Genesis 1:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

NIV: And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

NASB: And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

CSB: Evening came and then morning: the third day.

NLT: And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

KJV: And the evening and the morning were the third day.

NKJV: So the evening and the morning were the third day.

This simple verse repeats the pattern for numbering each day of God's creation week. As mentioned previously, the Israelites counted days from sunset to sunset, from evening through morning and on into the daylight hours. That may be why each day is described in this way.

This completes the pattern of Genesis chapter 1, for the first half of the creation "week." In each case, God speaks, then His words are fulfilled, then He names His creation, and then declares it good. The Bible then applies a number to that creative day. Each of the first three days produced the conditions needed to support what God will create in each of the second three days. The first half of these days produced light, the sky and seas, and then land. The second half, then, will see God populate those areas with the sun and moon, birds and sea creatures, and land creatures, respectively.

The lack of detail in these verses is probably deliberate. The point of Genesis chapter 1 is to deliver a powerful truth: that God, and God alone, is responsible for the creation we see around us. And, that those created things have no power. Sun, sea, trees, and sky are not gods or spirits, but objects formed by God. We may not have complete understanding of how God accomplished His creation, but the Bible leaves no room for doubt as to who is responsible, and who has authority over what has been created.

Genesis 1:1–13 describes the first three days of creation. These follow a common pattern. First, God speaks, then He creates, then names His creation, then declares that creation ''good.'' Finally, the day is numbered. Each of these first three days prepares creation for what God will create in the second three days. Day one creates light, night and day, preparing for the sun and moon on day four. Day two creates the oceans, preparing for sea creatures on day five. Day three creates land and plants, preparing for animals and humans on day six.

Genesis 1 is nothing less than a bare-bones claim that God created the universe. Setting all of the debates on models and interpretations aside, the chapter undeniably insists on one thing: God means to be known as the Creator of all things. Written in the original Hebrew language according to a rigid, poetic structure, the chapter unfolds in a series of patterns and revelations. For those who believe these words, our response should be nothing less than to worship our Maker.

Genesis 1 is the first chapter of what came to be known as the Pentateuch: the first five books of the Bible. Likely written by Moses, Genesis 1 begins the story of God and His relationship with His people Israel. The role of God as Creator is not only important for setting up His work in later chapters, but also in His supremacy and authority for all of the other words of the Scriptures. God intends first to be known to all peoples as the Creator of all things—from sun, moon, and stars, to human life itself. And as the Creator, He is owed worship by all He has made, including and especially human beings

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.