Genesis 1:1–5
The book opens with God creating: he says "Let there be light," and there is light
Study it word by word1In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.
2Now the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of Elohim was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3And Elohim said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4And Elohim saw the light, that it was good; and Elohim separated the light from the darkness.
5And Elohim called the light “Day,” and the darkness he called “Night.” And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
In its context
…
6And Elohim said, “Let there be a vault in the middle of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”
7And Elohim made the vault and separated the waters that were under the vault from the waters that were above the vault. And it was so.
Its words in the original
- רֵאשִׁיתreshit· beginning, firstfruits
What is first in time, order or importance: the beginning of something. It is also used for the "firstfruits", the first part of a harvest; the best part.
- בָּרָאbara· create
Create: make something new exist. In its basic form this verb is used in the Hebrew Bible only when God is the one acting. In other forms it means "clear, cut down" (a forest) or "fatten".
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- שָּׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- הָיְתָהhayta· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- תֹהוּtohu· formlessness, emptiness
Something without form or order: a desolate place, a wasteland. It describes the earth before God set it in order: not yet a place to live in. Figuratively, something empty or worthless; in vain.
- בֹהוּvohu· void
Empty, void, with nothing and no one. It appears with the previous word ("formless and void") to describe the earth before God set it in order and filled it with life.
- חֹשֶׁךְchoshech· darkness
Darkness, lack of light. Figuratively it can point to misfortune, ignorance or death.
- פְּנֵיpene· face, presence
Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".
- תְהוֹםtehom· the deep
The deep waters: the deep sea, the ocean, and the waters under the earth. In the Hebrew Bible it is not a place of punishment or the place of the dead.
- רוּחַruach· spirit, wind, breath
The basic idea is "air in motion". The same word can be "wind"; "breath", the air that is breathed and keeps life; or "spirit": the mood or inner strength of a person, or the Spirit of God, his presence and power at work.
- מְרַחֶפֶתmerachefet· hover
Hover gently over something, like a bird fluttering over its nest to care for it.
- מָּיִםmayim· water
Water. In Hebrew it is always plural ("waters").
- יֹּאמֶרyomer· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- אוֹרor· light
Light: daylight, the light of a lamp or of the heavenly bodies. Figuratively, life, joy or well-being.
- יַּרְאyar· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- טוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".
- יַּבְדֵּלyavdel· separate
Separate, make a distinction between two things; also set something apart for a purpose.
- יִּקְרָאyikra· call, proclaim
Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.
- יוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- לָיְלָהlayla· night
Night.
- עֶרֶבerev· evening
Evening, when the sun goes down. Each day of Genesis 1 is counted "evening and morning"; so in Israel the day begins at sunset.
- בֹקֶרvoker· morning
Morning, dawn.
- אֶחָדechad· one
One; only, the same. Also "first" in a series.