Devine Scripture

Genesis 1:5

What does Genesis 1:5 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 1:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 1:5 means

God established the distinct temporal cycles of "Day" and "Night" by naming the light and the darkness. This act of naming solidifies the differentiation He just made, giving definition and purpose to these newly separated elements. The phrase "there was evening and there was morning, one day" defines a creational day as a distinct period, emphasizing its divine origin and structure. This verse highlights God's authority to set boundaries and establish chronological patterns, creating the very concept of time within His created order, setting a pattern for all subsequent days.

Genesis 1:5 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 called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Naming the light, Day, and the dark, Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and God calleth to the light `Day,' and to the darkness He hath called `Night;' and there is an evening, and there is a morning--day one.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he called the light Day, and the darkness Night; and there was evening and morning one day.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

AndGod called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day.

Context

Building on the creation of light and its separation from darkness in the preceding verses, this verse establishes the naming of these divisions as "Day" and "Night." It then formally concludes the first day of creation by defining its duration, introducing the recurring phrase "evening and morning." This structured conclusion reinforces God's ordering of time and precedes the next stage of creation, which will involve dividing the waters.

v.4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

v.5This passage

v.6And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

Cross references

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

  • Genesis 1:13

    And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

  • Psalms 104:20

    Thou makest darkness, and it is night, Wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth.

  • Isaiah 45:7

    I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.

  • Genesis 1:19

    And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:13

    each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man’s work of what sort it is.

  • Genesis 1:23

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

Sermon ideas from Genesis 1:5

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

  • What Genesis 1:5 teaches us about creation ex nihilo

  • What Genesis 1:5 teaches us about the image of god

  • What Genesis 1:5 teaches us about the goodness of creation

  • What Genesis 1:5 teaches us about sabbath rhythm

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