Genesis 1:16 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.
Genesis 1:16 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.
Genesis 1:16 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.
Genesis 1:16 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.
Genesis 1:16 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.
Genesis 1 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:14-15 | "Let there be lights in the expanse...to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs..." | Sets the purpose for the lights: signs, seasons, days, years. |
| Deut 4:19 | "And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven...and are drawn away and worship them and serve them..." | Warning against idolatry of sun, moon, and stars. |
| Deut 17:3 | "...goes and serves other gods and worships them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven..." | Explicitly condemns worshipping celestial bodies. |
| Ps 8:3-4 | "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place..." | God's creative power displayed in the heavens, man's humble place. |
| Ps 19:1-6 | "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." | Celestial bodies point to God's glory, not their own. |
| Ps 74:16 | "Yours is the day, yours also is the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun." | God owns and established both day and night, including the lights that govern them. |
| Ps 104:19 | "He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting." | Highlights God's purposeful design of moon and sun for timekeeping. |
| Ps 136:7-9 | "To him who made the great lights...the sun to rule over the day...the moon and stars to rule over the night..." | Reaffirms God as the maker and giver of authority to the celestial bodies. |
| Job 9:7 | "who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars;" | God's absolute power to control or stop the functions of the celestial bodies. |
| Job 31:26-28 | "if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor...that would be iniquity..." | Job’s testimony against worshipping sun/moon. |
| Job 38:31-33 | "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?...Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?" | God challenges human understanding/control over the constellations and their order. |
| Isa 13:10 | "For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark..." | Prophecy of cosmic disturbances at the day of the Lord, God's control over them. |
| Isa 40:26 | "Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number..." | God created and controls all the celestial bodies, naming and leading them. |
| Isa 60:19 | "The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light..." | In the new creation, God's glory replaces natural lights. |
| Jer 31:35-36 | "Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night..." | God's covenant and His ordered creation of sun, moon, and stars are immutable. |
| Amos 5:8 | "He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens day into night..." | God is the ultimate creator and sustainer of cosmic order. |
| Mal 4:2 | "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings." | Messianic prophecy where the true light/source of life is spiritual. |
| Jn 1:3 | "All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made." | Jesus (the Word) is the active agent in all creation, including these lights. |
| Col 1:16 | "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible...all things were created through him and for him." | Christ's role as creator and sustainer of the visible heavens. |
| Matt 24:29 | "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light..." | Echoes Old Testament prophecies of cosmic disturbances. |
| Rev 6:12 | "...the sun became black as sackcloth, and the whole moon became like blood." | Depiction of end-time cosmic disruptions reflecting God's judgment. |
| Rev 21:23 | "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light..." | In the new heaven and earth, God's presence will supersede natural light sources. |
Genesis 1 verses
Genesis 1 16 Meaning
Genesis 1:16 details God's creative work on the fourth day, focusing on the establishment of the sun, moon, and stars. It emphasizes that these celestial bodies were made by God and given specific purposes: the "greater light" (sun) to govern the day, the "lesser light" (moon) to govern the night, and the stars as additional components of this ordered system. The verse underlines God's sovereignty over creation, defining the function of these lights not as deities, but as created instruments serving humanity by providing light and marking time (as implied by verse 14).
Genesis 1 16 Context
Genesis 1:16 is part of the first creation account, narrating God's deliberate, sequential acts in bringing forth the cosmos and life. This verse marks the completion of the fourth day, where the focus shifts from the mere existence of light (created on Day 1) to the ordering and appointing of light-bearing bodies within the firmament. The surrounding context (Gen 1:14-18) details the explicit purposes of these luminaries: to serve as signs, to mark seasons, days, and years, to give light on the earth, and to separate day from night. Historically and culturally, this passage provided a foundational counter-narrative to the prevailing pagan cosmologies of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, where the sun, moon, and stars were worshipped as powerful deities. Genesis asserts their true nature as created objects, servants of God's design rather than divine entities themselves, thereby de-sacralizing nature and exalting the one true Creator.
Genesis 1 16 Word analysis
- And God made (וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִ֣ים – wa-yya'as Elohim): "Made" here is ‘asah, which often means to form, fashion, or appoint with purpose from existing material, rather than bara’ (create from nothing), used in Gen 1:1 for heaven and earth. This signifies that while light itself was created on Day 1, on Day 4, God formed or appointed specific bodies—the sun, moon, and stars—to house and regulate that light in the sky. Elohim, "God," emphasizes His supreme power and authority as the one active agent.
- two great lights (שְׁנֵ֣י הַמְּאֹרֹ֣ת הַגְּדֹלִ֔ים – shne ha-mme’orot ha-g’dolim): "Lights" or "luminaries" is ma’orot. Crucially, the text avoids using the common Hebrew names for the sun (shemesh) and moon (yareakh), likely to deny their status as deities, a prevalent belief in surrounding cultures. Instead, they are simply referred to by their function and size relative to each other—"the great ones." This is a polemic against pagan worship.
- the greater light (הַמָּאֹ֣ר הַגָּדֹל֮ – ha-ma’or ha-gadol): Referring to the sun. Its purpose is clearly stated: "to rule the day." This ruling is functional, for governing time and separation, not an inherent power of the light itself.
- to rule the day (לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַיּוֹם֒ – l'memshelet ha-yom): Memshelet comes from mashal, meaning to rule, govern, or have dominion. This underscores their appointed function in God's ordered world, establishing the pattern of light and darkness for human activity.
- and the lesser light (וְאֶת־הַמָּאֹ֤ור הַקָּטֹן֙ – v’et ha-ma’or ha-qaton): Referring to the moon. Similarly, its purpose is "to rule the night," performing a parallel function to the sun, but with less brightness.
- he made the stars also (וְאֵ֖ת הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃ – v’et ha-kokhavim): This phrase acts almost as a parenthetical note, emphasizing that even the countless stars are meticulously placed by God. They are not merely atmospheric phenomena but divinely ordained creations. This again counters any worship of the "host of heaven," by stating God made them also, further demystifying them.
- "two great lights... the greater light... the lesser light... he made the stars also": This group of words highlights a progressive focus. First, the two primary sources of light are identified by their function. Then, their respective roles in day and night are detailed. Finally, the vast number of other celestial bodies (stars) are included, reinforcing God's comprehensive sovereignty over all cosmic elements.
Genesis 1 16 Bonus section
- The omission of the specific names "sun" and "moon" (Shamash and Sin in Mesopotamian culture) served as a direct polemic, striping these celestial bodies of their perceived divine identity and revealing them as mere instruments in God's hands. This subtly but powerfully undermines ancient polytheistic religious systems.
- The repetitive phrase "And God made" throughout Genesis 1 emphasizes God's active, intentional, and sequential involvement in the ordering of creation. Each step is deliberate, not a random occurrence.
- The "ruling" capacity delegated to these lights is functional, providing stability and regularity to earth's environment. It reflects God's larger providential care, ensuring a consistent pattern of day and night for human life and agriculture.
- While a theological text, Gen 1:16 sets a backdrop for scientific inquiry, showing a universe governed by laws (like orbital patterns) put in place by God. It affirms an orderly universe capable of being understood, though its primary focus is theological purpose.
Genesis 1 16 Commentary
Genesis 1:16 is pivotal in establishing the foundational theological truths about God's relationship with creation, especially the celestial bodies. It asserts that the sun, moon, and stars are not self-existent divine beings to be feared or worshipped, but rather are subordinate creations of the one sovereign God, Yahweh. Their function is not capricious or mystical, but orderly and utilitarian: to provide light, separate day from night, and serve as cosmic clocks marking seasons, days, and years for humanity's benefit (as introduced in Gen 1:14). This systematically dismantling of pagan cosmologies elevates the Creator above His creation, underscoring His omnipotence and wise design. The specific distinction between ‘asah ("made") and bara’ ("created") is important here; while light per se existed on Day 1, Day 4 sees God organizing and setting specific bodies to dispense and govern that light within the cosmos. This portrays a God who is not only powerful enough to bring things into existence but also meticulous enough to arrange them for ongoing order and purpose.
- Example 1: When someone looks at the majestic sunrise, Gen 1:16 teaches them to marvel at God, not the sun itself.
- Example 2: Observing the precise timing of seasons for agriculture demonstrates God's reliable design through the movements of these "great lights."