Devine Scripture

Genesis 1:11

What does Genesis 1:11 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 1:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 1:11 means

Still on the third day, God commanded the newly formed dry land to produce vegetation: grass, seed-bearing herbs, and fruit-bearing trees, each reproducing "after their kind." This demonstrates God's immediate plan for the earth to be fruitful and diverse, providing sustenance and beauty. The emphasis on plants yielding seed and fruit implies an inherent design for self-perpetuation and genetic continuity within each species. This act prepares the earth as a living ecosystem, establishing the foundational food sources that will support all future land and animal life.

Genesis 1:11 in context

Genesis 1 — The Six Days of Creation

The Bible opens not with an argument for the existence of God but with the announcement of his creative act. In six measured days God speaks the cosmos into being — light, sky, sea, land, plants, sun and moon, fish and birds, animals, and finally man and woman in his own image. Each act ends with the refrain, 'and God saw that it was good.' The chapter establishes God's sovereignty, the goodness of the material world, the dignity of humanity, and the rhythm of work and rest that will shape all of Scripture.

  • Creation ex nihilo
  • The image of God
  • The goodness of creation
  • Sabbath rhythm

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And God said, Let grass come up on the earth, and plants producing seed, and fruit-trees giving fruit, in which is their seed, after their sort: and it was so.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And God saith, `Let the earth yield tender grass, herb sowing seed, fruit-tree (whose seed <FI>is<Fi> in itself) making fruit after its kind, on the earth:' and it is so.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he said: let the earth bring forth green herb, and such as may seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, which may have seed in itself upon the earth. And it was so done.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

AndGod said, Let the earth cause grass to spring up, herb producing seed, fruit-trees yielding fruit after their kind, the seed of which is in them, on the earth. And it was so.

Context

Immediately after the formation of dry land and its naming, this verse describes God's command for the earth to bring forth vegetation. This is a direct consequence of the physical ordering of land and water, showing God's sequential and systematic approach to creation. This command initiates the generation of plant life, providing the necessary foundation for the animal life that will be created later, and highlighting the earth's planned fruitfulness.

v.10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

v.11This passage

v.12And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Jeremiah 17:8

    For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

  • Psalms 65:9

    Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it, Thou greatly enrichest it; The river of God is full of water: Thou providest them grain, when thou hast so prepared the earth.

  • James 3:12

    can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither can salt water yield sweet.

  • Psalms 104:14

    He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, And herb for the service of man; That he may bring forth food out of the earth,

  • Matthew 6:30

    But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

  • Genesis 2:5

    And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Jehovah God had not caused it to rain upon the earth: and there was not a man to till the ground;

Sermon ideas from Genesis 1:11

Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.

  • What Genesis 1:11 teaches us about creation ex nihilo

  • What Genesis 1:11 teaches us about the image of god

  • What Genesis 1:11 teaches us about the goodness of creation

  • What Genesis 1:11 teaches us about sabbath rhythm

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