14 And God H430 said, H559 Let there be lights H3974 in the firmament H7549 of the heaven H8064 to divide H914 the day H3117 from the night; H3915 and let them be for signs, H226 and for seasons, H4150 and for days, H3117 and years: H8141
To him that made H6213 great H1419 lights: H216 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever: H5769 The sun H8121 to rule H4475 by day: H3117 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever: H5769 The moon H3394 and stars H3556 to rule H4475 by night: H3915 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever. H5769
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 which giveth H5414 the sun H8121 for a light H216 by day, H3119 and the ordinances H2708 of the moon H3394 and of the stars H3556 for a light H216 by night, H3915 which divideth H7280 the sea H3220 when the waves H1530 thereof roar; H1993 The LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is his name: H8034
Lift up H5375 your eyes H5869 on high, H4791 and behold H7200 who hath created H1254 these things, that bringeth out H3318 their host H6635 by number: H4557 he calleth H7121 them all by names H8034 by the greatness H7230 of his might, H202 for that he is strong H533 in power; H3581 not one H376 faileth. H5737
He appointed H6213 the moon H3394 for seasons: H4150 the sun H8121 knoweth H3045 his going down. H3996 Thou makest H7896 darkness, H2822 and it is night: H3915 wherein all the beasts H2416 of the forest H3293 do creep H7430 forth.
The day H3117 is thine, the night H3915 also is thine: thou hast prepared H3559 the light H3974 and the sun. H8121 Thou hast set H5324 all the borders H1367 of the earth: H776 thou hast made H3335 summer H7019 and winter. H2779
And lest thou lift up H5375 thine eyes H5869 unto heaven, H8064 and when thou seest H7200 the sun, H8121 and the moon, H3394 and the stars, H3556 even all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 shouldest be driven H5080 to worship H7812 them, and serve H5647 them, which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath divided H2505 unto all nations H5971 under the whole heaven. H8064
Seek him that maketh H6213 the seven stars H3598 and Orion, H3685 and turneth H2015 the shadow of death H6757 into the morning, H1242 and maketh the day H3117 dark H2821 with night: H3915 that calleth H7121 for the waters H4325 of the sea, H3220 and poureth them out H8210 upon the face H6440 of the earth: H776 The LORD H3068 is his name: H8034
And G2532 there shall be G2071 signs G4592 in G1722 the sun, G2246 and G2532 in the moon, G4582 and G2532 in the stars; G798 and G2532 upon G1909 the earth G1093 distress G4928 of nations, G1484 with G1722 perplexity; G640 the sea G2281 and G2532 the waves G4535 roaring; G2278 Men's G444 hearts failing them G674 for G575 fear, G5401 and G2532 for looking after G4329 those things which are coming on G1904 the earth: G3625 for G1063 the powers G1411 of heaven G3772 shall be shaken. G4531
Immediately G1161 G2112 after G3326 the tribulation G2347 of those G1565 days G2250 shall the sun G2246 be darkened, G4654 and G2532 the moon G4582 shall G1325 not G3756 give G1325 her G846 light, G5338 and G2532 the stars G792 shall fall G4098 from G575 heaven, G3772 and G2532 the powers G1411 of the heavens G3772 shall be shaken: G4531
The sun H8121 and the moon H3394 shall be darkened, H6937 and the stars H3556 shall withdraw H622 their shining. H5051
And I will shew H5414 wonders H4159 in the heavens H8064 and in the earth, H776 blood, H1818 and fire, H784 and pillars H8490 of smoke. H6227 The sun H8121 shall be turned H2015 into darkness, H2822 and the moon H3394 into blood, H1818 before H6440 the great H1419 and the terrible H3372 day H3117 of the LORD H3068 come. H935
And when I shall put thee out, H3518 I will cover H3680 the heaven, H8064 and make H6937 the stars H3556 thereof dark; H6937 I will cover H3680 the sun H8121 with a cloud, H6051 and the moon H3394 shall not give H215 her light. H216 All the bright H3974 lights H216 of heaven H8064 will I make dark H6937 over thee, and set H5414 darkness H2822 upon thy land, H776 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If ye can break H6565 my covenant H1285 of the day, H3117 and my covenant H1285 of the night, H3915 and that there should not be day H3119 and night H3915 in their season; H6256
Hast thou commanded H6680 the morning H1242 since thy days; H3117 and caused the dayspring H7837 to know H3045 his place; H4725 That it might take hold H270 of the ends H3671 of the earth, H776 that the wicked H7563 might be shaken out H5287 of it? It is turned H2015 as clay H2563 to the seal; H2368 and they stand H3320 as a garment. H3830
And G2532 he opened G455 the bottomless G12 pit; G5421 and G2532 there arose G305 a smoke G2586 out of G1537 the pit, G5421 as G5613 the smoke G2586 of a great G3173 furnace; G2575 and G2532 the sun G2246 and G2532 the air G109 were darkened G4654 by reason of G1537 the smoke G2586 of the pit. G5421
I do set H5414 my bow H7198 in the cloud, H6051 and it shall be for a token H226 of a covenant H1285 between me and the earth. H776
Behold even to the moon, H3394 and it shineth H166 not; yea, the stars H3556 are not pure H2141 in his sight. H5869
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 The heavens H8064 declare H5608 the glory H3519 of God; H410 and the firmament H7549 sheweth his H5046 handywork. H4639 H3027 Day H3117 unto day H3117 uttereth H5042 speech, H562 and night H3915 unto night H3915 sheweth H2331 knowledge. H1847 There is no speech H562 nor language, H1697 where their voice H6963 is not heard. H8085 Their line H6957 is gone out H3318 through all the earth, H776 and their words H4405 to the end H7097 of the world. H8398 In them hath he set H7760 a tabernacle H168 for the sun, H8121 Which is as a bridegroom H2860 coming out H3318 of his chamber, H2646 and rejoiceth H7797 as a strong man H1368 to run H7323 a race. H734 His going forth H4161 is from the end H7097 of the heaven, H8064 and his circuit H8622 unto the ends H7098 of it: and there is nothing hid H5641 from the heat H2535 thereof.
They continue H5975 this day H3117 according to thine ordinances: H4941 for all are thy servants. H5650
Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If my covenant H1285 be not with day H3119 and night, H3915 and if I have not appointed H7760 the ordinances H2708 of heaven H8064 and earth; H776
Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 The gate H8179 of the inner H6442 court H2691 that looketh H6437 toward the east H6921 shall be shut H5462 the six H8337 working H4639 days; H3117 but on the sabbath H7676 H3117 it shall be opened, H6605 and in the day H3117 of the new moon H2320 it shall be opened. H6605
While the earth H776 remaineth, H3117 seedtime H2233 and harvest, H7105 and cold H7120 and heat, H2527 and summer H7019 and winter, H2779 and day H3117 and night H3915 shall not cease. H7673
Saying, G3004 Where G4226 is G2076 he that is born G5088 King G935 of the Jews? G2453 for G1063 we have seen G1492 his G846 star G792 in G1722 the east, G395 and G2532 are come G2064 to worship G4352 him. G846
G1161 He answered G611 and said G2036 unto them, G846 When it is G1096 evening, G3798 ye say, G3004 It will be fair weather: G2105 for G1063 the sky G3772 is red. G4449 And G2532 in the morning, G4404 It will be foul weather G5494 to day: G4594 for G1063 the sky G3772 is red G4449 and lowring. G4768 O ye hypocrites, G5273 ye can G1097 discern G1252 G3303 the face G4383 of the sky; G3772 but G1161 can ye G1410 not G3756 discern the signs G4592 of the times? G2540
And G2532 the sun G2246 was darkened, G4654 and G2532 the veil G2665 of the temple G3485 was rent G4977 in the midst. G3319
And G2532 I will shew G1325 wonders G5059 in G1722 heaven G3772 above, G507 and G2532 signs G4592 in G1909 the earth G1093 beneath; G2736 blood, G129 and G2532 fire, G4442 and G2532 vapour G822 of smoke: G2586 The sun G2246 shall be turned G3344 into G1519 darkness, G4655 and G2532 the moon G4582 into G1519 blood, G129 before G2228 G4250 that great G3173 and G2532 notable G2016 day G2250 of the Lord G2962 come: G2064
And G2532 I beheld G1492 when G3753 he had opened G455 the sixth G1623 seal, G4973 and, G2532 lo, G2400 there was G1096 a great G3173 earthquake; G4578 and G2532 the sun G2246 became G1096 black G3189 as G5613 sackcloth G4526 of hair, G5155 and G2532 the moon G4582 became G1096 as G5613 blood; G129
And G2532 the fourth G5067 angel G32 sounded, G4537 and G2532 the third part G5154 of the sun G2246 was smitten, G4141 and G2532 the third part G5154 of the moon, G4582 and G2532 the third part G5154 of the stars; G792 so as G2443 the third part G5154 of them G846 was darkened, G4654 and G2532 the day G2250 shone G5316 not G3361 for a third part G5154 of it, G846 and G2532 the night G3571 likewise. G3668
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 1
Commentary on Genesis 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The First Book of Moses, Called Genesis
Chapter 1
The foundation of all religion being laid in our relation to God as our Creator, it was fit that the book of divine revelations which was intended to be the guide, support, and rule, of religion in the world, should begin, as it does, with a plain and full account of the creation of the world-in answer to that first enquiry of a good conscience, "Where is God my Maker?' (Job 35:10). Concerning this the pagan philosophers wretchedly blundered, and became vain in their imaginations, some asserting the world's eternity and self-existence, others ascribing it to a fortuitous concourse of atoms: thus "the world by wisdom knew not God,' but took a great deal of pains to lose him. The holy scripture therefore, designing by revealed religion to maintain and improve natural religion, to repair the decays of it and supply the defects of it, since the fall, for the reviving of the precepts of the law of nature, lays down, at first, this principle of the unclouded light of nature, That this world was, in the beginning of time, created by a Being of infinite wisdom and power, who was himself before all time and all worlds. The entrance into God's word gives this light, Ps. 119:130. The first verse of the Bible gives us a surer and better, a more satisfying and useful, knowledge of the origin of the universe, than all the volumes of the philosophers. The lively faith of humble Christians understands this matter better than the elevated fancy of the greatest wits, Heb. 11:3.
We have three things in this chapter:-
Gen 1:1-2
In these verses we have the work of creation in its epitome and in its embryo.
Gen 1:3-5
We have here a further account of the first day's work, in which observe,
Gen 1:6-8
We have here an account of the second day's work, the creation of the firmament, in which observe,
Gen 1:9-13
The third day's work is related in these verses-the forming of the sea and the dry land, and the making of the earth fruitful. Hitherto the power of the Creator had been exerted and employed about the upper part of the visible word; the light of heaven was kindled, and the firmament of heaven fixed: but now he descends to this lower world, the earth, which was designed for the children of men, designed both for their habitation and for their maintenance; and here we have an account of the fitting of it for both, and building of their house and the spreading of their table. Observe,
Gen 1:14-19
This is the history of the fourth day's work, the creating of the sun, moon, and stars, which are here accounted for, not as they are in themselves and in their own nature, to satisfy the curious, but as they are in relation to this earth, to which they serve as lights; and this is enough to furnish us with matter for praise and thanksgiving. Holy Job mentions this as an instance of the glorious power of God, that by the Spirit he hath garnished the heavens (Job 26:13); and here we have an account of that garniture which is not only so much the beauty of the upper world, but so much the blessing of this lower; for though heaven is high, yet has it respect to this earth, and therefore should have respect from it. Of the creation of the lights of heaven we have an account,
Gen 1:20-23
Each day, hitherto, has produced very noble and excellent beings, which we can never sufficiently admire; but we do not read of the creation of any living creature till the fifth day, of which these verses give us an account. The work of creation not only proceeded gradually from one thing to another, but rose and advanced gradually from that which was less excellent to that which was more so, teaching us to press towards perfection and endeavour that our last works may be our best works. It was on the fifth day that the fish and fowl were created, and both out of the waters. Though there is one kind of flesh of fishes, and another of birds, yet they were made together, and both out of the waters; for the power of the first Cause can produce very different effects from the same second causes. Observe,
Gen 1:24-25
We have here the first part of the sixth day's work. The sea was, the day before, replenished with its fish, and the air with its fowl; and this day were made the beasts of the earth, the cattle, and the creeping things that pertain to the earth. Here, as before,
Gen 1:26-28
We have here the second part of the sixth day's work, the creation of man, which we are, in a special manner, concerned to take notice of, that we may know ourselves. Observe,
Gen 1:29-30
We have here the third part of the sixth day's work, which was not any new creation, but a gracious provision of food for all flesh, Ps. 136:25. He that made man and beast thus took care to preserve both, Ps. 36:6. Here is,
Gen 1:31
We have here the approbation and conclusion of the whole work of creation. As for God, his work is perfect; and if he begin he will also make an end, in providence and grace, as well as here in creation. Observe,