Genesis 1:4
"And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

And God saw the light, that it was good,.... Very pleasant and delightful, useful and beneficial; that is, he foresaw it would be good, of great service, as Picherellus (k) interprets it; for as yet there were no inhabitants of the earth to receive any advantage by it; see Ecc 11:7 besides, it was doubtless good to answer some present purposes, to prepare for the

work of the two following days, before the great luminary was formed; as to dispel the darkness of heaven, and that which covered the deep; to rarefy, exhale, and draw up the lighter parts of the chaos, in order to form the wide extended ether, the expanded air, and the surrounding atmosphere, while the Spirit of God was agitating the waters, and separating them from the earthy parts; and which also might serve to unite and harden those which were to form the dry land, and also to warm that when it appeared, that it might bring forth grass, herbs, and fruit trees: and God divided the light from the darkness: by which it should seem that they were mixed together, the particles of light and darkness; but "by what way is the light parted", severed and divided from darkness, is a question put to men by the Lord himself, who only can answer it, Job 38:24 he has so divided one from the other that they are not together at the same place and time; when light is in one hemisphere, darkness is in the other (l); and the one by certain constant revolutions is made to succeed the other; and by the motion of the one, the other gives way; as well as also God has divided and distinguished them by calling them by different names, as Aben Ezra, and is what next follows: (k) In Cosmopoeiam, p. 267. (l) Milton in the place above referred to says, it was divided by the hemisphere. Paradise Lost, B. 7. l. 243, &c.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (12 words)

H7200 רָאָה
Definition:

7, compareריחspectacleDeuteronomy 1:12; Sabeanראיsee, expectDHMZMG xxix (1875), 506,599; Arabicsee, so Ethiopicᵑ7רֵו,רֵיוָאhumanappearance, features, etc. (compare Hebrewרְָאִי2)); —Qal1141Perfect3mas 7, compareריחspectacleDeuteronomy 1:12; Sabeanראיsee, expectDHMZMG xxix (1875), 506,599; Arabicsee, so Ethiopicᵑ7רֵו,רֵיוָאhumanappearance, features, etc. (compare Hebrewרְָאִי2)); —Qal1141Perfect3mas

Possible Meanings:
  • vision (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)
H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H0216 אוֹר
Definition:

3(feminineJob 36:32;Jeremiah 13:16)light(Assyrianurru = ûruDlw). — absoluteGenesis 1:3+; constructJudges 16:2+; suffixאוֺרִיPsalm 27:1, etc.;pluralאוֺרִיםPsalm 136:7; —1lightas diffused in nature, lig 3(feminineJob 36:32;Jeremiah 13:16)light(Assyrianurru = ûruDlw). — absoluteGenesis 1:3+; constructJudges 16:2+; suffixאוֺרִיPsalm 27:1, etc.;pluralאוֺרִיםPsalm 136:7; —1lightas diffused in nature, lig

H3588 כִּי
Definition:

Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic, Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic,

Possible Meanings:
  • for (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
H2896 טוֹב
Definition:

Fromtowb; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the Fromtowb; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the

Possible Meanings:
  • good things (semantic_range)
  • goods (semantic_range)
  • goodness (semantic_range)
H0914 בָּדל
Definition:

9;Deuteronomy 10:8; suffixוְהִבְדִּילוֺconsecutiveDeuteronomy 29:20; 3feminine singularוְהִבְדִּילָהExodus 26:33;וְהִבְדַּלְתָּNumbers 8:14;הִבְדִּילוּEzekiel 22:26, etc.ImperfectיַבְדִּילLeviticus 1: 9;Deuteronomy 10:8; suffixוְהִבְדִּילוֺconsecutiveDeuteronomy 29:20; 3feminine singularוְהִבְדִּילָהExodus 26:33;וְהִבְדַּלְתָּNumbers 8:14;הִבְדִּילוּEzekiel 22:26, etc.ImperfectיַבְדִּילLeviticus 1:

Possible Meanings:
  • piece (semantic_range)
  • severed piece (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)
H0996 בֵּין
Definition:

4(Baer)בֵּן,בֵּינִי,ֵ˜בּינְךָ,בֵינֵךְ,בֵּינוֺ(בֵּינָיוJoshua 3:4;Joshua 8:11Qr); with plural suffix in plural formבֵּינֵינוּ(בֵּנֵינוּ), etc.; alsoבֵּינוֺתEzekiel 10:2(twice in verse);Ezekiel 10:6(twi 4(Baer)בֵּן,בֵּינִי,ֵ˜בּינְךָ,בֵינֵךְ,בֵּינוֺ(בֵּינָיוJoshua 3:4;Joshua 8:11Qr); with plural suffix in plural formבֵּינֵינוּ(בֵּנֵינוּ), etc.; alsoבֵּינוֺתEzekiel 10:2(twice in verse);Ezekiel 10:6(twi

Possible Meanings:
  • between (semantic_range)
H0216 אוֹר
Definition:

3(feminineJob 36:32;Jeremiah 13:16)light(Assyrianurru = ûruDlw). — absoluteGenesis 1:3+; constructJudges 16:2+; suffixאוֺרִיPsalm 27:1, etc.;pluralאוֺרִיםPsalm 136:7; —1lightas diffused in nature, lig 3(feminineJob 36:32;Jeremiah 13:16)light(Assyrianurru = ûruDlw). — absoluteGenesis 1:3+; constructJudges 16:2+; suffixאוֺרִיPsalm 27:1, etc.;pluralאוֺרִיםPsalm 136:7; —1lightas diffused in nature, lig

H0996 בֵּין
Definition:

4(Baer)בֵּן,בֵּינִי,ֵ˜בּינְךָ,בֵינֵךְ,בֵּינוֺ(בֵּינָיוJoshua 3:4;Joshua 8:11Qr); with plural suffix in plural formבֵּינֵינוּ(בֵּנֵינוּ), etc.; alsoבֵּינוֺתEzekiel 10:2(twice in verse);Ezekiel 10:6(twi 4(Baer)בֵּן,בֵּינִי,ֵ˜בּינְךָ,בֵינֵךְ,בֵּינוֺ(בֵּינָיוJoshua 3:4;Joshua 8:11Qr); with plural suffix in plural formבֵּינֵינוּ(בֵּנֵינוּ), etc.; alsoבֵּינוֺתEzekiel 10:2(twice in verse);Ezekiel 10:6(twi

Possible Meanings:
  • between (semantic_range)
H2822 חשֶׁךְ
Definition:

21darkness, obscurity— absoluteחשֶׁךְGenesis 1:275t. (+Ezekiel 8:12strike out Co A B etc.); constructid.Exodus 10:22; suffixחָשְׁכִּיPsalm 18:29=2 Samuel 22:29; —1darkness(opposed toאוֺר) literalGenes 21darkness, obscurity— absoluteחשֶׁךְGenesis 1:275t. (+Ezekiel 8:12strike out Co A B etc.); constructid.Exodus 10:22; suffixחָשְׁכִּיPsalm 18:29=2 Samuel 22:29; —1darkness(opposed toאוֺר) literalGenes

Possible Meanings:
  • obscure (semantic_range)
  • low (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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