Genesis

Genesis 1:16–18

¹⁶God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well.

¹⁷God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth, ¹⁸to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

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 1:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
God	אֱלֹהִ֔ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
made	וַיַּ֣עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
two	שְׁנֵ֥י	šə·nê	Number - masculine dual construct	H8147 two
great	הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים	hag·gə·ḏō·lîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H1419 great
lights	הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת	ham·mə·’ō·rōṯ	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3974 luminary
the greater	הַגָּדֹל֙	hag·gā·ḏōl	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
light	הַמָּא֤וֹר	ham·mā·’ō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3974 luminary
to rule	לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת	lə·mem·še·leṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct	H4475 rule, dominion, realm
the day	הַיּ֔וֹם	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
and	וְאֶת־	wə·’eṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
the lesser	הַקָּטֹן֙	haq·qā·ṭōn	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H6996 small, young, unimportant
light	הַמָּא֤וֹר	ham·mā·’ō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3974 luminary
to rule	לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת	lə·mem·še·leṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct	H4475 rule, dominion, realm
the night	הַלַּ֔יְלָה	hal·lay·lāh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
And	וְאֵ֖ת	wə·’êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
the stars	הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃	hak·kō·w·ḵā·ḇîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3556 star

Genesis 1:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
set	וַיִּתֵּ֥ן	way·yit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
in the expanse	בִּרְקִ֣יעַ	bir·qî·a‘	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7549 extended surface
of the sky	הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם	haš·šā·mā·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
to shine	לְהָאִ֖יר	lə·hā·’îr	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H215 be or become light
upon	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the earth	הָאָֽרֶץ׃	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land

Genesis 1:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
to preside over	וְלִמְשֹׁל֙	wə·lim·šōl	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4910 rule, have dominion, reign
the day	בַּיּ֣וֹם	bay·yō·wm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
and the night	וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה	ū·ḇal·lay·lāh	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
and to separate	וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל	ū·lă·haḇ·dîl	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H914 be divided, separate
the light	הָא֖וֹר	hā·’ō·wr	Article; Noun - common singular	H216 light
from	וּבֵ֣ין	ū·ḇên	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H996 interval, space between
the darkness	הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְ	ha·ḥō·šeḵ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity
And God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
saw	וַיַּ֥רְא	way·yar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
that	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
good	טֽוֹב׃	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 1:16 Psalm 136:7–9 · Deuteronomy 4:19 · Psalm 8:3 · Psalm 74:16 · Psalm 148:5 · Isaiah 40:26 · Job 38:7 · Psalm 148:3 · Psalm 19:6 · 1 Corinthians 15:41 · Matthew 27:45 · Revelation 16:8–9

Genesis 1:17 Psalm 8:3 · Psalm 8:1

Genesis 1:18 Jeremiah 31:35

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.