Genesis 1:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.

NIV: God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.

NASB: God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.

CSB: God made the two great lights--the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night--as well as the stars.

NLT: God made two great lights — the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars.

KJV: And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

NKJV: Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.

Verses 14-19 describe the fourth day of the creation week, during which God created the sun, moon, and stars. Following the usual pattern, prior verses related God's words, followed in this verse by a description of that command becoming reality.

The sun and moon are pictured as two great lights, one each to govern—or "rule"—the day and the night. At the time Genesis was written, many cultures worshipped the sun, moon, and stars as if they themselves were gods. The claim of the Bible is that these "lights" are not deities, merely created things made by the one, true God. It's an idea that still stands in opposition to many cultural norms. This would have been especially meaningful to the people of Moses' day, when nations such as Egypt were dominated by belief in gods of the sun, moon, stars, and skies.

This verse ends with another profound understatement: God made the stars. Given what we know of the immense universe surrounding us, this is an incredible display of power. The idea that God created the whole expanse of our universe in a day, with a word, should astound and humble us. Not only does our view of the heavens help us track time (Genesis 1:14), it is also intended by God to provoked us to worship Him, through the immensity and beauty of what He has made (Psalm 19:1).

Genesis 1:14–25 describes the second three days of creation: days four, five, and six, just prior to the creation of human kind. As with the first three, there is a common pattern. God's spoken word results in creation, which God then names and declares ''good.'' The day is then numbered. Each of these days fills something created in one of the prior three days. The sun and moon are created on day four, while day and night were created on day one. Sea creatures are created on day five, for the oceans formed on day two. Land animals—and, later, human beings—are made on day six, for the dry land and plants which God created on day three.

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.