Genesis

Genesis 1:1–6

¹In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

²Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

³And God said, “Let there be light,”^a and there was light. ⁴And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. ⁵God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.”

And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day.^b

⁶And God said, “Let there be an expanse^c between the waters, to separate the waters from the waters.”

Footnotes

a 1:3 Cited in 2 Corinthians 4:6|2CO 4:6
b 1:5 Literally day one
c 1:6 Or a canopy or a firmament or a vault; also in verses 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, and 20

Read all of Genesis 1

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 1:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
In the beginning	בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית	bə·rê·šîṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H7225 beginning, chief
God	אֱלֹהִ֑ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
created	בָּרָ֣א	bā·rā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1254 shape, create
the heavens	הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם	haš·šā·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
and	וְאֵ֥ת	wə·’êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
the earth	הָאָֽרֶץ׃	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land

Genesis 1:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now the earth	וְהָאָ֗רֶץ	wə·hā·’ā·reṣ	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
was	הָיְתָ֥ה	hā·yə·ṯāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
formless	תֹ֙הוּ֙	ṯō·hū	Noun - masculine singular	H8414 formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
and void	וָבֹ֔הוּ	wā·ḇō·hū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H922 emptiness
and darkness	וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ	wə·ḥō·šeḵ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity
was over	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the surface	פְּנֵ֣י	pə·nê	Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
of the deep	תְה֑וֹם	ṯə·hō·wm	Noun - common singular	H8415 deep, sea, abyss
And the Spirit	וְר֣וּחַ	wə·rū·aḥ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of God	אֱלֹהִ֔ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
was hovering	מְרַחֶ֖פֶת	mə·ra·ḥe·p̄eṯ	Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular	H7363 grow soft, relax
over	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the surface	פְּנֵ֥י	pə·nê	Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
of the waters	הַמָּֽיִם׃	ham·mā·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine

Genesis 1:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
said	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Let there be	יְהִ֣י	yə·hî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
light	א֑וֹר	’ō·wr	Noun - common singular	H216 light
and there was	וַֽיְהִי־	way·hî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
light	אֽוֹר׃	’ō·wr	Noun - common singular	H216 light

Genesis 1:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And God	אֱלֹהִ֛ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
saw	וַיַּ֧רְא	way·yar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
that	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the light	הָא֖וֹר	hā·’ō·wr	Article; Noun - common singular	H216 light
good	ט֑וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and	אֱלֹהִ֔ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
separated	וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל	way·yaḇ·dêl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H914 be divided, separate
the light	הָא֖וֹר	hā·’ō·wr	Article; Noun - common singular	H216 light
from	וּבֵ֥ין	ū·ḇên	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H996 interval, space between
the darkness	הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃	ha·ḥō·šeḵ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity

Genesis 1:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
God	אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
called	וַיִּקְרָ֨א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
the light	לָאוֹר֙	lā·’ō·wr	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - common singular	H216 light
day	י֔וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
and the darkness	וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ	wə·la·ḥō·šeḵ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity
He called	קָ֣רָא	qā·rā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
night	לָ֑יְלָה	lā·yə·lāh	Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
And there was	וַֽיְהִי־	way·hî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
evening	עֶ֥רֶב	‘e·reḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H6153 (sun)set, evening
and there was	וַֽיְהִי־	way·hî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
morning	בֹ֖קֶר	ḇō·qer	Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
the first	אֶחָֽד׃פ	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
day	י֥וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day

Genesis 1:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And God	אֱלֹהִ֔ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Let there be	יְהִ֥י	yə·hî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
an expanse	רָקִ֖יעַ	rā·qî·a‘	Noun - masculine singular	H7549 extended surface
between	בְּת֣וֹךְ	bə·ṯō·wḵ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8432 midst
the waters	הַמָּ֑יִם	ham·mā·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
to	וִיהִ֣י	wî·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
separate	מַבְדִּ֔יל	maḇ·dîl	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H914 be divided, separate
the waters	מַ֖יִם	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
from the waters	לָמָֽיִם׃	lā·mā·yim	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine