Genesis 1:20
And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say God created sea creatures and birds; it emphasizes that the waters themselves were commanded to "swarm" with life, and the birds were to fly "across the expanse of the heavens." This highlights God's power to imbue even the elements with the ability to bring forth abundant life, a concept often missed in a superficial reading.
On the fifth day of creation, God speaks life into the waters and the sky. He commands the oceans to teem with living creatures and birds to fill the air, marking the emergence of sentient life into the world. This follows the creation of the heavens and earth, the separation of land and sea, and the formation of the atmosphere, setting the stage for the teeming aquatic and aerial life that would soon populate the planet.
Ever wonder if the vibrant life in our oceans and skies is just a cosmic accident? Genesis 1:20 points to a different origin story.
The verse begins with God's spoken word: 'Let the waters swarm...' (Genesis 1:20a). This isn't a passive observation of nature unfolding; it's a divine command. The creation of sea creatures and birds wasn't a random occurrence or an inevitable outcome of natural processes. God, the ultimate source of all power and existence, spoke life into being.
This highlights a crucial theological truth: life originates from God's intentional will and power. The sheer diversity and abundance of life described by the phrase 'bring forth abundantly' speaks to God's creative power and His desire for a flourishing creation. Every 'moving creature' and 'fowl' owes its existence to His decree.
The ocean teems with life, and birds fill the air. But how are these connected, and what does it reveal about God's design?
Genesis 1:20 describes two distinct realms being filled with life: the waters and the sky. 'Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures' and 'let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.' This shows God's deliberate ordering of creation, populating the distinct domains He had established.
Interestingly, the text suggests that both fish and birds, though inhabiting different elements (water and air), are brought forth in relation to the waters. As various commentaries note, birds are said to 'fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven,' implying their emergence into the air, a realm closely associated with the waters that filled the earth on day five. This interconnectedness within God's design highlights how different parts of creation are intrinsically linked, each finding its place and purpose within the larger cosmic order established by God.
Understand the original words
mayim · Hebrew: Noun (plural)
The liquid element essential for life, often symbolizing physical life, spiritual cleansing, or chaotic forces subdued by God.
sharats · Hebrew Verb
To teem, crawl, or multiply abundantly, usually referring to the rapid movement and proliferation of small animals.
chay · Hebrew Adjective
Alive, active, and possessing physical or spiritual vitality; the opposite of dead.
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
A living being or soul, possessing breath and animation; used to describe both humans and animals.
This psalm beautifully echoes Genesis 1, praising God for the vast oceans teeming with life, from the great sea creatures to the smallest crawlers, mirroring the abundant life brought forth from the waters on the fifth day.
Matthew 13:31-32Jesus uses the imagery of the mustard seed, the smallest of seeds growing into a large plant, which relates to the idea of God bringing forth life, even from seemingly small beginnings, that grows and multiplies abundantly, as seen in the creation of countless creatures.
Colossians 1:16This passage highlights that all things, visible and invisible, were created through Christ and for Him, including the heavenly realms and all the life within them, underscoring the divine purpose behind the creation described in Genesis 1.
Revelation 4:11The elders in Revelation declare that God created all things by His will and for His purpose, which directly aligns with the Genesis account where God speaks creation into existence, and it is declared 'good', implying a purposeful design.
calvinGenesis 1:1-31: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Terra autem erat informis et inanis; tenebraeque erant in superficie voraginis, et Spiritus Dei agitabat se in superficie aquarum.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Et dixit Deus, Sit lux. Et fuit lux.
And God saw the light, that it was good:…
barnesGenesis 1:20: "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven."
- VII. The Fifth Day 20. שׁרץ shārats, "crawl, teem, swarm, abound." An intransitive verb, admitting, however, an objective noun of its own or a like signification. נפשׁ nephesh, "breath, soul, self." This noun is derived from a root signifying to breathe. Its concrete meaning is, therefore, "that which breathes," and co…
The verse doesn't just say God created sea creatures and birds; it emphasizes that the waters themselves were commanded to "swarm" with life, and the birds were to fly "across the expanse of the heavens." This highlights God's power to imbue even the elements with the ability to bring forth abundant life, a concept often missed in a superficial reading.
On the fifth day of creation, God speaks life into the waters and the sky. He commands the oceans to teem with living creatures and birds to fill the air, marking the emergence of sentient life into the world. This follows the creation of the heavens and earth, the separation of land and sea, and the formation of the atmosphere, setting the stage for the teeming aquatic and aerial life that would soon populate the planet.
On the fifth day of creation, God speaks life into the waters and the sky. He commands the oceans to teem with living creatures and birds to fill the air, marking the emergence of sentient life into the world. This follows the creation of the heavens and earth, the separation of land and sea, and the formation of the atmosphere, setting the stage for the teeming aquatic and aerial life that would soon populate the planet.
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oph · Hebrew: Noun
Winged creatures or flying insects capable of flight in the atmosphere.
"And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”" — The verse doesn't just say God created sea creatures and birds; it emphasizes that the waters themselves were commanded to "swarm" with life, and the birds were to fly "across the expanse of the he…
