Genesis 1 : 11-31 : RHS Commentary

 

Genesis 1 : 11-13  Day Three

God creates two set of things on day three.  After gathering the water together so the dry land would appear, God made two different classes of plants: grasses and herbs which bear seed, and fruit trees which bear fruit.  Both grasses and herbs will later be used symbolically by Jesus in parables talking about the missionary work and the growth of the kingdom of God and describing His death and resurrection.  Fruit trees are often associated with women and the fruit they bear, beginning with the story of Eve in the garden of Eden.

Genesis 1: 14-19 : Day 4

“Let there be” translates YHY (יְהִי), a form of the verb, HYH hayah to be, which will be used in two of the names for God: YHVH (יְהוָה ) or Jehovah and AHYH (אֶֽהְיֶה) or I AM, suggesting that God is the one who causes all things to be.

Ma’or (מְאֹרֹת) is the feminine plural noun form of the word or/ur (אוֹר), light, or to shine.  The feminine singular noun, men’orah ( מְנוֹרָה ), is the name for the 7-branched candlestick in the Mosaic tabernacle/temple.  These lights – the sun and the moon – were created for several reasons: a. to give light to the earth

b. for signs : the Hebrew is otot (אֹתֹת). The singular, sign, is ot (אוֹת ). That is spelled א aleph (the FIRST letter in the Hebrew alphabet), וֹ vav (the Hebrew letter that means AND), and ת tav (the LAST letter in the Hebrew alphabet).  Thus, the SIGN is the FIRST AND THE LAST, the great ALPHA & OMEGA (in Greek), a name for Jesus Christ.  How do the sun and the moon teach of Christ? Every day, the sun is born, gives light to the earth, and dies, only to rise again the next morning.  The moon reflects the light of the sun to earth, as Christ reflects the glory of the Father.

c. for seasons: this word does not mean the four seasons (winter-spring-summer-fall).  Instead, the word me’od (מוֹעֵד) means the holy days when all Israelites were expected to go to the temple in  Jerusalem.  These include the spring festivals of Pesach (Passover), Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits; the summer feast of Shavuot (Feast of Weeks or Pentecost); and the fall holy days of Rosh haShana (New Years), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles.  The annual dates for these holy days were determined by the positions of the sun and the moon.  For example, Passover is celebrated 15 days after the first new moon after the spring equinox.  15 days after the new moon means there is a full moon, the most light at night – a benefit for believers travelling to the temple and to the temple priests and staff.

d. for days: the rising and setting of the sun determines the 24 hour day.

e. and for years: a solar year is measured from one spring equinox (when daytime – sunlight-  is the same length as nighttime – moonlight and starlight) to the next spring equinox, or 364 ¼  days.

BTW, months (or moon-ths) are measured from one new moon to the next new moon in both Jewish and Islamic lunar years.

Genesis 1:20-23 on day 5, God creates birds to fly in the clouds (the waters above the firmament) and He creates fishes to swim in the seas and lakes (the waters below the firmament).

Genesis 1:23-31 Day Six

Again, two separate creations on this day. In verses 23-24, God begins by creating land animals, placing them on dry land and creepy things like reptiles, insects, and amphibians which live in the waters.

Humans are the second creation on day six, in verses 25-31  Earthlings is a better term, as it translates the fuller meaning of adam (אָדָם) – mankind – which is related to adamah (אֲדָמָה), translated as EARTH at the end of verse 24.

In verse 27, humans are CREATED, not made. The Hebrew verb here is bara (בָּרָא), used in Genesis 1 only in verses 1, 21, and 3 times in verse 27.  Bara is a very interesting Hebrew word as it is something ONLY GOD can do.

 in the image and likeness of God, or the gods (elohim אֱלֹהִים is plural), male and female. Note that humans are first described by sexual or terms  (male and female), not the more generic man and woman.

The Hebrew word for male is zachar (זָכָר), thus the name of the OT prophet Zachariah and the NT priest Zacharias both mean “Jehovah is/will be male.” Males bear seed.

The Hebrew word for female is neqebah (נְקֵבָה), a rather graphic term meaning “”pierced or having a hole.” Females bear fruit.

In verse 28, humans are commanded to multiply and replenish the earth, continuing the focus on reproduction.

Note that in verse 29, the earthlings (adam) are given both grain (grasses bearing seed) and trees bearing fruit to use for food, echoing verses 11-12.

At the end of the sixth day, God pronounces his creations “very good” (tov mᵊ'ōḏ  מְאֹד  טוֹב).