Genesis 1:17

Modern

God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,

Traditional

And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

Literal

And God set them in the firmament of the heavens, to shine upon the earth,

Latin

Et posuit eas in firmamento cæli, ut lucerent super terram,

Hebrew

English

God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,

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 8:3
When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place—
Psalm 8:1
For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.
Job 38:12
In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,
Acts 13:47
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”