King James Version

What Does Genesis 1:5 Mean?

Genesis 1:5 in the King James Version says “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And ...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And the evening: Heb. And the evening was, and the morning was”

Genesis 1:5 · KJV

Context

3

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

4

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. the light from: Heb. between the light and between the darkness

5

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And the evening: Heb. And the evening was, and the morning was

6

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. firmament: Heb. expansion

7

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

Read Genesis 1 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were... 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. How can we apply the principles from this passage to contemporary challenges in family, work, or church?
  3. How does this verse fit into the broader biblical story culminating in Christ?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 13 words
קָ֣רָא1 of 13

“called”

H7121

to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀2 of 13

“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

לָאוֹר֙3 of 13

“the light”

H216

illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)

י֥וֹם4 of 13

“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

וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ5 of 13

“and the darkness”

H2822

the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness

קָ֣רָא6 of 13

“called”

H7121

to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

לָ֑יְלָה7 of 13

“Night”

H3915

properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e., night; figuratively, adversity

וַֽיְהִי8 of 13
H1961

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

עֶ֥רֶב9 of 13

“And the evening”

H6153

dusk

וַֽיְהִי10 of 13
H1961

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

בֹ֖קֶר11 of 13

“and the morning”

H1242

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

י֥וֹם12 of 13

“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

אֶחָֽד׃13 of 13

“were the first”

H259

properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first

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 1:5 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 1:5 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 74:16Isaiah 45:7Psalms 104:201 Thessalonians 5:5Psalms 19:2Jeremiah 33:20

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