Genesis 1:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

NIV: God called the dry ground 'land,' and the gathered waters he called 'seas.' And God saw that it was good.

NASB: And God called the dry land 'earth,' and the gathering of the waters He called 'seas'; and God saw that it was good.

CSB: God called the dry land "earth," and the gathering of the water he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

NLT: God called the dry ground 'land' and the waters 'seas.' And God saw that it was good.

KJV: And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

NKJV: And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

This account of day 3 of creation follows the pattern of the previous two days. God speaks something into existence, names it, and then observes that it is good. This is then followed by a numbering of the day. According to Hebrew thinking, the act of naming something implies the namer's responsibility for and rule over that thing. To name something is to have power over it. In this case, God names the dry ground "land" or "Earth," and He names the waters "seas."

Once again, God recognizes what He has made as good. That is a significant statement, coming from the ultimate standard of everything, which is God Himself. As we get to know Him in the Bible, we see that He measures goodness in absolutes. To be good, in this sense, means that there is no "bad" in a thing. All that God made during His creation week was utterly and truly good.

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.

Accessed 5/18/2024 10:59:06 PM