Genesis 1:4 kjv

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4 nkjv

And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4 niv

God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4 esv

And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4 nlt

And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1 verses

Genesis 1 4 Meaning

Genesis 1:4 describes God's direct evaluation and subsequent ordering of His initial creation of light. After commanding light into existence, God saw (evaluated and comprehended) that it was good (functional, perfect, aligning with His divine will). This immediate assessment of goodness leads to His deliberate act of dividing or separating the light from the darkness. This foundational act establishes distinct realms and brings primordial order out of the previously unformed state of chaos.

Genesis 1 4 Context

Genesis chapter 1 initiates the biblical narrative with God's sovereign creation of the universe. Verses 1-2 establish God's prior existence and the initial state of the earth as "without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep." Verse 3 marks the first divine command, "Let there be light," immediately bringing light into existence. Verse 4 then immediately describes God's assessment of this newly created light and His subsequent action to delineate its boundaries, forming a clear distinction between light and darkness. This act is pivotal for establishing order out of the initial chaos and sets the stage for the creation of distinct "day" and "night" cycles, even before the sun and moon are made on the fourth day. Historically and culturally, this passage would have served as a stark counter-narrative to prevalent ancient Near Eastern myths that depicted creation arising from a struggle among deities or through haphazard processes. Genesis presents an ordered, purposeful creation by a singular, supreme God.

Genesis 1 4 Word analysis

• And God saw (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים - wa·yar Elohim):
  • וַיַּרְא (wayyar - and He saw): This is a specific form of the verb "ra'ah," meaning to see, perceive, understand, or examine. It implies an act of divine observation, evaluation, and approval, not merely a passive glance. God actively inspects His handiwork. This phrase appears repeatedly throughout Genesis 1, emphasizing God's careful attention and judgment of each creative act.
  • אֱלֹהִים (Elohim): The plural form for God, used here with a singular verb, indicating the singular mighty God while denoting His immense power, majesty, and transcendence. It highlights the one, true God as the sole creator and arbiter of all existence.
• the light (הָאוֹר - ha·'or):
  • אוֹר (ohr): Refers to illumination, brightness, or light in its most fundamental, physical sense. Crucially, this is light itself, distinct from the light-bearers (sun, moon, stars) created on Day 4. It speaks to God creating light as a raw, essential element of reality, demonstrating His immediate control over universal principles. This also implies light existed independent of astronomical bodies, emphasizing its divine origin.
• that it was good (כִּי־טוֹב - ki-tov):
  • כִּי (ki - that/indeed): A conjunction indicating confirmation or explanation.
  • טוֹב (tov - good): This Hebrew term signifies more than mere aesthetic appeal. It denotes fitness for purpose, functionality, completeness, perfection, excellence, and ethical rectitude. It implies that God's creation, the light, perfectly fulfilled His design and purpose for it. It lays the theological foundation that creation itself is inherently pure and without defect from God's hand. This challenges any worldview that perceives physical matter or creation as inherently evil or flawed.
• and God divided (וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים - wa·yav·del Elohim):
  • וַיַּבְדֵּל (wayyavdēl - and He divided/separated): From the root "badal," meaning to separate, distinguish, set apart, make a distinction, or draw boundaries. This verb is key to Genesis 1, signifying God's process of bringing order out of disorder. It's not a destruction of darkness, but an establishment of distinct spheres and a regulated interaction between light and darkness, essential for the cosmos's structured operation. This act demonstrates God's sovereignty over cosmic forces.
• the light from the darkness (בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ - bein ha·'or u·vein ha·cho·shech):
  • בֵּין (bein - between): Indicates a separation or distinction.
  • הַחֹשֶׁךְ (ha·cho·shech - the darkness): Refers to absence of light, obscurity, or shadow. In Genesis 1, darkness is not portrayed as an active evil force opposing God, but rather as an unordered state that God's creative work (and the light He introduces) defines and regulates. The act of division acknowledges its presence while establishing light's dominion within designated boundaries.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• And God saw the light, that it was good: This phrase encapsulates divine approval. God's creative acts are not haphazard; they are deliberate and come with an inherent stamp of quality and purpose. It underscores the active role of God in evaluating His work before proceeding, establishing the premise that everything God makes is "good" by definition.
• and God divided the light from the darkness: This segment describes God's organizational power. The 'division' signifies establishing order, rhythm, and distinction in the cosmos. It implies establishing boundaries, a foundational act necessary for all subsequent life and order. This is not the eradication of darkness, but its purposeful demarcation, enabling the regular succession of day and night, vital for earthly life.

Genesis 1 4 Bonus section

• Precursor to Cosmic Rhythms: This division directly precedes the establishment of "day" and "night" and lays the groundwork for the cyclical nature of time and the functioning of life on Earth, even before the creation of the sun, moon, and stars on Day 4.
• Contrast to Chaos Mythologies: The effortless "seeing" and "dividing" directly challenges ancient Near Eastern cosmologies that depicted chaotic struggle among gods to create the world, often involving violent battles. Genesis shows God as effortlessly sovereign, establishing order by mere will and word, without conflict or effort.
• Symbolic of Spiritual Discernment: The act of "dividing" can be seen as a template for spiritual discernment – separating truth from falsehood, righteousness from sin, and holy from common. Just as God set boundaries between light and darkness, He sets moral and spiritual distinctions for humanity.

Genesis 1 4 Commentary

Genesis 1:4 succinctly captures two profound aspects of God's creative work: divine evaluation and deliberate ordering. Firstly, God's immediate judgment that the light He had spoken into existence "was good" serves as an authoritative statement of creation's inherent perfection. This "goodness" is comprehensive, denoting functional excellence, alignment with divine purpose, and purity from any defect. It establishes that all of God's initial creation is intrinsically valuable and perfect in His eyes, setting a crucial theological precedent for understanding creation's state before the fall. Secondly, God's act of "dividing" light from darkness underscores His role as the ultimate bringer of order out of chaos. This is not a battle or struggle, but a masterful act of establishing boundaries, making distinct spheres, and setting a fundamental cosmic rhythm (the basis for "day" and "night"). This act of separation establishes the foundation for all subsequent distinctions in creation (waters above/below, land/sea) and symbolizes God's ongoing work of bringing clarity and structure into our lives, spiritually and physically. It reveals a God who is purposeful, precise, and sovereignly establishes order, not by eliminating challenges but by setting distinct parameters within which they operate.