The Meaning of Genesis 1:7 Explained

Genesis 1:7

KJV: And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

YLT: And God maketh the expanse, and it separateth between the waters which are under the expanse, and the waters which are above the expanse: and it is so.

Darby: And God made the expanse, and divided between the waters that are under the expanse and the waters that are above the expanse; and it was so.

ASV: And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And God  made  the firmament,  and divided  the waters  which  [were] under  the firmament  from the waters  which  [were] above  the firmament:  and it was so. 

What does Genesis 1:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God separated the waters so some of them remained on the earth and some were above the earth in the atmosphere. Before He made this division there may have been a dense fog over the whole surface of the earth. [1]

Context Summary

Genesis 1:6-19 - Sky, Earth, Seasons
There were successive stages in creation. The days probably represent long periods. It is so with the new creation in our hearts. See 2 Corinthians 5:17. In nature the clouds that float above us are separated from the waters at our feet so in Christian experience we must seek to quench our thirst not only from below, but from above. See Colossians 3:1-4. Our wells must be filled from Heaven. Notice how in creation there are repeated separations, as between Day and Night, Seas and Lands; so as we live in the Spirit, we are quicker to distinguish not only between white and black, but the different shades of gray. The test of plant-life is the power of reproducing their kind; we are always reproducing ourselves in others, and sowing wheat or poppies. If God maintains suns and planets in bright and ordered beauty, He can keep us, Isaiah 40:26-27. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 1

1  God creates heaven and earth;
3  the light;
6  the firmament;
9  separates the dry land;
14  forms the sun, moon, and stars;
20  fishes and fowls;
24  cattle, wild beasts, and creeping things;
26  creates man in his own image, blesses him;
29  grants the fruits of the earth for food

What do the individual words in Genesis 1:7 mean?

So made God - the firmament and He divided between the waters that [were] under the firmament and the waters that [were] above the firmament and it was so
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־ הָרָקִיעַ֒ וַיַּבְדֵּ֗ל בֵּ֤ין הַמַּ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ מִתַּ֣חַת לָרָקִ֔יעַ וּבֵ֣ין הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעַ֣ל לָרָקִ֑יעַ וַֽיְהִי־ כֵֽן

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ  So  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֱלֹהִים֮  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָרָקִיעַ֒  the  firmament 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָקִיעַ  
Sense: extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament.
וַיַּבְדֵּ֗ל  and  He  divided 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּדַל  
Sense: to divide, separate.
בֵּ֤ין  between 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
הַמַּ֙יִם֙  the  waters 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
אֲשֶׁר֙  that  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מִתַּ֣חַת  under 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
לָרָקִ֔יעַ  the  firmament 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָקִיעַ  
Sense: extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament.
הַמַּ֔יִם  the  waters 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  that  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מֵעַ֣ל  above 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
לָרָקִ֑יעַ  the  firmament 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָקִיעַ  
Sense: extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament.
וַֽיְהִי־  and  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כֵֽן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.