The Meaning of Genesis 1:9 Explained

Genesis 1:9

KJV: And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

YLT: And God saith, 'Let the waters under the heavens be collected unto one place, and let the dry land be seen:' and it is so.

Darby: And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear. And it was so.

ASV: And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And God  said,  Let the waters  under the heaven  be gathered together  unto  one  place,  and let the dry  [land] appear:  and it was so. 

What does Genesis 1:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

"Seas" (Heb. yammim) probably refers broadly to all bodies of water, not just oceans.

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 1:9 mean?

And said God let be gathered together the waters under the heavens into place one and let appear the dry [land] and it was so
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִקָּו֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם מִתַּ֤חַת הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֶל־ מָק֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד וְתֵרָאֶ֖ה הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וַֽיְהִי־ כֵֽן

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֱלֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִקָּו֨וּ  let  be  gathered  together 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָוָה 
Sense: to wait, look for, hope, expect.
הַמַּ֜יִם  the  waters 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
מִתַּ֤חַת  under 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙  the  heavens 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מָק֣וֹם  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֶחָ֔ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וְתֵרָאֶ֖ה  and  let  appear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה  the  dry  [land] 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַבָּשָׁה  
Sense: dry land, dry ground.
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.