Genesis 1:24
"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."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

And God said, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind,.... All sorts of living creatures that live and move upon the earth; not that the earth was endued with a power to produce these creatures of itself, without the interposition of God: for though it might be impregnated with a quickening virtue by the Spirit of God, which moved on it whilst a fluid, and had been prepared and disposed for such a production by the heat of the body of light created on the first day, and of the sun on the fourth; yet no doubt it was by the power of God accompanying his

word, that these creatures were produced of the earth, and formed into their several shapes. The Heathens had some traditionary notion of this affair: according to the Egyptians, whose sentiments Diodorus Siculus (c) seems to give us, the process was thus carried on; the earth being stiffened by the rays of the sun, and the moist matter being made fruitful by the genial heat, at night received nourishment by the mist which fell from the ambient air; and in the day was consolidated by the heat of the sun, till at length the enclosed foetus having arrived to a perfect increase, and the membranes burnt and burst, creatures of all kinds appeared; of whom those that had got a greater degree of heat went upwards, and became flying fowl; those that were endued with an earthly concretion were reckoned in the class or order of reptiles, and other terrestrial animals; and those that chiefly partook of a moist or watery nature, ran to the place of a like kind, and were called swimmers or fish. This is the account they give; and somewhat like is that which Archelaus, the master of Socrates, delivers as his notion, that animals were produced out of slime, through the heat of the earth liquefying the slime like milk for food (d): and Zeno the Stoic says (e), the grosser part of the watery matter of the world made the earth, the thinner part the air, and that still more subtilized, the fire; and then out of the mixture of these proceeded plants and animals, and all the other kinds; but all this they seem to suppose to be done by the mere efforts of nature; whereas Moses here most truly ascribes their production to the all powerful Word of God: cattle, and creeping things, and beast of the earth after his kind; the living creatures produced out of the earth are distinguished into three sorts; "cattle", which seem to design tame cattle, and such as are for the use of man, either for carriage, food, or clothing, as horses, asses, camels, oxen, sheep, &c. and "creeping" things, which are different from the creeping things in the sea before mentioned, are such as either have no feet, and go upon their bellies, or are very short, and seem to do so, whether greater or lesser, as serpents, worms, ants, &c, and the beast of the earth seems to design wild beasts, such as lions, bears, wolves, &c, and it was so; such creatures were immediately produced. (c) Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 7. (d) Laert. in Vita Archelai, p. 99. (e) Ib. in Vita Zenonis, p. 524.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (14 words)

H0559 אָמַר
Definition:

1+, etc.;ImperfectיאֹמַרGenesis 31:8+;וַיּאֹ֫מֶרGenesis 1:3+;וַיּאֹמַ֑רGenesis 14:19+; in Job alwaysוַיּאֹ֑מַרJob 3:2+; 3 feminine singularתּאֹמַרGenesis 21:12+;תּאֹמֵר֑Proverbs 1:21; 1singularאֹמַרGe 1+, etc.;ImperfectיאֹמַרGenesis 31:8+;וַיּאֹ֫מֶרGenesis 1:3+;וַיּאֹמַ֑רGenesis 14:19+; in Job alwaysוַיּאֹ֑מַרJob 3:2+; 3 feminine singularתּאֹמַרGenesis 21:12+;תּאֹמֵר֑Proverbs 1:21; 1singularאֹמַרGe

Possible Meanings:
  • lamb (semantic_range)
H0430 אֱלהִים
Definition:

33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power 33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

Possible Meanings:
  • divine ones (semantic_range)
  • angels (semantic_range)
  • gods (semantic_range)
H3318 יָצָא
Definition:

1192t.; 3 feminine singularיָָֽצְאָהNumbers 16:3513t.;יָצָ֑אָהIsaiah 28:29; 2masculine singularיָצָאתָGenesis 24:57t.; 2 feminine singularוְיָצָאתJeremiah 31:4; 2masculine pluralיְצָאתֶםExodus 13:3;De 1192t.; 3 feminine singularיָָֽצְאָהNumbers 16:3513t.;יָצָ֑אָהIsaiah 28:29; 2masculine singularיָצָאתָGenesis 24:57t.; 2 feminine singularוְיָצָאתJeremiah 31:4; 2masculine pluralיְצָאתֶםExodus 13:3;De

Possible Meanings:
  • go (semantic_range)
  • come out (semantic_range)
  • go (semantic_range)
  • come out (semantic_range)
  • forth (semantic_range)
H0776 אֶרֶץ
Definition:

11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,) 11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,)

H5315 נֶפֶשׁ
Definition:

6(so evenGenesis 2:19;Numbers 31:28;1 Kings 19:2see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 42SS)soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion(Ecclus 3:18; 4:1 (twice in verse); Ecclesias 6(so evenGenesis 2:19;Numbers 31:28;1 Kings 19:2see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 42SS)soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion(Ecclus 3:18; 4:1 (twice in verse); Ecclesias

Possible Meanings:
  • take breath (semantic_range)
  • refresh oneself (semantic_range)
  • take breath (semantic_range)
  • refresh oneself (semantic_range)
H2416 חַי
Definition:

Fromchayah; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figurat Fromchayah; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figurat

H4327 מִין
Definition:

25id.), alsoschismatic, heretic; Jewish-Aramaicמִינָא,species; Palestinian Syriac =nationPS2094SchwIdioticon 50; yet not Aramaic loan-word in Hebrew; see LagBN 183 f.); — always suffix + prepositionלְ 25id.), alsoschismatic, heretic; Jewish-Aramaicמִינָא,species; Palestinian Syriac =nationPS2094SchwIdioticon 50; yet not Aramaic loan-word in Hebrew; see LagBN 183 f.); — always suffix + prepositionלְ

Possible Meanings:
  • kind (semantic_range)
H0929 בְּהֵמָה
Definition:

24137t.; constructבֶּהֱמַתNumbers 3:41(twice in verse) + 10 t.; suffixבְּהֶמְתְּךָLeviticus 19:194t.;בְּהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָExodus 20:104t.;בְּהֶמְתּוֺGenesis 36:6;Proverbs 12:10; plural absoluteבְּהֵמוֺתDeuter 24137t.; constructבֶּהֱמַתNumbers 3:41(twice in verse) + 10 t.; suffixבְּהֶמְתְּךָLeviticus 19:194t.;בְּהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָExodus 20:104t.;בְּהֶמְתּוֺGenesis 36:6;Proverbs 12:10; plural absoluteבְּהֵמוֺתDeuter

Possible Meanings:
  • beast (semantic_range)
  • animal (semantic_range)
  • cattle (semantic_range)
  • wild beasts (semantic_range)
H7431 רֶמֶשׂ
Definition:

20collectivecreeping things, moving things; —׳רabsolute1 Kings 5:13+, constructHosea 2:20+; —1creeping things(distinguished fromבְּהֵמָה,חַיָּה,עוֺף,צִמּוֺר,דָּג)Hosea 2:20;1 Kings 5:13;Ezekiel 8:10;E 20collectivecreeping things, moving things; —׳רabsolute1 Kings 5:13+, constructHosea 2:20+; —1creeping things(distinguished fromבְּהֵמָה,חַיָּה,עוֺף,צִמּוֺר,דָּג)Hosea 2:20;1 Kings 5:13;Ezekiel 8:10;E

H2416 חַי
Definition:

Fromchayah; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figurat Fromchayah; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figurat

H0776 אֶרֶץ
Definition:

11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,) 11& (seldom)masculineGenesis 13:16earth, land(Phoenician, MIארץ, AssyrianirƒituCOTGloss, Arabic, Sabeanארץֿe.g. Os9DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Semitic Sprachf. 12, compare PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaicאֲרַע,)

H4327 מִין
Definition:

25id.), alsoschismatic, heretic; Jewish-Aramaicמִינָא,species; Palestinian Syriac =nationPS2094SchwIdioticon 50; yet not Aramaic loan-word in Hebrew; see LagBN 183 f.); — always suffix + prepositionלְ 25id.), alsoschismatic, heretic; Jewish-Aramaicמִינָא,species; Palestinian Syriac =nationPS2094SchwIdioticon 50; yet not Aramaic loan-word in Hebrew; see LagBN 183 f.); — always suffix + prepositionלְ

Possible Meanings:
  • kind (semantic_range)
H1961 הָיָה
Definition:

1+;וְהָיָהconsecutiveGenesis 4:14+; 3 feminine singularהָֽיְתָהGenesis 1:2+;הָיָ֑תָהIsaiah 14:243t.;וְהָֽיְתָהconsecutiveGenesis 9:13+;והית2Kings 9:37 Kt (Qrוְהָֽיְתָה); 2 masculine singularהָיִיתָDeu 1+;וְהָיָהconsecutiveGenesis 4:14+; 3 feminine singularהָֽיְתָהGenesis 1:2+;הָיָ֑תָהIsaiah 14:243t.;וְהָֽיְתָהconsecutiveGenesis 9:13+;והית2Kings 9:37 Kt (Qrוְהָֽיְתָה); 2 masculine singularהָיִיתָDeu

Possible Meanings:
  • fall out (semantic_range)
  • come to pass (semantic_range)
  • become (semantic_range)
  • be (semantic_range)
  • Fall out (semantic_range)
H3651 כֵּן
Definition:

29+ (on possibly construct see2near the end); pluralכֵּנִיםGenesis 42:11,19,31,33,34; —1right, usually indecl., often as substantivea right thing, especially with vbb.dicendiExodus 10:29(J)כֵּן דִּבַּ 29+ (on possibly construct see2near the end); pluralכֵּנִיםGenesis 42:11,19,31,33,34; —1right, usually indecl., often as substantivea right thing, especially with vbb.dicendiExodus 10:29(J)כֵּן דִּבַּ

Possible Meanings:
  • thus (semantic_range)
  • as follows (semantic_range)

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