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Genesis 1:17 God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Genesis 1:17 God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/genesis/1-17.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/19/01_Gen_01_17.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Genesis 1:17 - The Fourth Day" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth," /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; 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(Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/genesis/1.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/genesis/1.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />God set these lights in the sky to light the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/genesis/1.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/genesis/1.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/genesis/1.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/genesis/1.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/genesis/1.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/genesis/1.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/genesis/1.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/genesis/1.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/genesis/1.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to provide light upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/genesis/1.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/genesis/1.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/genesis/1.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/genesis/1.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Then God put these lights in the sky to shine on the earth, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/genesis/1.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/genesis/1.htm">GOD'S WORD&reg; Translation</a></span><br />God put them in the sky to give light to the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/genesis/1.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />He placed the lights in the sky to shine on the earth, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/genesis/1.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />God placed them in space to shine on the earth, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/genesis/1.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />God placed the lights in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/genesis/1.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />And God set them in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/genesis/1.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth.<div class="vheading2"><b>Majority Text Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/genesis/1.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/genesis/1.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light to the earth, <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/genesis/1.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />and God gives them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/genesis/1.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and God giveth them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/genesis/1.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And God will give them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/genesis/1.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And he set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/genesis/1.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />And he set them in the firmament of heaven, to give light over all the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/genesis/1.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />God set them in the dome of the sky, to illuminate the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/genesis/1.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth,<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/genesis/1.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/genesis/1.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And God gave them in the firmament of Heaven to give light on the Earth,<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/genesis/1.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/genesis/1.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And God placed them in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/genesis/1-17.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ehevn8iSgc?start=138" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/genesis/1.htm">The Fourth Day</a></span><br>&#8230;<span class="reftext">16</span>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. <span class="reftext">17</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/430.htm" title="430: &#8217;&#277;&#183;l&#333;&#183;h&#238;m (N-mp) -- Plural of 'elowahh; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used of the supreme God">God</a> <a href="/hebrew/5414.htm" title="5414: way&#183;yit&#183;t&#234;n (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To give, put, set. A primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application.">set</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: &#8217;&#333;&#183;&#7791;&#257;m (DirObjM:: 3mp) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self.">these lights</a> <a href="/hebrew/7549.htm" title="7549: bir&#183;q&#238;&#183;a&#8216; (Prep-b:: N-msc) -- An extended surface, expanse. From raqa'; properly, an expanse, i.e. The firmament or visible arch of the sky.">in the expanse</a> <a href="/hebrew/8064.htm" title="8064: ha&#353;&#183;&#353;&#257;&#183;m&#257;&#183;yim (Art:: N-mp) -- Heaven, sky. Dual of an unused singular shameh; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky.">of the sky</a> <a href="/hebrew/215.htm" title="215: l&#601;&#183;h&#257;&#183;&#8217;&#238;r (Prep-l:: V-Hifil-Inf) -- To be or become light. A primitive root; to be luminous.">to shine</a> <a href="/hebrew/5921.htm" title="5921: &#8216;al- (Prep) -- Properly, the same as al used as a preposition; above, over, upon, or against in a great variety of applications.">upon</a> <a href="/hebrew/776.htm" title="776: h&#257;&#183;&#8217;&#257;&#183;re&#7779; (Art:: N-fs) -- Earth, land. From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth.">the earth,</a> </span><span class="reftext">18</span>to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.&#8230;<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> &middot; <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/136-7.htm">Psalm 136:7-9</a></span><br />He made the great lights&#8212;His loving devotion endures forever. / the sun to rule the day, His loving devotion endures forever. / the moon and stars to govern the night. His loving devotion endures forever.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/31-35.htm">Jeremiah 31:35</a></span><br />Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar&#8212;the LORD of Hosts is His name:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/40-26.htm">Isaiah 40:26</a></span><br />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.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/job/38-12.htm">Job 38:12-13</a></span><br />In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place, / that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/19-1.htm">Psalm 19:1-6</a></span><br />For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. / Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. / Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard, ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/4-19.htm">Deuteronomy 4:19</a></span><br />When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars&#8212;all the host of heaven&#8212;do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/8-3.htm">Psalm 8:3</a></span><br />When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place&#8212;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/45-7.htm">Isaiah 45:7</a></span><br />I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/job/9-7.htm">Job 9:7-9</a></span><br />He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars. / He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. / He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/104-19.htm">Psalm 104:19</a></span><br />He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows when to set.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/5-14.htm">Matthew 5:14-16</a></span><br />You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. / Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. / In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/1-4.htm">John 1:4-5</a></span><br />In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. / The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/8-12.htm">John 8:12</a></span><br />Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, &#8220;I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.&#8221;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/15-41.htm">1 Corinthians 15:41</a></span><br />The sun has one degree of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/21-23.htm">Revelation 21:23</a></span><br />And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth,</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/9-13.htm">Genesis 9:13</a></b></br> I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/38-12.htm">Job 38:12</a></b></br> Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; <i>and</i> caused the dayspring to know his place;</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/8-1.htm">Psalm 8:1,3</a></b></br> To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent <i>is</i> thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens&#8230; </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/genesis/1-15.htm">Arch</a> <a href="/genesis/1-15.htm">Earth</a> <a href="/genesis/1-15.htm">Expanse</a> <a href="/genesis/1-15.htm">Firmament</a> <a href="/genesis/1-15.htm">Heaven</a> <a href="/genesis/1-15.htm">Heavens</a> <a href="/genesis/1-5.htm">Light</a> <a href="/revelation/11-9.htm">Placed</a> <a href="/genesis/1-15.htm">Sky</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/genesis/1-20.htm">Arch</a> <a href="/genesis/1-20.htm">Earth</a> <a href="/genesis/1-20.htm">Expanse</a> <a href="/genesis/1-20.htm">Firmament</a> <a href="/genesis/1-20.htm">Heaven</a> <a href="/genesis/1-20.htm">Heavens</a> <a href="/genesis/1-18.htm">Light</a> <a href="/genesis/2-8.htm">Placed</a> <a href="/genesis/1-20.htm">Sky</a><div class="vheading2">Genesis 1</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-1.htm">God creates heaven and earth;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">3. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-3.htm">the light;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">6. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-6.htm">the firmament;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">9. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-9.htm">separates the dry land;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">14. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-14.htm">forms the sun, moon, and stars;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">20. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-20.htm">fishes and fowls;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">24. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-24.htm">cattle, wild beasts, and creeping things;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">26. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-26.htm">creates man in his own image, blesses him;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">29. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/1-29.htm">grants the fruits of the earth for food.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-ATF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-300x250-ATF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-BTF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-300x250-BTF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-BTF2 --> <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/genesis/1.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/genesis/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book&nbsp;&#9702;</a>&nbsp;<a href="/study/chapters/genesis/1.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter&nbsp;</a></tr></table></div><b>God set these lights</b><br>This phrase indicates divine intentionality and purpose. The "lights" refer to the sun, moon, and stars, which were created by God to serve specific functions. This act of setting the lights underscores God's sovereignty over creation, as He not only creates but also places and orders the celestial bodies. This reflects the orderly nature of God's creation, contrasting with ancient Near Eastern myths where celestial bodies were often deities themselves. The biblical narrative emphasizes that these lights are not gods but creations of the one true God.<p><b>in the expanse of the sky</b><br>The "expanse" refers to the firmament, which God created on the second day to separate the waters above from the waters below. This firmament is often understood as the sky or the heavens. In ancient cosmology, the sky was seen as a solid dome, and the placement of the lights within this expanse signifies their role in the heavens. This placement also highlights the separation between the divine realm and the earthly realm, with the lights serving as a bridge between the two.<p><b>to shine upon the earth</b><br>The purpose of the lights is to illuminate the earth, providing light and marking time. This illumination is both physical and symbolic, representing God's provision and care for His creation. The lights govern the day and night, seasons, and years, establishing a rhythm and order to life on earth. This function is echoed in other scriptures, such as <a href="/psalms/19.htm">Psalm 19:1-6</a>, which speaks of the heavens declaring the glory of God. The lights also foreshadow the coming of Jesus Christ, who is described as the "light of the world" in <a href="/john/8-12.htm">John 8:12</a>, bringing spiritual illumination to humanity.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/g/god.htm">God</a></b><br>The Creator, who is actively involved in the formation and ordering of the universe. In this verse, God is the one who places the celestial bodies in the sky.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_expanse_of_the_sky.htm">The Expanse of the Sky</a></b><br>Refers to the firmament or the heavens, which God created to separate the waters above from the waters below. It is the domain where the sun, moon, and stars are placed.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/l/light_on_the_earth.htm">Light on the Earth</a></b><br>The purpose of the celestial bodies is to illuminate the earth, providing both physical light and a means to mark time and seasons.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_order_and_purpose.htm">God's Order and Purpose</a></b><br>God is a God of order, not chaos. The placement of the celestial bodies demonstrates His intentional design and purpose for creation.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/d/divine_provision.htm">Divine Provision</a></b><br>Just as God provided physical light for the earth, He provides spiritual light through His Word and His Son, Jesus Christ.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/s/stewardship_of_creation.htm">Stewardship of Creation</a></b><br>Recognizing the purpose and order in creation should lead us to a greater appreciation and stewardship of the natural world.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/d/dependence_on_god.htm">Dependence on God</a></b><br>The regularity of day and night reminds us of our dependence on God's provision and faithfulness.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_genesis_1.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Genesis 1</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_does_genesis_list_earth_before_stars.htm">Why does Genesis describe the Earth before the stars when science shows stars formed first?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_'ephphatha'_mean.htm">What did God create on day four?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_did_day_3_plants_survive_without_sun.htm">How could plants created on Day 3 (Genesis 1:11&#8211;13) survive before the sun was made on Day 4 (Genesis 1:14&#8211;19)? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_do_the_7_stars_in_revelation_mean.htm">What do the seven stars in Revelation represent?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/genesis/1.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verses 17, 18.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">And God set</span> (literally, gave) <span class="cmt_word">them</span> (i.e. sun, moon, and stars) <span class="cmt_word">in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and ever the night, and to divide the light from the darkness</span>. An intimation that on this day the astronomical arrangements for the illumination of the globe and the measurement of time were permanently settled. <span class="cmt_word">And God saw that it was good</span>. Laplace was inclined to question the Divine verdict with regard at least to the moon, which he thought might have been so placed as to be always full, whereas, at its present distance from the earth, we are sometimes deprived of both its light and the sun's together. But not to dwell upon the fact that to remove the moon four times its present distance from the earth, which it would require to be in order to be always full, would necessitate important changes in the other members of the solar system which might not be for the earth's advantage, the immediate effect of such a disposition of the lunar orb would be to give us a moon of only one sixteenth the size of that which now dispenses its silver beams upon our darkened globe (<a href="/job/11-12.htm">Job 11:12</a>). <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/genesis/1-17.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">God</span><br /><span class="heb">&#1488;&#1457;&#1500;&#1465;&#1492;&#1460;&#1430;&#1497;&#1501;</span> <span class="translit">(&#8217;&#277;&#183;l&#333;&#183;h&#238;m)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_430.htm">Strong's 430: </a> </span><span class="str2">gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative</span><br /><br /><span class="word">set</span><br /><span class="heb">&#1493;&#1463;&#1497;&#1468;&#1460;&#1514;&#1468;&#1461;&#1445;&#1503;</span> <span class="translit">(way&#183;yit&#183;t&#234;n)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw &#124; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5414.htm">Strong's 5414: </a> </span><span class="str2">To give, put, set</span><br /><br /><span class="word">[these lights]</span><br /><span class="heb">&#1488;&#1465;&#1514;&#1464;&#1435;&#1501;</span> <span class="translit">(&#8217;&#333;&#183;&#7791;&#257;m)</span><br /><span class="parse">Direct object marker &#124; third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_853.htm">Strong's 853: </a> </span><span class="str2">Untranslatable mark of the accusative case</span><br /><br /><span class="word">in the expanse</span><br /><span class="heb">&#1489;&#1468;&#1460;&#1512;&#1456;&#1511;&#1460;&#1443;&#1497;&#1506;&#1463;</span> <span class="translit">(bir&#183;q&#238;&#183;a&#8216;)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-b &#124; Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7549.htm">Strong's 7549: </a> </span><span class="str2">An expanse, the firmament, visible arch of the sky</span><br /><br /><span class="word">of the sky</span><br /><span class="heb">&#1492;&#1463;&#1513;&#1473;&#1468;&#1464;&#1502;&#1464;&#1425;&#1497;&#1460;&#1501;</span> <span class="translit">(ha&#353;&#183;&#353;&#257;&#183;m&#257;&#183;yim)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article &#124; Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8064.htm">Strong's 8064: </a> </span><span class="str2">Heaven, sky</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to shine</span><br /><span class="heb">&#1500;&#1456;&#1492;&#1464;&#1488;&#1460;&#1430;&#1497;&#1512;</span> <span class="translit">(l&#601;&#183;h&#257;&#183;&#8217;&#238;r)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l &#124; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_215.htm">Strong's 215: </a> </span><span class="str2">To be or become light</span><br /><br /><span class="word">upon</span><br /><span class="heb">&#1506;&#1463;&#1500;&#1470;</span> <span class="translit">(&#8216;al-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5921.htm">Strong's 5921: </a> </span><span class="str2">Above, over, upon, against</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the earth,</span><br /><span class="heb">&#1492;&#1464;&#1488;&#1464;&#1469;&#1512;&#1462;&#1509;&#1475;</span> <span class="translit">(h&#257;&#183;&#8217;&#257;&#183;re&#7779;)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article &#124; Noun - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_776.htm">Strong's 776: </a> </span><span class="str2">Earth, land</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/genesis/1-17.htm">Genesis 1:17 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/genesis/1-17.htm">OT Law: Genesis 1:17 God set them in the expanse (Gen. Ge Gn)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/genesis/1-16.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 1:16"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 1:16" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/genesis/1-18.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 1:18"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 1:18" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>

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