or creeping upon the earth in the same chapter verse 44] and let the fowl fly above the earth above the expansion of the heaven [Heb. in or to the face of the expansion of the heaven.]

21. And God created [see the note above verse 1]the great whale and every living creeping souls [the Hebrew word signified not only the swimming creature as here and Leviticus 11:46 and Psalms 69:35 but also which creepeth upon the earth or by lifting up the feet doth go and tread on it as below verse 24,25,26,28,30 and chapter 6.20 and 7.8 and Psalms 104:20] which the waters bought forth abundantly after their kind and all winged fowls [‘Heb all or every fowl of the wing and so likewise Psalms 78:27.] after its kind and God saw that it was good.

22. And God blessed them [that is God gave them ability to maintain and increase their kind of propagation see below verse 28 and elsewhere also] saying be fruitful and multiply and replenish the waters in the seas and let the fowl multiply upon the earth.

23. Then it had been even and it had been morning the fifth day.

24. And God said let the earth bring living souls [Heb. souls see above verse 20.] after their kind cattle [the Heb. word doth signify here all manner of tame four-footed beasts conversing among men and serviceable for their work food and raiment] and creeping creatures [see above verse 21] and the savage beasts of the earth after its kind and it was thus.

25. And God made the savage beast of the earth after the kind and the cattle after its kind and all the creeping creatures of the earth after its kind and God saw that it was good.

26. And God said let us [God speak here in the plural number as doth he likewise immediately after saying after our image after our likeness as consulting with himself after the manner of men to represent unto us the divine trinity and the Excellency of this last creature men] make man [hominem that is male and female as appearreth by the sequel let them have dominion and by verse 27 and chapter5 verse 2] after [Hebrew in] our likeness [these two words seem to have one and the dame signification in regard that in this matter this only one is sometimes put in the lieu of both see the next verse chapter 5.1 by image and likeness there principally to be understood the true knowledge of God Colossians 3:10 true righteousness and holiness Ephesians4. 24] and let them have dominion over fishes [Heb. fish as also verse 28.] in the sea and over the fowls of the heaven and over the cattle [the word is taken here in a larger sense then above verse 24 where it is distinguished from a savage beasts which here are comprehended under the word Bohema] and over the whole earth and over all the creeping creatures that creep upon the earth.

27. And God created man Hominem after his image after the image of God he created him [that is not after the image of man created as the foregoing words might be construed but after the image of God that did create him compare below chapter 5.1 and 9 verse 6] male and female created by them.

28. And God blessed them [see the annotate on verse 22 although this word be of larger extent here as the text is self shewed] and God said unto them be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fishes of the sea and the fowls of the heaven and over all the beasts that creepeth [see on verse 21] upon the earth.

29. And God said behold I have given ye all the seed sowing herb that is upon the whole earth [Heb. the face of &c.] and all the tree in which there is seed-sowing fruit let it be unto ye for food.

30. But unto all the beast of the earth and fowls of the heaven and to all the creeping beasts of the earth there is a living soul have I given the entire green herb. [Heb. all the green of the verdure of the herb the words have I given are inserted here of the foregoing verse] and it was thus.

31. And God saw all that it had made and behold it was vey good [these words behold and very are added here by Moses the greater to express the greatness and Excellency of this work and extraordinary delight which God took in all works and especially in the creation of man] then it had been even and it had been even the sixth day.