26 And God H430 said, H559 Let us make H6213 man H120 in our image, H6754 after our likeness: H1823 and let them have dominion H7287 over the fish H1710 of the sea, H3220 and over the fowl H5775 of the air, H8064 and over the cattle, H929 and over all the earth, H776 and over every creeping thing H7431 that creepeth H7430 upon the earth. H776
And G2532 have put on G1746 the new G3501 man, which G3588 is renewed G341 in G1519 knowledge G1922 after G2596 the image of him G1504 that created G2936 him: G846
And the LORD H3068 God H430 said, H559 Behold, H2005 the man H120 is become as one H259 of us, to know H3045 good H2896 and evil: H7451 and now, lest he put forth H7971 his hand, H3027 and take H3947 also of the tree H6086 of life, H2416 and eat, H398 and live H2425 for ever: H5769
Know H3045 ye that the LORD H3068 he is God: H430 it is he that hath made H6213 us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, H5971 and the sheep H6629 of his pasture. H4830
Who G3739 is G2076 the image G1504 of the invisible G517 God, G2316 the firstborn G4416 of every G3956 creature: G2937
In G1722 whom G3739 the god G2316 of this G5127 world G165 hath blinded G5186 the minds G3540 of them which believe not, G571 lest G1519 G3361 the light G5462 of the glorious G1391 gospel G2098 of Christ, G5547 who G3739 is G2076 the image G1504 of God, G2316 should shine G826 unto them. G846
And the fear of you H4172 and the dread of you H2844 shall be upon every beast H2416 of the earth, H776 and upon every fowl H5775 of the air, H8064 upon all that moveth H7430 upon the earth, H127 and upon all the fishes H1709 of the sea; H3220 into your hand H3027 are they delivered. H5414 Every moving thing H7431 that liveth H2416 shall be meat H402 for you; even as the green H3418 herb H6212 have I given H5414 you all things. But H389 flesh H1320 with the life H5315 thereof, which is the blood H1818 thereof, shall ye not eat. H398
For G1063 a man G435 indeed G3303 ought G3784 not G3756 to cover G2619 his head, G2776 forasmuch as he is G5225 the image G1504 and G2532 glory G1391 of God: G2316 but G1161 the woman G1135 is G2076 the glory G1391 of the man. G435
For G3754 there are G1526 three G5140 that bear record G3140 in G1722 heaven, G3772 the Father, G3962 the Word, G3056 and G2532 the Holy G40 Ghost: G4151 and G2532 these G3778 three G5140 are G1526 one. G1520
But G1161 one G5100 in a certain place G4225 testified, G1263 saying, G3004 What G5101 is G2076 man, G444 that G3754 thou art mindful G3403 of him? G846 or G2228 the son G5207 of man, G444 that G3754 thou visitest G1980 him? G846 Thou madest G1642 him G846 a little G1024 G5100 lower G1642 than G3844 the angels; G32 thou crownedst G4737 him G846 with glory G1391 and G2532 honour, G5092 and G2532 didst set G2525 him G846 over G1909 the works G2041 of thy G4675 hands: G5495 Thou hast put G5293 all things G3956 in subjection G5293 under G5270 his G846 feet. G4228 For G1063 in G1722 that he put G5293 all G3956 in subjection under G5293 him, G846 he left G863 nothing that is not G3762 put under G506 him. G846 But G1161 now G3568 we see G3708 not yet G3768 all things G3956 put under G5293 him. G846 But G1161 we see G991 Jesus, G2424 who G3588 was made G1642 a little G1024 G5100 lower G1642 than G3844 the angels G32 for G1223 the suffering G3804 of death, G2288 crowned G4737 with glory G1391 and G2532 honour; G5092 that G3704 he G1089 by the grace G5485 of God G2316 should taste G1089 death G2288 for G5228 every man. G3956
For G1063 every G3956 kind G5449 of beasts, G2342 and G5037 G2532 of birds, G4071 and G5037 of serpents, G2062 and G2532 of things in the sea, G1724 is tamed, G1150 and G2532 hath been tamed G1150 of mankind: G5449 G442
For G1063 in G1722 him G846 we live, G2198 and G2532 move, G2795 and G2532 have our being; G2070 as G5613 certain G5100 also G2532 of your G5209 own G2596 poets G4163 have said, G2046 For G1063 we are G2070 also G2532 his G5120 offspring. G1085 Forasmuch then G3767 as we are G5225 the offspring G1085 of God, G2316 we ought G3784 not G3756 to think G3543 that the Godhead G2304 is G1511 like G3664 unto gold, G5557 or G2228 silver, G696 or G2228 stone, G3037 graven G5480 by art G5078 and G2532 man's G444 device. G1761
What is man, H582 that thou art mindful H2142 of him? and the son H1121 of man, H120 that thou visitest H6485 him? For thou hast made him a little H4592 lower H2637 than the angels, H430 and hast crowned H5849 him with glory H3519 and honour. H1926 Thou madest him to have dominion H4910 over the works H4639 of thy hands; H3027 thou hast put H7896 all things under his feet: H7272 All sheep H6792 and oxen, H504 yea, and the beasts H929 of the field; H7704 The fowl H6833 of the air, H8064 and the fish H1709 of the sea, H3220 and whatsoever passeth through H5674 the paths H734 of the seas. H3220
Lo, H7200 this only H905 have I found, H4672 that God H430 hath made H6213 man H120 upright; H3477 but they have sought out H1245 many H7227 inventions. H2810
Let Israel H3478 rejoice H8055 in him that made H6213 him: let the children H1121 of Zion H6726 be joyful H1523 in their King. H4428
And G5037 hath made G4160 of G1537 one G1520 blood G129 all G3956 nations G1484 of men G444 for to dwell G2730 on G1909 all G3956 the face G4383 of the earth, G1093 and hath determined G3724 the times G2540 before appointed, G4384 and G2532 the bounds G3734 of their G846 habitation; G2733
Jesus G2424 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 If G1437 a man G5100 love G25 me, G3165 he will keep G5083 my G3450 words: G3056 and G2532 my G3450 Father G3962 will love G25 him, G846 and G2532 we will come G2064 unto G4314 him, G846 and G2532 make G4160 our abode G3438 with G3844 him. G846
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,