Geneva Bible

THE FIRST BOOKE OF MOSES, CALLED ¹ GENESIS.

THE ARGVMENT. Moses in effect declareth three things, which are in this booke chiefely to be considered: First, that the world and all things therein were created by God, and that man being placed in this great tabernacle of the world to beholde Gods wonderfull workes, and to praise his Name for the infinite graces, wherewith he had endued him, fell willingly from God through disobedience: who yet for his owne mercies sake restored him to life, and confirmed him in the same by his promise of Christ to come, by whom he shoulde ouercome Satan, death and hell. Secondly, that the wicked, vnmindfull of Gods most excellent benefits, remained still in their wickednes, and so falling most horribly from sinne to sinne, prouoked God (who by his preachers called them continually to repentance) at length to destroy the whole worlde. Thirdly, he assureth vs by the examples of Abraham, Izhak, Iaakob, and the rest of the Patriarkes, that his mercies neuer faile them, whom he chuseth to be his Church, and to professe his Name in earth, but in all their afflictions and persecutions he euer assisteth them, sendeth comfort, and deliuereth them. And because the beginning, increase, preseruation and successe thereof might be only attributed to God, Moses sheweth by the examples of Kain, Ishmael, Esau and others, which were noble in mans iudgement, that this Church dependeth not on the estimation and nobilitie of the worlde: and also by the fewnes of them, which haue at all times worshipped him purely according to his worde, that it standeth not in the multitude, but in the poore and despised, in the small flocke and litle number, that man in his wisedome might bee confounded, and the Name of God euermore praysed.

CHAP. I.

1 God created the heauen and the earth, 3 The light and the darkenesse, 8 The firmament. 9 He separateth the water from the earth. 16 He createth the sunne, the moone, and the starres. 21 He createth the fish, birdes, beastes. 26 He createth man and giueth him rule ouer all creatures, 29 And prouideth nouriture for man and beast.

1. In the ² beginning ³ God created the heauen and the earth.

2. And the earth was ^{4 5} without forme and voide, and ⁶ darkenesse was vpon the ⁷ deepe, and the Spirit of God ⁸ moued vpon the ⁹ waters.

3. Then God saide, ¹⁰ Let there be light: And there was ¹¹ light.

4. And God sawe the light that it was good, and God separated ¹² the light from the darkenes.

5. And God called the light, Day, and the darkenes, he called Night. ^{13 14} So the euening and the morning were the first day.

6. ¶ Againe God saide, ¹⁵ Let there be a ¹⁶ firmament in the middes of the waters: and let it separate the waters from the waters.

7. Then God made the firmament, and separated the waters, which were ¹⁷ vnder the firmament, from the waters which were ¹⁸ aboue the firmament. and it was so.

8. And God called the firmament ¹⁹ Heauen. ²⁰ So the Euening and the morning were the seconde day.

9. ¶ God saide againe, ²¹ Let the waters vnder the heauen be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appeare. and it was so.

10. And God called the dry land, Earth, and he called the gathering together of the waters, Seas: and God sawe that it was good.

11. Then God said, ²² Let the earth bud foorth the bud of the herbe, that seedeth seede, the fruitfull tree, which beareth fruite according to his kinde, which hath his seede in it selfe vpon the earth. and it was so.

12. And the earth brought foorth the bud of the herbe, that seedeth seede according to his kind, also the tree that beareth fruite, which hath his seede in it selfe according to his kinde: and God ²³ sawe that it was good.

13. ²⁴ So the euening and the morning were the third day.

14. ¶ And God said, ²⁵ Let there be ²⁶ lightes in the firmament of the heauen, to ²⁷ separate the day from the night, and let them be for ²⁸ signes, and for seasons, and for dayes and yeeres.

15. And let them be for lightes in the firmament of the heauen to giue light vpon the earth. and it was so.

16. God then made two ²⁹ great lightes: the greater light ³⁰ to rule the day, and the lesse light to rule the night: he made also the starres.

17. And God set them in the firmament of the heauen, to shine vpon the earth,

18. And to ³¹ rule in the day, and in the night, and to separate the light from the darkenes: and God sawe that it was good.

19. ³² So the euening and the morning were the fourth day.

20. Afterward God said, Let the waters bring foorth in abundance euery ³³ creeping thing that hath ³⁴ life: and let the foule flie vpon the earth in the ³⁵ open firmament of the heauen.

21. Then God created the great whales, and euery thing liuing and mouing, which the ³⁶ waters brought foorth in abundance according to their kinde, and euery fethered foule according to his kinde: and God sawe that it was good.

22. Then God ³⁷ blessed them, saying, Bring foorth fruite and multiplie, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the foule multiplie in the earth.

23. ³⁸ So the euening and the morning were the fift day.

24. ¶ Moreouer God said, Let the earth bring foorth the ³⁹ liuing thing according to his kinde, cattell, and that which creepeth, and the beast of the earth, according to his kinde. and it was so.

25. And God made the beast of the earth according to his kinde, and the cattell according to his kinde, and euery creeping thing of the earth according to his kind: and God saw that it was good.

26. Furthermore God said, ^{40 41} Let vs make man in our ⁴² image according to our likenes, and let them rule ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foule of the heauen, and ouer the beastes, and ouer all the earth, and ouer euery thing that creepeth and moueth on the earth.

27. ⁴³ Thus God created the man in his image: in the image of God created he him: he created them ⁴⁴ male and female.

28. And God ⁴⁵ blessed them, and God said to them, ⁴⁶ Bring forth fruite and multiplie, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foule of the heauen, and ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth.

29. And God said, Beholde, I haue giuen vnto you ⁴⁷ euery herbe bearing seede, which is vpon al the earth, and euery tree, wherein is the fruite of a tree bearing seede: ⁴⁸ that shall be to you for meate.

30. Likewise to euery beast of the earth, and to euery foule of the heauen, and to euery thing that moueth vpon the earth, which hath life in it selfe, euery greene herbe shall be for meate. and it was so.

31. ⁴⁹ And God sawe all that he had made, and loe, it was very good. ⁵⁰ So the euening and the morning were the sixt day.

NOTES

1. This worde signifieth the beginning and generation of the creatures.

2. First of all, and before that any creature was, God made heauen and earth of nothing, Wisd.11.14.

3. Psal.33.6. and 136. 5. ecclus.18.1. actes 14.15. and 17.24.

4. As a rude lumpe and without any creature in it: for the waters couered all.

5. Or, waste.

6. Darkenes couered the deepe waters: for as yet the light was not created.

7. Ebr. face of the deepe.

8. He mainteined this confuse heape by his secrete power.

9. Ebr. face of the waters.

10. Hebre. 11.3.

11. The light was made before eyther Sunne or Moone was created: therefore we must not attribute that to the creatures that are Gods instruments, which onely apperteineth to God.

12. Ebr. betweene the light, and betweene the darkenes.

13. The first day.

14. Ebr. So was the euening, so was the morning.

15. Psal.33.6. and 136. 5. iere.10.12. and 51.15.

16. Or, spreading ouer, and aire.

17. As the sea and riuers, from those waters that are in the cloudes, which are vpholden by Gods power, lest they should ouerwhelme the worlde.

18. Psal.148.4.

19. That is, the region of the aire, and all that is aboue vs.

20. The seconde day.

21. Psal.33.7. and 89.11. and 136.6. iob. 38.4.

22. So that we see it is the onely power of Gods worde that maketh the earth fruitefull, which els naturally is barren.

23. This sentence is so oft repeated, to signifie that God made all his creatures to serue to his glorie, and to the profite of man: but for sinne they were accursed, yet to the elect, by Christ they are restored and serue to their wealth.

24. The third day.

25. Psal.136.7. deut. 4.19.

26. By the lights he meaneth the sunne, the moone and the starres.

27. Which is the artificiall day, from the sunne rising to the going downe.

28. Of things appertaining to naturall and politicall orders and seasons.

29. To wit, the sunne and the moone: and here he speaketh as man iudgeth by his eye: for else the moone is lesse then the planet Saturnus.

30. To giue it sufficient light, as instruments appointed for the same, to serue to mans vse.

31. Ierem.31.35.

32. The fourth day.

33. As fish and worms which slide, swimme or creepe.

34. Ebr. the soule of life.

35. Ebr. face of the firmament.

36. The fish and foules had both one beginning, wherein we see that nature giueth place to Gods will, forasmuch as the one sort is made to flie aboue in the aire, and the other to swimme beneath in the water.

37. That is, by the vertue of his worde hee gaue power to his creatures to ingender.

38. The fift day.

39. Ebr. soule of life.

40. Chap.5.1. and 9.6. 1.cor.11.7. colos 3.10.

41. God commaunded the water and the earth to bring forth other creatures: but of man he sayeth, Let vs make: signifying, that God taketh counsell with his wisdome and vertue, purposing to make an excellent worke aboue all the rest of his creation.

42. This image and likenesse of God in man is expounded, Ephes.4.24: where it is written, that man was created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse, meaning by these two wordes all perfection, as wisdome, trueth, innocencie, power, etc.

43. Wisd.2.23. ecclus. 17.1.

44. Matth.19.4.

45. The propagation of man is the blessing of God, Psalm.128.

46. Chap.8.17. and 9.1.

47. Gods great liberalitie to man, taketh away all excuse of his ingratitude.

48. Chap.9.3.

49. Exod.31.17. ecclus.39.16,33. marke 7.37.

50. The sixt day.