Genesis 1:22 kjv

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

Genesis 1:22 nkjv

And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."

Genesis 1:22 niv

God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."

Genesis 1:22 esv

And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."

Genesis 1:22 nlt

Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth."

Genesis 1 verses

Genesis 1 22 Meaning

Genesis 1:22 describes God's first blessing upon His newly created aquatic and avian life. He bestows upon them the power and command to reproduce, flourish, and inhabit their designated environments — the waters and the earth, respectively. This act demonstrates God's immediate care and provision for the abundant propagation and sustenance of life within His created order. It signifies God's intention for the world to be filled with life according to His design, initiated by a divine, empowering word.

Genesis 1 22 Context

Genesis 1:22 is embedded within the narrative of the fifth day of creation (Gen 1:20-23). Prior to this, God has established the basic structures of the cosmos: light (Day 1), the expanse/firmament (Day 2), dry land and vegetation (Day 3). Day 4 saw the creation of celestial lights for signs and seasons. Day 5, specifically in verses 20-21, details the emergence of marine life and birds. Immediately following their creation, God speaks a blessing and command over these new creatures. This blessing is the first recorded divine blessing in the Bible, signifying God's active, benevolent involvement in His creation beyond simply forming it. It precedes the creation and subsequent blessing of humanity on Day 6, setting a pattern for how God wills life to prosper and fill the earth. This blessing is a polemic against ancient Near Eastern myths that often depicted creation as a chaotic, accidental, or even violent process, presenting instead a benevolent, orderly, and purposeful God who actively empowers life.

Genesis 1 22 Word analysis

• And God blessed (וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים - wayevārekh ’ōtām ’ĕlōhîm):
  • וַיְבָרֶךְ (wayevārekh): From the root barakh (ברך), meaning "to kneel," and in the Piel stem, "to bless." This is the first occurrence of God blessing something in the Bible. It signifies not merely a wish, but a divine conferral of power and favor, an enabling act that empowers what is blessed to achieve its intended purpose. God actively imbues His creatures with the capacity for procreation and flourishing.
  • אֱלֹהִים (’ĕlōhîm): The common Hebrew word for God, denoting His supreme power and deity, consistent throughout the creation account.
• them (אֹתָם - ’ōtām): Refers directly to the "great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind" mentioned in verse 21. This indicates the blessing is specific to these animal groups.
• saying (לֵאמֹר - lē’mōr): Standard introductory phrase indicating direct speech or command. God's blessings are pronounced words, revealing His active will.
• Be fruitful (פְּרוּ - perû): From the root parah (פָּרָה), "to bear fruit," "to be fruitful." This command emphasizes internal capacity for reproduction and thriving. It implies biological viability and health that allows for new life.
• and multiply (וּרְבוּ - ûrevû): From the root rabah (רָבָה), "to become many," "to increase in number." This command focuses on numerical growth and spread, ensuring the population fills its designated habitat. These two words often appear together, emphasizing both the quality of generating life and the quantity of that life.
• and fill (וּמִלְאוּ - ûmil’û): From the root male (מָלֵא), "to fill," "to be full." This is a command to occupy the allotted space fully, ensuring the vastness of creation is not left empty but is teeming with life.
• the waters in the seas (אֶת־הַמַּיִם בַּיַּמִּים - ’et-hamayim bayyamîm): Specifies the environment for the aquatic creatures created in verse 21. God’s design is orderly and habitat-specific.
• and let birds multiply (וְהָעוֹף יִרֶב - vehā‘ôph yirev): A continuation of the command, specifically applying to birds.
  • וְהָעוֹף (vehā‘ôph): "And the bird," singular used collectively.
  • יִרֶב (yirev): Imperfect of rabah, similar to the command urevu "and multiply." This again emphasizes numerical increase.
• on the earth (בָּאָרֶץ - bā’āreṣ): The general domain for birds, differentiating their primary habitation from the waters for marine creatures, even though birds fly in the expanse (Gen 1:20).

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And God blessed them, saying,": This marks the inception of divine blessing in the biblical narrative. It underscores that God's favor is not merely conceptual but active, communicated, and potent, endowing the creatures with the capacity to fulfill His purpose for them. This established pattern of blessing prefigures all subsequent blessings from God, including those given to humanity.
• "Be fruitful and multiply and fill": This triplicate command forms the core of God's instruction for life's propagation. It's a holistic mandate: "be fruitful" (intrinsic reproductive power), "multiply" (numerical increase), and "fill" (occupy the available space). This highlights God's design for an abundant, vibrant creation, not just sparse life. It implies God's purpose for a biodiverse world brimming with His living works.
• "the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth": This distinction between the specific habitats for marine creatures and birds demonstrates the ordered nature of God's creation. Each category of life has its designed environment to flourish within, showcasing God's meticulous plan for the entire ecosystem.

Genesis 1 22 Bonus section

• Precedent for Humanity: This first divine blessing acts as a significant precedent for the blessing later given to humanity in Genesis 1:28, which uses identical phrasing ("Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth..."). This suggests a continuity in God's desire for all His creatures, though the human blessing adds the element of dominion and stewardship, setting humanity apart with a unique responsibility.
• Challenges Pagan Cosmogonies: In contrast to various ancient Near Eastern myths where creation results from struggle, divine conflict, or even accidental emergence (e.g., Tiamat's body in Babylonian myths), the God of Genesis creates purposefully, blesses, and sustains. His command to "be fruitful and multiply" emphasizes benevolent design and active provision, dismissing any notion of an empty, uncared-for world. The world is full not because of some inherent natural force but because God enabled and willed it so.
• Teleological Significance: The verse conveys a teleological (purpose-driven) aspect of creation. The purpose of these creatures, as commanded by their Creator, is not merely to exist but to flourish and populate their environments, thereby manifesting God's glory through the abundance and diversity of life.

Genesis 1 22 Commentary

Genesis 1:22 is a foundational verse that establishes key theological principles about creation. Firstly, it reveals God's active, benevolent involvement with His creatures; He doesn't merely create and leave but immediately provides and empowers them for thriving. The "blessing" is more than a good wish; it is a divine enabling that imparts the very capacity for procreation and multiplication. This is a crucial distinction, highlighting God's sustaining power in His created order.

Secondly, the command to "be fruitful and multiply" underscores God's desire for the earth to be teeming with life. This command, first issued to non-human creatures, is subsequently extended to humanity (Gen 1:28), establishing a divine pattern for life's purpose on earth. It reflects a theology of abundance, where creation is intended to flourish and proliferate, occupying all its designated spaces. This opposes any worldview that views procreation as inherently negative or life as limited by fate.

Furthermore, the specificity of habitats—"the waters in the seas" for aquatic life and "on the earth" for birds—highlights the orderliness and wisdom of God's design. Every creature has its designated place and purpose within the broader ecosystem, contributing to the harmonious whole of creation. This verse emphasizes the continuation of species through reproduction, a natural law ordained and enabled by God, testifying to His ongoing providence.

Examples:

• The millions of species flourishing today, from the deepest oceans to the highest skies, attest to the ongoing fulfillment of this ancient blessing.
• The resilience of nature to regenerate after devastation implicitly points to the life-giving mandate given by God.