Genesis 1:14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.

◄ Genesis 1:14 ►

New International Version
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,

New Living Translation
Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years.

English Standard Version
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years,

Berean Standard Bible
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.

King James Bible
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

New King James Version
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;

New American Standard Bible
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and they shall serve as signs and for seasons, and for days and years;

NASB 1995
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;

NASB 1977
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;

Legacy Standard Bible
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;

Amplified Bible
Then God said, “Let there be light-bearers (sun, moon, stars) in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be useful for signs (tokens) [of God’s provident care], and for marking seasons, days, and years;

Christian Standard Bible
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons and for days and years.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for festivals and for days and years.

American Standard Version
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years:

Contemporary English Version
God said, "I command lights to appear in the sky and to separate day from night and to show the time for seasons, special days, and years.

English Revised Version
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the sky to separate the day from the night. They will be signs and will mark religious festivals, days, and years.

Good News Translation
Then God commanded, "Let lights appear in the sky to separate day from night and to show the time when days, years, and religious festivals begin;

International Standard Version
Then God said, "Let there be lights across the sky to distinguish day from night, to act as signs for seasons, days, and years,

Majority Standard Bible
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.

NET Bible
God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons and days and years,

New Heart English Bible
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky for the illumination of the day, to give light on the earth, and to rule the day and the night, and to separate between the day and the night. And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years,

Webster's Bible Translation
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.

World English Bible
God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs to mark seasons, days, and years;

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And God says, “Let luminaries be in the expanse of the heavens, to make a separation between the day and the night, then they have been for signs, and for appointed times, and for days and years,

Young's Literal Translation
And God saith, 'Let luminaries be in the expanse of the heavens, to make a separation between the day and the night, then they have been for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years,

Smith's Literal Translation
And God will say there shall be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate between the day and between the night: and they shall be for signs and for set times, and for days and for years.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And God said: Let there be lights made in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then God said: “Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven. And let them divide day from night, and let them become signs, both of the seasons, and of the days and years.

New American Bible
Then God said: Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the seasons, the days and the years,

New Revised Standard Version
And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Then God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And God said, “Lights shall be in the firmament of Heaven to distinguish between daytime and night and they shall be for signs and for times and for days and for years:

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And God said: 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, to divide between day and night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Fourth Day
…13And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. 14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years. 15And let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Psalm 104:19
He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows when to set.

Jeremiah 31:35
Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name:

Job 38:31-33
Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion? / Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear and her cubs? / Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?

Deuteronomy 4:19
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

Psalm 136:7-9
He made the great lights—His loving devotion endures forever. / the sun to rule the day, His loving devotion endures forever. / the moon and stars to govern the night. His loving devotion endures forever.

Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

Psalm 8:3
When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place—

2 Kings 23:5
Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

Daniel 2:21
He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Amos 5:8
He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth—the LORD is His name—

Matthew 24:29
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’

Luke 21:25
There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.

Revelation 6:12-13
And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, / and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind.

Revelation 8:12
Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun and moon and stars were struck. A third of the stars were darkened, a third of the day was without light, and a third of the night as well.

Revelation 21:23
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Treasury of Scripture

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

Let there.

Deuteronomy 4:19
And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

Job 25:3,5
Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise? …

Job 38:12-14
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; …

lights.

Genesis 1:3
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

between the day and between the night.

Genesis 8:22
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Genesis 9:13
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

Job 3:9
Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

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Arch Changes Divide Division Expanse Firmament Heaven Heavens Lights Mark Marking Night Seasons Separate Serve Signs Sky

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Arch Changes Divide Division Expanse Firmament Heaven Heavens Lights Mark Marking Night Seasons Separate Serve Signs Sky

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.

Berean Study Bible

And God said
This phrase underscores the power and authority of God's word. In Hebrew, "Elohim" is used for God, emphasizing His majesty and sovereignty. The act of speaking creation into existence highlights the divine command and the effortless nature of God's creative power. It reflects the theological truth that God's word is active and effective, a theme echoed throughout Scripture.

Let there be lights
The Hebrew word for "lights" is "me'orot," which refers to luminaries or sources of light. This phrase marks the creation of the sun, moon, and stars. These celestial bodies are not deities, as in many ancient Near Eastern cultures, but creations of the one true God, serving His purposes. This demystifies and desacralizes the heavenly bodies, placing them under God's dominion.

in the expanse of the sky
The "expanse" or "firmament" is translated from the Hebrew "raqia," which refers to the sky or the heavens. This term suggests a vast, stretched-out space, emphasizing the grandeur of God's creation. The placement of lights in the expanse signifies order and structure in the cosmos, reflecting God's intentional design.

to separate the day from the night
This separation introduces the concept of time and order into creation. The Hebrew verb "badal" means to divide or distinguish, indicating a purposeful differentiation. This separation is foundational for the rhythm of life on earth, establishing a cycle that governs natural and human activities.

and let them serve as signs
The word "signs" comes from the Hebrew "othot," which can mean signals or markers. In the biblical context, signs often point to God's covenantal promises or divine interventions. Here, the celestial bodies serve as indicators of God's order and faithfulness, guiding humanity in understanding time and seasons.

to mark the seasons
The Hebrew word "moedim" is used for "seasons," which can also mean appointed times or festivals. This suggests that the lights in the sky are not only for agricultural seasons but also for sacred times and religious observances. It highlights the integration of natural and spiritual rhythms in God's creation.

and days and years
This phrase emphasizes the measurement of time. "Days" (Hebrew "yamim") and "years" (Hebrew "shanim") are fundamental units of time that structure human life. The establishment of these time markers reflects God's orderly nature and His provision for human society to function within a temporal framework.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) Let there be lights (luminaries) in the firmament (or expanse) of the heaven.--In Hebrew the word for light is or, and for luminary, ma-or, a light-bearer. The light was created on the first day, and its concentration into great centres must at once have commenced; but the great luminaries did not appear in the open sky until the fourth day. With this begins the second triad of the creative days. Up to this time there had been arrangement chiefly; heat and water had had their periods of excessive activity, but with the introduction of vegetation there came also the promise of things higher and nobler than mechanical laws. Now, this fourth day seems to mark two things: first, the surface of the earth has become so cool as to need heat given it from without and secondly, there was now a long pause in creation. No new law in it is promulgated, no new factor introduced; only the atmosphere grows clearer, the earth more dry; vegetation does its part in absorbing gases; and day by day the sun shines with more unclouded brilliancy, followed by the mild radiance of the moon, and finally, by the faint gleamings of the stars. But besides this, as the condensation of luminous matter into the sun was the last act in the shaping of our solar system, it is quite possible that during this long fourth day the sun finally assumed as nearly as possible its present dimensions and form. No doubt it is still changing and slowly drawing nearer to that period when, God's seventh day of rest being over, the knell of this our creation will sound, and the sun, with its attendant planets, and among them our earth, become what God shall then will. But during this seventh day, in which we are now living, God works only in maintaining laws already given, and no outburst either of creative or of destructive energy can take place.

Let them be for signs--i.e., marks, means of knowing. This may be taken as qualifying what follows, and would then mean, Let them be means for distinguishing seasons, days, and years; but more probably it refers to the signs of the zodiac, which anciently played so important a part, not merely in astronomy, but in matters of daily life.

Seasons.--Not spring, summer, and the like, but regularly recurring periods, like the three great festivals of the Jews. In old time men depended, both in agriculture, navigation, and daily life, upon their own observation of the setting and rising of the constellations. This work is now done for us by others, and put into a convenient form in almanacks; but equally now as of old, days, years, and seasons depend upon the motion of the heavenly orbs.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 14, 15. - Day four. With this day begins the second half of the creative week, whose works have a striking correspondence with the labors of the first. Having perfected the main structural arrangements of the globe by the elimination from primeval chaos of the four fundamental elements of light, air, water, and land, the formative energy of the Divine word reverts to its initial point of departure, and, in a second series of operations, carries each of these forward to completion - the light by permanently settling it in the sun, the air and water by filling therewith fowl and fish, and the land by making animals and man. The first of these engaged the Divine Artificer's attention on the fourth creative day. And God said, Let there be lights (literally, places where light is, light-holders, Psalm 64:16; φωστῆρες, LXX.; luminaria, Vulgate; spoken of lamps and candlesticks, Exodus 25:6: Numbers 4:9, 16) in the firmament (literally the expanse) of the heaven. יִהִי in the singular with מְאֹרֹת in the plural is explained by Gesenius on the ground that the predicate precedes the subject (vid. 'Gram.,' §147). The scientific accuracy of the language here used to describe the celestial luminaries relieves the Mosaic cosmogony of at least one supposed irreconcilable contradiction, that of representing light as having an existence independent of the sun. Equally does it dispense exegesis from the necessity of accounting for what appears a threefold creation of the heavenly bodies - in the beginning (ver. 1), on the first day (ver. 3), and again on the fourth (ver. 14). The reference in the last of these verses is not to the original creation of the matter of the supra mundane spheres (Gerlach), which was performed in the beginning, nor to the first production of light, which was the specific work of day one; but to the permanent appointment of the former to be the place, or center of radiation, for the latter. The purpose for which this arrangement was designed, so far, at least, as the earth was concerned, was threefold: -

1. To divide the day from the night. Literally, between the day and the night; or, as in ver. 18, to divide the light from the darkness to continue and render permanent the separation and distinction which was effected on the first day.

2. And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. The celestial lights were to serve -

(1) For signs. Othoth, from oth, anything engraved, hence a mark (Genesis 4:15; 2 Kings 20:8), is employed to designate a portent, or sign of wanting or instruction (Psalm 61:8; Isaiah 8:18; Isaiah 20. g; LXX., σημεῖον; cf. Luke 21:25; Acts if. 19), and here probably refers to the subsequent employment of the heavenly bodies "as marks or signs of important changes and occurrences in the kingdom of Providence" (Macdonald). "That they may have been designed also to subserve important purposes in the -various economy of human life, as in affording signs to the mariner and husbandman, is not improbable, though this is not so strictly the import of the original" (Bush). Still less, of course, does the word refer to mediaeval astrology or to modern meteorology. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And God
אֱלֹהִ֗ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

said,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Let there be
יְהִ֤י (yə·hî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

lights
מְאֹרֹת֙ (mə·’ō·rōṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3974: A luminous body, luminary, light, brightness, cheerfulness, a chandelier

in the expanse
בִּרְקִ֣יעַ (bir·qî·a‘)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7549: An expanse, the firmament, visible arch of the sky

of the sky
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

to distinguish
לְהַבְדִּ֕יל (lə·haḇ·dîl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 914: To be divided, separate

between
בֵּ֥ין (bên)
Preposition
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

day
הַיּ֖וֹם (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

and
וּבֵ֣ין (ū·ḇên)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

night
הַלָּ֑יְלָה (hal·lā·yə·lāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

and to mark
וְהָי֤וּ (wə·hā·yū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

[the] seasons
וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים (ū·lə·mō·w·‘ă·ḏîm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4150: Appointed time, place, or meeting

and days
וּלְיָמִ֖ים (ū·lə·yā·mîm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

and years,
וְשָׁנִֽים׃ (wə·šā·nîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year

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OT Law: Genesis 1:14 God said Let there be lights (Gen. Ge Gn)