Genesis 1:31 kjv
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31 nkjv
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31 niv
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning?the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31 esv
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31 nlt
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.
Genesis 1 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:1-3 | Thus the heavens and the earth were finished... God rested on the seventh day from all his work. | God's creation was finished and perfect, leading to Sabbath rest. |
| Gen 3:17-19 | Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. | Contrasts the post-fall state with the original "very good" creation. |
| Deut 32:4 | The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity... | God's work is intrinsically perfect, aligning with the "very good" declaration. |
| Ps 8:3-6 | When I look at your heavens... what is man that you are mindful of him... You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings. | Reflects on humanity's exalted place in God's perfect creation. |
| Ps 19:1-4 | The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. | Creation, being "very good," testifies to its glorious Creator. |
| Ps 104:24 | O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all. | Emphasizes the wisdom and multiplicity evident in God's "very good" creation. |
| Ps 115:16 | The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. | The "very good" earth was intentionally given as humanity's domain. |
| Ps 145:9 | The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. | God's universal goodness is reflected in the goodness of His creation. |
| Pro 3:19 | The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. | Highlights divine wisdom as the basis for the orderly, "very good" creation. |
| Isa 45:18 | For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens... he did not create it empty, but formed it to be inhabited! | Affirms creation's purpose and God's intentional, good design. |
| Isa 65:17 | For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered... | Points to future restoration, reflecting a desire for creation's original "very good" state. |
| Jer 31:31-33 | Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant... | New Covenant restores relationship and intrinsic good (like "very good" state). |
| Zep 3:17 | The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness. | God's joy and satisfaction in His redeemed people echoes His pleasure in "very good" creation. |
| Jn 1:3 | All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. | Reinforces Christ's role in creating all things, which God declared "very good." |
| Rom 8:20-22 | For the creation was subjected to futility... groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. | The present groaning of creation highlights the profound change from its initial "very good" state. |
| Rom 11:36 | For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. | Affirms God as the origin, means, and end of all things, including the "very good" creation. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. | Reflects spiritual renewal, echoing the concept of a perfectly formed new beginning. |
| Eph 2:10 | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works... | Humanity as God's "workmanship" emphasizes purpose and design, akin to the "very good" creation. |
| Col 1:16 | For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth... all things were created through him and for him. | Christ's centrality in creating all things which were "very good" and purposed for Him. |
| Heb 1:2 | In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son... through whom he also created the world. | Jesus, the Son, is the active agent in creating the "very good" universe. |
| Heb 4:3 | For we who have believed enter that rest... although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. | Affirms God's works, including creation, were complete and perfected from the start. |
| Rev 4:11 | "Worthy are you, our Lord and God... for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." | God is worthy of praise for His act of creation, inherently declared "very good." |
| Rev 21:1 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away... | Points to the ultimate restoration of creation to a state mirroring or surpassing its original "very good" condition. |
Genesis 1 verses
Genesis 1 31 Meaning
Genesis 1:31 records God's final comprehensive evaluation of His entire creation at the end of the sixth day. Following the formation of light, sky, dry land, vegetation, celestial bodies, sea creatures, birds, land animals, and supremely, humanity in His image, God scrutinizes His work as a completed whole. The declaration "it was very good" signifies perfect completion, absolute functional flawlessness, inherent moral purity, aesthetic beauty, and harmonious integration of every element. It conveys divine satisfaction with a cosmos that fully reflected His benevolent design, a perfect and suitable environment for human flourishing before the entry of sin.
Genesis 1 31 Context
Genesis chapter 1 recounts the deliberate, orderly, and powerful acts of God creating the cosmos and all life within it over a six-day period. Each day begins with a divine decree ("And God said"), followed by its execution ("and it was so"), and a divine evaluation ("and God saw that it was good"). This culminating verse (1:31) provides the ultimate divine appraisal. It signifies the completion of the creative week, the pinnacle of which is the creation of humanity in God's image (Gen 1:26-28). The phrase "very good" stands as a comprehensive summation of the entirety of God's finished work, affirming its perfection and original flawless state before any sin or corruption entered the world. Historically and culturally, this narrative stands in stark contrast to prevailing Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) creation myths, which often depicted creation as the result of chaotic divine conflict, an accidental byproduct, or with humans existing merely as slaves to the gods. Genesis 1 presents a single, sovereign God who creates with wisdom, order, and benevolent purpose, resulting in a perfect, harmonious, and "very good" world where humanity holds a unique, honored position. It's a theological polemic against the polytheistic and chaotic worldviews of its time.
Genesis 1 31 Word analysis
- And God saw (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים - vayyar' Elohim): This marks a repeated phrase from earlier in the chapter, signifying God's constant review and approval. However, here, it carries the weight of a final, holistic assessment. Elohim (אֱלֹהִים), though plural in form, refers to the singular, transcendent God, emphasizing His supreme power and authority as Creator. God's "seeing" is not passive observation but an act of discerning, appreciating, and declaring the quality of His handiwork.
- everything (אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר - et-kol-asher): Denotes a comprehensive, all-inclusive scope. It encompasses not just individual elements created day by day, but the entire finished cosmos, including the interrelationships and ecosystem. The created order functions perfectly as an integrated system.
- that he had made (עָשָׂה - 'asah): "Made" emphasizes God's direct, purposeful, and volitional act of creation. It implies completion and perfect execution of His design.
- and behold (וְהִנֵּה - vehineh): An emphatic interjection. It draws attention to the pronouncement, signaling its importance and perhaps divine wonder or declaration. It sets the stage for a significant revelation.
- it was very good (טוֹב מְאֹד הוּא - ṭov me'od hu'):
- good (טוֹב - ṭov): In Hebrew thought, ṭov is multifaceted, encompassing not just aesthetic beauty, but also functional excellence, suitability for purpose, completeness, and moral uprightness. It signifies that creation was exactly as God intended, functioning perfectly according to His divine design. It was wholesome, beneficial, and entirely satisfactory.
- very (מְאֹד - me'od): This adverb elevates "good" to its highest degree. It’s a superlative, conveying absolute perfection, ultimate excellence, and utter flawlessness. While previous creations were "good," the entirety of creation, with humanity as its crown, was superlatively good, indicating a climax of perfection.
- it was (הוּא - hu'): This refers to the whole of creation, confirming the comprehensive nature of the "very good" declaration.
- And there was evening and there was morning (וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר - vay'hi-erev vay'hi-boqer): This recurring formula closes each day of creation. It delineates a definite period for each stage of creation and emphasizes the chronological, structured nature of God's work. The sequence (evening then morning) aligns with the ancient Hebrew custom of reckoning a day from sunset to sunset.
- the sixth day (יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי - yom hashishi): The numbering concludes the sequence of creation acts, setting the stage for the seventh day, the day of rest and Sabbath, signifying completion.
Genesis 1 31 Bonus section
The "very good" declaration implicitly provides the backdrop for the tragedy of the Fall, highlighting the stark contrast between God's original perfect design and the subsequent brokenness introduced by sin. It serves as a profound theological statement that evil and suffering were not part of God's original creation. The "very good" declaration also anticipates the future work of God in redemption and recreation, where through Christ, all things will ultimately be restored and made new, mirroring or exceeding this initial state of perfection (Rev 21:1-5). It establishes a theological foundation for understanding God's inherent goodness and His ultimate redemptive purposes.
Genesis 1 31 Commentary
Genesis 1:31 provides the definitive summary of God's creation, asserting its inherent perfection and benevolent design. The repeated "good" throughout the chapter culminates in "very good," a qualitative statement affirming that creation was whole, harmonious, purposeful, and precisely as God intended, free from defect, discord, or moral blemish. This verse underscores God's omnipotence and omnibenevolence, crafting a world perfectly suited for the flourishing of life, particularly humanity, made in His image. This original state of perfection contrasts sharply with the brokenness that followed the Fall (Gen 3), providing the foundational hope for ultimate restoration in the new heavens and new earth. Practically, it affirms the inherent value of creation and calls for respectful stewardship, recognizing that our world, though now fallen, originates from God's "very good" hand.