Devine Scripture

Genesis 1:24

What does Genesis 1:24 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 1:24 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 1:24 means

On the sixth day, God commanded the earth to bring forth various kinds of living creatures: "cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth, after their kind." This demonstrates God's power to generate land animals directly from the earth itself, showcasing His diverse methods of creation. The command for each to reproduce "after their kind" reinforces the principle of biological specificity and order. This act populates the dry land prepared on day three, filling it with a rich variety of animal life that would coexist with later human inhabitants.

Genesis 1:24 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 bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And God said, Let the earth give birth to all sorts of living things, cattle and all things moving on the earth, and beasts of the earth after their sort: and it was so.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And God saith, `Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind:' and it is so.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And God said: Let the earth bring forth the living creature in its kind, cattle and creeping things, and beasts of the earth, according to their kinds. And it was so done.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

AndGod said, Let the earth bring forth living souls after their kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth, after their kind. And it was so.

Context

Having finished filling the waters and skies, this verse begins the work of the sixth day by commanding the earth to produce land animals. This command continues the pattern of filling the previously prepared environments, specifically the dry land. It sets the stage for the actual creation of these diverse land creatures, leading directly into their materialization and specific categorization in the next verse, building towards the pinnacle of creation.

v.23And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

v.24This passage

v.25And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good.

Cross references

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

  • Genesis 6:20

    Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

  • Genesis 8:19

    every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatsoever moveth upon the earth, after their families, went forth out of the ark.

  • Psalms 50:9

    I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goats out of thy folds.

  • Psalms 148:10

    Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and flying birds;

  • Job 39:19

    Hast thou given the horsehismight? Hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?

  • Job 38:39

    Canst thou hunt the prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

Sermon ideas from Genesis 1:24

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

  • What Genesis 1:24 teaches us about creation ex nihilo

  • What Genesis 1:24 teaches us about the image of god

  • What Genesis 1:24 teaches us about the goodness of creation

  • What Genesis 1:24 teaches us about sabbath rhythm

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