Genesis 1:17
New International Version
God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth,

New Living Translation
God set these lights in the sky to light the earth,

English Standard Version
And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,

Berean Standard Bible
God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,

King James Bible
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

New King James Version
God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,

New American Standard Bible
God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,

NASB 1995
God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,

NASB 1977
And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,

Legacy Standard Bible
And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,

Amplified Bible
God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to provide light upon the earth,

Christian Standard Bible
God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth,

American Standard Version
And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth,

Contemporary English Version
Then God put these lights in the sky to shine on the earth,

English Revised Version
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God put them in the sky to give light to the earth,

Good News Translation
He placed the lights in the sky to shine on the earth,

International Standard Version
God placed them in space to shine on the earth,

Majority Standard Bible
God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,

NET Bible
God placed the lights in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth,

New Heart English Bible
And God set them in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth,

Webster's Bible Translation
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth.

World English Bible
God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light to the earth,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and God gives them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,

Young's Literal Translation
and God giveth them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth,

Smith's Literal Translation
And God will give them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he set them in the firmament of heaven, to give light over all the earth,

New American Bible
God set them in the dome of the sky, to illuminate the earth,

New Revised Standard Version
God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And God gave them in the firmament of Heaven to give light on the Earth,
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And God placed them in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Fourth Day
16God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well. 17God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth, 18to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.…

Cross References
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.

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:

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.

Job 38:12-13
In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place, / that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

Psalm 19:1-6
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. / Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. / Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard, ...

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

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.

Job 9:7-9
He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars. / He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. / He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

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

Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. / Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. / In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

John 1:4-5
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. / The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

1 Corinthians 15:41
The sun has one degree of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

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 set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth,

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

Psalm 8:1,3
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens…

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Arch Earth Expanse Firmament Heaven Heavens Light Placed Sky
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Arch Earth Expanse Firmament Heaven Heavens Light Placed 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.














God set them
The phrase "God set them" indicates divine intentionality and purpose. The Hebrew word for "set" is "נתן" (natan), which means to give, place, or appoint. This action underscores God's sovereign authority and deliberate design in creation. It reflects the order and structure that God brings to the universe, contrasting with the chaos that existed before creation. The act of setting the celestial bodies is not random but a purposeful placement by the Creator, emphasizing His control over the cosmos.

in the expanse of the sky
The "expanse of the sky" refers to the firmament, known in Hebrew as "רָקִיעַ" (raqia). This term suggests a vast, stretched-out space, which God created to separate the waters above from the waters below (Genesis 1:6-8). The expanse serves as a canvas for the celestial bodies, highlighting the grandeur and majesty of God's creation. Historically, the firmament was perceived as a solid dome, reflecting ancient cosmology. This understanding underscores the magnificence of God's creative work, as He establishes the heavens as a testament to His glory.

to give light
The purpose "to give light" reveals God's provision for His creation. The Hebrew word for "light" is "אוֹר" (or), which signifies illumination, both physically and metaphorically. Light is essential for life, growth, and guidance, symbolizing God's presence and truth throughout Scripture. By providing light, God ensures the sustenance and flourishing of life on earth. This act of giving light also foreshadows the spiritual illumination that God provides through His Word and ultimately through Jesus Christ, the Light of the World (John 8:12).

on the earth
The phrase "on the earth" emphasizes the focus of God's creative work. The Hebrew word for "earth" is "אֶרֶץ" (eretz), which can mean land, ground, or the entire world. This highlights the earth as the central stage for God's redemptive plan. The provision of light on the earth signifies God's care and attention to the needs of His creation. It also points to the earth's unique role in the universe as the dwelling place for humanity, whom God created in His image. The earth is not just a random planet but a carefully designed environment for life, reflecting God's love and purpose for His creation.

Verses 17, 18. - And God set (literally, gave) them (i.e. sun, moon, and stars) in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and ever the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. An intimation that on this day the astronomical arrangements for the illumination of the globe and the measurement of time were permanently settled. And God saw that it was good. Laplace was inclined to question the Divine verdict with regard at least to the moon, which he thought might have been so placed as to be always full, whereas, at its present distance from the earth, we are sometimes deprived of both its light and the sun's together. But not to dwell upon the fact that to remove the moon four times its present distance from the earth, which it would require to be in order to be always full, would necessitate important changes in the other members of the solar system which might not be for the earth's advantage, the immediate effect of such a disposition of the lunar orb would be to give us a moon of only one sixteenth the size of that which now dispenses its silver beams upon our darkened globe (Job 11:12).

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

set
וַיִּתֵּ֥ן (way·yit·tên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

[these lights]
אֹתָ֛ם (’ō·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

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
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (haš·šā·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

to shine
לְהָאִ֖יר (lə·hā·’îr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 215: To be or become light

upon
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the earth,
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


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OT Law: Genesis 1:17 God set them in the expanse (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 1:16
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