King James Version

What Does Genesis 1:23 Mean?

Genesis 1:23 in the King James Version says “And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.”

Genesis 1:23 · KJV

Context

21

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

22

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

23

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

24

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

25

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.... This verse is part of the creation account that establishes God's sovereign power and purposeful design. The structured pattern of the seven days reveals divine order, intentionality, and progressive development from formless void to a world prepared for human habitation.

The recurring phrases "And God said," "and it was so," "And God saw that it was good" create a liturgical rhythm emphasizing: (1) creation by divine decree, (2) immediate fulfillment of God's word, and (3) divine evaluation of creation's goodness. This pattern refutes both polytheistic chaos-and-conflict creation myths and modern materialistic chance-based origins.

Each stage builds toward the climax of human creation in God's image. The theological themes include divine transcendence and immanence, purposeful design, creation's inherent goodness, and humanity's unique role as God's image-bearers and stewards. The creation account provides the foundation for understanding work and rest (Sabbath), male and female relationships (marriage), human dominion (stewardship), and moral accountability to the Creator. These opening chapters establish the worldview framework for all subsequent biblical revelation.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Genesis 1 stands in stark contrast to ancient Near Eastern creation accounts like the Babylonian Enuma Elish, Egyptian creation myths, and Ugaritic texts. While these portrayed creation resulting from conflicts between deities or sexual generation of gods, Genesis presents a sovereign monotheistic God who creates effortlessly by divine decree. This would have been revolutionary to ancient readers accustomed to polytheistic cosmogonies.

The Hebrew text's literary structure (seven days, recurring formulas) suggests careful composition as theological proclamation rather than primitive mythology. Archaeological discoveries of creation tablets from Mesopotamia (2000-1500 BCE) reveal that Genesis addresses similar questions but provides radically different answers about the nature of God, humanity, and the cosmos. The absence of theogony (origin of gods) and theomachy (conflict between gods) distinguishes Genesis from its ancient Near Eastern context.

For Israelites emerging from Egyptian bondage or later facing Babylonian captivity, this truth that Yahweh created everything would have been profoundly liberating and countercultural. The gods of Egypt and Babylon were mere creations, not creators. Genesis 1 establishes that Israel's God alone is supreme, rendering pagan deities powerless and their worship futile.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse deepen our understanding of God's character and His relationship with creation?
  2. How can we apply the principles from this passage to contemporary challenges in family, work, or church?
  3. How does this passage point forward to Christ and the gospel of redemption?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 6 words
וַֽיְהִי1 of 6
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

עֶ֥רֶב2 of 6

“And the evening”

H6153

dusk

וַֽיְהִי3 of 6
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

בֹ֖קֶר4 of 6

“and the morning”

H1242

properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning

י֥וֹם5 of 6

“day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

חֲמִישִֽׁי׃6 of 6

“were the fifth”

H2549

fifth; also a fifth

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 1:23 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

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