King James Version

What Does Genesis 1:30 Mean?

Genesis 1:30 in the King James Version says “And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein ... — study this verse from Genesis chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

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

Genesis 1:30 · KJV


Context

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

31

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon... 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 understanding this verse shape our doctrine of humanity, sin, or salvation?
  2. What obstacles prevent us from living out the truths presented in this verse?
  3. How does understanding Christ as the ultimate fulfillment illuminate this passage's meaning?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 21 words
וּֽלְכָל1 of 21
H3605

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

חַיָּ֔ה2 of 21

And to every beast

H2416

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

הָאָ֗רֶץ3 of 21

of the earth

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

וּלְכָל4 of 21
H3605

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

ע֨וֹף5 of 21

and to every fowl

H5775

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

הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם6 of 21

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

וּלְכֹ֣ל׀7 of 21
H3605

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

רוֹמֵ֣שׂ8 of 21

and to every thing that creepeth

H7430

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

עַל9 of 21
H5921

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

הָאָ֗רֶץ10 of 21

of the earth

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

אֲשֶׁר11 of 21
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

בּוֹ֙12 of 21
H0
נֶ֣פֶשׁ13 of 21
H5315

properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment

חַיָּ֔ה14 of 21

And to every beast

H2416

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

אֶת15 of 21
H853

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

כָּל16 of 21
H3605

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

יֶ֥רֶק17 of 21

I have given every green

H3418

properly, pallor, i.e., hence, the yellowish green of young and sickly vegetation; concretely, verdure, i.e., grass or vegetation

עֵ֖שֶׂב18 of 21

herb

H6212

grass (or any tender shoot)

לְאָכְלָ֑ה19 of 21

for meat

H402

food

וַֽיְהִי20 of 21
H1961

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

כֵֽן׃21 of 21
H3651

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner


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 1:30 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 1:30 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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