1В начале сотворил Бог небо и землю. 2Земля была пуста и пустынна, тьма была над пучиной, и дух Божий веял над водами. 3И сказал Бог: «Да будет свет». И появился свет. 4Бог увидел, как хорош свет, и отделил его от тьмы, 5дал свету имя «день», а тьме - имя «ночь». Настал вечер, настало утро - первый день. 6И сказал Бог: «Пусть средь воды будет свод, разделяющий воды надвое». И стало так. 7Бог создал свод, и отделил воды под сводом от вод над сводом, 8и дал своду имя «небо». Настал вечер, настало утро - второй день. 9И сказал Бог: «Пусть воды, что под небом, соберутся вместе и покажется суша». И стало так. Воды, что под небом, собрались вместе - и показалась суша. 10Бог дал суше имя «земля», а собравшимся водам - имя «моря». И увидел Бог, как это хорошо. 11И сказал Бог: «Пусть земля порастет растениями: травами, которые будут давать семена, и деревьями разных видов, которые будут давать плоды с семенами». И стало так. 12Земля породила растения: травы разных видов, дающие семена, и деревья разных видов, приносящие плоды с семенами. И увидел Бог, как это хорошо. 13Настал вечер, настало утро - третий день. 14И сказал Бог: «Пусть будут светила на своде небесном, чтобы отделять день от ночи, указывать сроки, отмерять дни и года. 15Пусть светят они с небесного свода и освещают землю». И стало так. 16Бог создал два больших светила (большее - чтобы оно управляло днями, меньшее - чтобы оно управляло ночами) и звезды. 17Бог поместил их на своде небесном, чтобы они освещали землю, 18управляли днями и ночами и отделяли свет от тьмы. И увидел Бог, как это хорошо. 19Настал вечер, настало утро - четвертый день. 20И сказал Бог: «Пусть вода кишит живыми существами. А над землей, по своду небесному, пусть летают птицы». 21И Бог сотворил огромных чудищ морских, и разные виды живых существ, которые снуют и кишат в воде, и разные виды крылатых птиц. И увидел Бог, как это хорошо, 22и благословил их: «Будьте плодовиты и многочисленны, заселяйте воды морей. А на земле пусть будет много птиц». 23Настал вечер, настало утро - пятый день. 24И сказал Бог: «Пусть земля породит разные виды живых существ: скот, мелкую живность и разные виды зверей». И стало так. 25Бог создал разные виды зверей, скота и всякой живности, которая снует по земле. И увидел Бог, как это хорошо. 26И сказал Бог: «Создадим человека - Наш образ и Наше подобие - чтобы он господствовал над рыбами морскими, и над птицами небесными, и над скотом, и над всею землею, и над всею живностью, которая снует по земле». 27Бог сотворил человека, образ Свой, Божий образ Он сотворил, мужчину и женщину сотворил. 28И благословил их Бог такими словами: «Будьте плодовиты и многочисленны, заселяйте землю и покоряйте ее. Господствуйте над рыбами морскими, и над птицами небесными, и над всеми животными земли». 29И сказал Бог: «Я отдаю вам в пищу все травы с семенами, какие есть на земле, и все деревья, приносящие плоды с семенами. 30А зверям земным, и птицам небесным, и живности земной - всем, в ком дышит жизнь, - Я отдаю в пищу зелень растений». И стало так. 31Бог оглядел Свое творение - все оно было очень хорошо. Настал вечер, настало утро - шестой день.
Matthew Henry - Concise Commentary 1 The first verse of the Bible gives us a satisfying and useful account of the origin of the earth and the heavens. The faith of humble Christians understands this better than the fancy of the most learned men. From what we see of heaven and earth, we learn the power of the great Creator. And let our make and place as men, remind us of our duty as Christians, always to keep heaven in our eye, and the earth under our feet. The Son of God, one with the Father, was with him when he made the world; nay, we are often told that the world was made by him, and nothing was made without him. Oh, what high thoughts should there be in our minds, of that great God whom we worship, and of that great Mediator in whose name we pray! And here, at the beginning of the sacred volume, we read of that Divine Spirit, whose work upon the heart of man is so often mentioned in other parts of the Bible. Observe, that at first there was nothing desirable to be seen, for the world was without form, and void; it was confusion, and emptiness. In like manner the work of grace in the soul is a new creation: and in a graceless soul, one that is not born again, there is disorder, confusion, and every evil work: it is empty of all good, for it is without God; it is dark, it is darkness itself: this is our condition by nature, till Almighty grace works a change in us.
3 God said, Let there be light; he willed it, and at once there was light. Oh, the power of the word of God! And in the new creation, the first thing that is wrought in the soul is light: the blessed Spirit works upon the will and affections by enlightening the understanding. Those who by sin were darkness, by grace become light in the Lord. Darkness would have been always upon fallen man, if the Son of God had not come and given us understanding,
1John 5:20. The light which God willed, he approved of. God divided the light from the darkness; for what fellowship has light with darkness? In heaven there is perfect light, and no darkness at all; in hell, utter darkness, and no gleam of light. The day and the night are the Lord's; let us use both to his honour, by working for him every day, and resting in him every night, meditating in his law both day and night.
6 The earth was emptiness, but by a word spoken, it became full of God's riches, and his they are still. Though the use of them is allowed to man, they are from God, and to his service and honour they must be used. The earth, at his command, brings forth grass, herbs, and fruits. God must have the glory of all the benefit we receive from the produce of the earth. If we have, through grace, an interest in Him who is the Fountain, we may rejoice in him when the streams of temporal mercies are dried up.
14 In the fourth day's work, the creation of the sun, moon, and stars is accounted for. All these are the works of God. The stars are spoken of as they appear to our eyes, without telling their number, nature, place, size, or motions; for the Scriptures were written, not to gratify curiosity, or make us astronomers, but to lead us to God, and make us saints. The lights of heaven are made to serve him; they do it faithfully, and shine in their season without fail. We are set as lights in this world to serve God; but do we in like manner answer the end of our creation? We do not: our light does not shine before God, as his lights shine before us. We burn our Master's candles, but do not mind our Master's work.
20 God commanded the fish and fowl to be produced. This command he himself executed. Insects, which are more numerous than the birds and beasts, and as curious, seem to have been part of this day's work. The Creator's wisdom and power are to be admired as much in an ant as in an elephant. The power of God's providence preserves all things, and fruitfulness is the effect of his blessing.
26 Man was made last of all the creatures: this was both an honour and a favour to him. Yet man was made the same day that the beasts were; his body was made of the same earth with theirs; and while he is in the body, he inhabits the same earth with them. God forbid that by indulging the body, and the desires of it, we should make ourselves like the beasts that perish! Man was to be a creature different from all that had been hitherto made. Flesh and spirit, heaven and earth, must be put together in him. God said, Let us make man. Man, when he was made, was to glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Into that great name we are baptized, for to that great name we owe our being. It is the soul of man that especially bears God's image. Man was made upright,
Qoh 7:29. His understanding saw Divine things clearly and truly; there were no errors or mistakes in his knowledge; his will consented at once, and in all things, to the will of God. His affections were all regular, and he had no bad appetites or passions. His thoughts were easily brought and fixed to the best subjects. Thus holy, thus happy, were our first parents in having the image of God upon them. But how is this image of God upon man defaced! May the Lord renew it upon our souls by his grace!
29 Herbs and fruits must be man's food, including corn, and all the products of the earth. Let God's people cast their care upon him, and not be troubled about what they shall eat, and what they shall drink. He that feeds his birds will not starve his babes.
31 When we come to think about our works, we find, to our shame, that much has been very bad; but when God saw his work, all was very good. Good, for it was all just as the Creator would have it to be. All his works, in all places of his dominion, bless him; and therefore, bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Let us bless God for the gospel of Christ, and when we consider his almighty power, let us sinners flee from the wrath to come. If new-created unto the image of God in holiness, we shall at length enter the new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.