Genesis 1:7 kjv
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
Genesis 1:7 nkjv
Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.
Genesis 1:7 niv
So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so.
Genesis 1:7 esv
And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.
Genesis 1:7 nlt
And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens.
Genesis 1 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:6 | And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." | Immediate preceding command for the expanse. |
| Gen 1:8 | God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. | Names the expanse, concluding the second day. |
| Psa 104:2-3 | You stretch out the heavens like a tent, He lays the beams of His chambers on the waters... | God's act of stretching heavens and using waters. |
| Job 26:7 | He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing. | God's vast cosmic ordering and power. |
| Job 26:8 | He binds up the waters in His thick clouds, and the cloud does not burst under them. | Divine control over atmospheric waters. |
| Jer 10:12 | It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out the heavens. | God's wisdom and power in stretching out heavens. |
| Isa 40:22 | He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in. | God as Creator, stretching heavens like a canopy. |
| Psa 148:4 | Praise Him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! | Calls heavens and waters above to praise God. |
| Prov 8:27 | When He established the heavens, I was there; when He drew a circle on the face of the deep, | Wisdom present at the establishing of heavens. |
| Prov 8:28 | when He made firm the skies above, when He established the fountains of the deep, | God's activity in making skies firm and setting deep. |
| Prov 8:29 | when He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress His command... | God setting boundaries for waters. |
| 2 Pet 3:5 | ...that by God's word the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water. | Heavens formed by God's word, related to water. |
| Eze 1:22 | As for the likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures, it was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. | Vision of a firmament, conveying brightness and separation. |
| Psa 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims the work of His hands. | The sky (expanse) proclaims God's glory and work. |
| Isa 45:12 | I made the earth and created man on it; I stretched out the heavens with My hands, and I commanded all their host. | God's sovereignty as the sole Creator of heavens. |
| Job 37:18 | Can you, with Him, spread out the skies, strong as a cast metal mirror? | Highlights the vast strength and scale of the sky created by God. |
| Amos 9:6 | He who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and lays the foundation of His vault upon the earth... | God's dwelling place above the created heavens. |
| Neh 9:6 | You are the Lord, You alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host... | God as the singular Creator of all heavens. |
| Gen 7:11 | ...on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. | Waters from above indicate a reservoir-like aspect of the "waters above the expanse." |
| Psa 33:6 | By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. | Reinforces creation of heavens by God's word. |
| Psa 74:13 | You divided the sea by Your strength... | God's power in dividing and controlling waters. |
| Zec 12:1 | ...the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. | God's sovereign act of stretching out heavens. |
Genesis 1 verses
Genesis 1 7 Meaning
God, by His divine power and decree, brought forth an expanse, often called the firmament or sky, to create a clear division between the waters already present on the primeval earth and a portion of those waters lifted above. This act structured the cosmos by creating a breathable atmosphere and establishing distinct realms within creation, moving from watery chaos to order.
Genesis 1 7 Context
Genesis 1:7 is part of the account of the second day of creation. Following the separation of light from darkness on Day 1, Day 2 focuses on establishing the sky. This verse is the fulfillment of the divine command issued in Gen 1:6, emphasizing God's direct action in bringing order to the watery primeval state. It describes the formation of the atmosphere and a defined space that would later support bird life (Day 5) and separate the celestial realm from the earthly. This structuring of the cosmos by divine separation counters ancient Near Eastern myths which often depicted chaotic cosmic battles between deities for control of the primordial waters; instead, here, God sovereignly brings forth order by command and action.
Genesis 1 7 Word analysis
And God made: (וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים - Wayyāʿaś ʾĕlōhîm) –
- וַיַּעַשׂ (Wayyāʿaś): "and He made" or "and He did/created". This verb, ʿāśāh, implies forming, shaping, or executing a plan. Unlike bārāʾ (created out of nothing, used in Gen 1:1), ʿāśāh suggests the divine shaping of existing elements, even if those elements were primordial chaos. It emphasizes God's direct agency and practical act in the process.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾĕlōhîm): "God." The plural form "Elohim" points to God's majestic and sovereign power, unity in creation, and supreme authority over all things.
the expanse: (אֶת־הָרָקִיעַ - ʾet-hārrāqîaʿ) –
- הָרָקִיעַ (hārrāqîaʿ): "the expanse" or "firmament." Derived from the verb rāqaʿ, meaning "to spread out," "to hammer out," "to stamp down," or "to beat into thin plates" (like metal). It signifies something stretched out, beaten firm, or expanded. It's a space or canopy that provides separation. This does not necessarily imply a solid, physical dome in a scientific sense, but rather a vast, ordered space above the earth, perhaps analogous to a stretched-out canopy or a clear, ordered realm.
and separated: (וַיַּבְדֵּל - wayyabdēl) –
- וַיַּבְדֵּל (wayyabdēl): "and He separated," "and He divided," "and He distinguished." From the verb bāḏal, meaning "to divide," "to set apart," or "to distinguish." This is the core action of the verse, emphasizing God's role as the orderly Creator who brings differentiation and structure out of homogeneity. This theme of separation is key throughout the creation account (light from darkness, water from water, dry land from water).
the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse: (בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ - bên hammayim ʾăšer mittaḥaṯ lārrāqîaʿ ûbên hammayim ʾăšer mēʿal lārrāqîaʿ) –
- This phrase clearly defines the outcome of the separation. The "waters under the expanse" refer to the oceans, seas, and surface water bodies of the earth. The "waters above the expanse" refer to the moisture held in the atmosphere, clouds, and perhaps the celestial "deep" that would be later mentioned as "windows of heaven" in the Flood account (Gen 7:11). This separation creates an aerial space, distinct from the terrestrial waters below.
Words-group Analysis:
- "And God made the expanse": Highlights divine power and purpose in constructing cosmic order. God acts definitively.
- "and separated the waters... from the waters...": Emphasizes the creation of distinction and boundaries. This brings order from undifferentiated mass and prepares the environment for subsequent forms of life and a habitable world. The clear demarcation sets the stage for distinct ecosystems.
Genesis 1 7 Bonus section
- The term raqiya points to an understanding of the cosmos in ancient times where the sky was seen as a spread-out, vast space, rather than a solid dome, though it might appear 'firm' from below. The primary theological truth is not a scientific precise description but that God is the one who actively brings structure and order to creation, preparing it for life.
- This act on the second day sets the stage for the rest of creation. The established expanse allows for the subsequent appearance of dry land (Day 3), which emerges from the waters under the expanse. It also provides the "face of the firmament" for the lights to appear on Day 4 and a space for birds to fly (Day 5).
- The continued mention of "waters above the expanse" in later Scriptures (e.g., Psa 148:4) signifies that this structure and its distinct parts were perceived as an enduring reality within God's ordered cosmos, pointing to God's continuous preservation of His creation.
Genesis 1 7 Commentary
Genesis 1:7 marks a crucial step in God's creative process on the second day, where His power is displayed through orderly differentiation. The creation of the raqiya (expanse) is not merely a physical act but a theological statement. God, distinct from any chaotic deity, effortlessly creates a defined space—the sky or atmosphere—by separating the global waters. This separation established an ordered cosmic structure, delineating the terrestrial realm from the celestial. The waters above the expanse were held in check, forming a canopy that would eventually yield rain (as seen in the Flood account) and sustain life below. This precise ordering testifies to God's design, control, and wisdom, demonstrating His sovereignty over all creation, providing a structured environment essential for the flourishing of life on Earth. This deliberate act shows God as the master architect who brings habitability to a previously formless and watery world.
