King James Version

What Does Genesis 1:28 Mean?

Genesis 1:28 in the King James Version says “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and hav...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. moveth: Heb. creepeth”

Genesis 1:28 · KJV

Context

26

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. moveth: Heb. creepeth

29

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. bearing: Heb. seeding seed yielding: Heb. seeding seed

30

And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life , I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. life: Heb. a living soul

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, an... 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. What theological truths about Creation emerge from this passage?
  2. What obstacles prevent us from living out the truths presented in this verse?
  3. How does this verse fit into the broader biblical story culminating in Christ?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 22 words
וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ1 of 22

“blessed”

H1288

to kneel; by implication to bless god (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (god or the king, as

אֹתָם֮2 of 22
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֱלֹהִ֗ים3 of 22

“And God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר4 of 22

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

לָהֶ֜ם5 of 22
H0
אֱלֹהִ֗ים6 of 22

“And God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

פְּר֥וּ7 of 22

“unto them Be fruitful”

H6509

to bear fruit (literally or figuratively)

וּרְב֛וּ8 of 22

“and multiply”

H7235

to increase (in whatever respect)

וּמִלְא֥וּ9 of 22

“and replenish”

H4390

to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)

אֶת10 of 22
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הָאָֽרֶץ׃11 of 22

“the earth”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ12 of 22

“and subdue it”

H3533

to tread down; hence, negatively, to disregard; positively, to conquer, subjugate, violate

וּרְד֞וּ13 of 22

“and have dominion”

H7287

to tread down, i.e., subjugate; specifically, to crumble off

בִּדְגַ֤ת14 of 22

“over the fish”

H1710

fish

הַיָּם֙15 of 22

“of the sea”

H3220

a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the mediterranean sea; sometimes a large river, or an artif

וּבְע֣וֹף16 of 22

“and over the fowl”

H5775

a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively

הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם17 of 22

“of the air”

H8064

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r

וּבְכָל18 of 22
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

חַיָּ֖ה19 of 22

“and over every living thing”

H2416

alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or livin

הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת20 of 22

“that moveth”

H7430

properly, to glide swiftly, i.e., to crawl or move with short steps; by analogy to swarm

עַל21 of 22
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

הָאָֽרֶץ׃22 of 22

“the earth”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

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 1:28 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 1:28 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Genesis 9:1Genesis 9:7Leviticus 26:9Psalms 128:3-4Genesis 22:17-18Genesis 1:22

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