Genesis 1:16

Modern

God 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.

Traditional

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

Literal

And God made the two great lights: The greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.

Latin

Fecitque Deus duo luminaria magna: luminare majus, ut præesset diei: et luminare minus, ut præesset nocti: et stellas.

Hebrew

English

God 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.

In the surrounding pagan cultures, people worshiped the sun and moon as gods. But in Genesis, they serve God and humanity (see Psalm 136:7–9; Jeremiah 31:35).
Here, this verse does not name the sun and moon. They are simply called the greater light and the lesser light. Not naming them may have reminded Israel that they were not gods.
rule: Compare 1:26, 28; Psalm 136:9.
the stars: The stars bear witness to God's power to create, and they declare his glory (Psalms 19:1; 148:3). They do not predict the future, as Israel’s neighbors believed (see Jeremiah 10:2).

On days four through six, God filled the domains that had been formed during days one through three (1:3–13).

These verses introduce the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). They teach Israel that one true God created, ordered, and populated the world, not the gods of nearby nations.
God blessed three specific things:
- animal life (1:22–25),
- human life (1:27), and
- the Sabbath day (2:3).
These three blessings emphasize the Creator's plan. God made humans in his image to rule in his place over earth's creatures and to join in God's Sabbath rest.

Theme notes and profiles

Psalm 136:7–9
He made the great lights—His loving devotion endures forever.
Deuteronomy 4:19
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
Psalm 8:3
When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place—
Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Psalm 74:16
The day is Yours, and also the night; You established the moon and the sun.
Psalm 148:5
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He gave the command and they were created.
Psalm 148:3
Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.
Job 38:7
…while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Habakkuk 3:11
Sun and moon stood still in their places at the flash of Your flying arrows, at the brightness of Your shining spear.
Matthew 27:45
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
Isaiah 45:7
I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.
Isaiah 13:10
For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.