Day Six — in our image
Eight verses. The animals of the land, and man made “in our image” — learning, in the original, the first “we” and “I” of the chapter and the attached pronoun suffixes.
Verse by verse: which patterns build each sentence, and why — so that you can read it without a translation.
1-1What each verse does — Genesis 1:24–31
Before the text, see for each verse of 1:24–31: (1) what it does in the story, (2) what it says, (3) the verbs and sentence structure it uses. Tap a row to go to that verse.
The storyline — the 13 verbs that carry the story of Genesis 1:24–31
Why only these verbs? — In Hebrew narrative the “and he did” verb (wayyiqtol, pattern 1) moves the events forward one by one. Read these verbs in order and you have the storyline of 1:24–31. The other clauses (descriptions, the verbs inside God’s speech, perfects and so on) are added to this line. See this storyline first, and in the text you will notice where a sentence moves forward and where it pauses.
The events of this page run through thirteen wayyiqtols. Standing outside the chain are the two lines of verse 27 (perfect בָּרָא), the clauses inside the speech of verses 29–30, and “behold, very good” and the day’s name in verse 31.
Tap a word to open its notes below. Pronunciation is by a modern Israeli Hebrew voice.
YLVAnd God said, "Let the earth bring forth a living soul (nephesh) after its kind, beast and creeping thing and living thing (chai) of the earth after its kind"; and it was so.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [God said] [let the earth bring forth …] [and it was so].
- What comes first?The first clause opens with the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר → pattern 1, the first event of Day Six.
- The sentence inside the speechThe second clause is God’s word. A command to a third person (the earth) uses the jussive תּוֹצֵא (prefix ת = “she” = the earth). The order is verb → subject → object.
- How the object is builtIt first says “a living soul after its kind,” then spells it out as “beast, creeping thing, living thing of the earth” and closes again with “after its kind.” The objects are indefinite, so there is no אֵת.
- Back to the chainThe third clause, וַיְהִי־כֵן (“and it was so”), is the set phrase of fulfilment → pattern 6 (1 + jussive + 1): the combination for a word being fulfilled.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on the second לְמִינָהּ divides it: [the word | the fulfilment].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God said,
Why?Day Six too opens with the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר, then the subject Elohim — “verb → subject.” The first event of this day is “he said.”
YLV"Let the earth bring forth a living soul (nephesh) after its kind, beast and creeping thing and living thing (chai) of the earth after its kind";
Why?The words spoken. A command to a third person (the earth) uses the jussive תּוֹצֵא; its ת (“she”) points to the feminine noun “the earth.” The order is verb → subject → object; the object first says “a living soul after its kind,” then spells it out: “beast, creeping thing, living thing of the earth after its kind.” Being indefinite, the objects have no אֵת.
YLVand it was so.
Why?The fulfilment is the wayyiqtol וַיְהִי + כֵן (“so”): “and it was so.” No subject is written; the “it” is what was spoken. The same set phrase as in 1:7, 9, 11 and 15.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on the second לְמִינָהּ divides the verse: [the word | and it was so]. Within the first half, the revia (◌֗) on אֱלֹהִים and the zaqef (◌֔) on the first לְמִינָהּ divide again: “God said | a living soul after its kind | beast, creeping thing, living thing after its kind.”
Word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva-yomerand he said
אֱלֹהִ֗יםElohimGod
The one who spoke — the subject after the verb. Its revia (◌֗) accent separates “God said” from the words spoken.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
תּוֹצֵ֨אtotse(let her =) let … bring forth
Hiphil (“cause to go out” = “bring forth”) jussive of yatsa “go out.” The ת (tav) in front = “she” — the “she” is the next word, “the earth.” Erets is treated as feminine, so the verb is 3rd feminine singular (the same reason as הָיְתָה in 1:2). The root’s first letter was originally ו, which shows up in the Hiphil as תּוֹ (to-). The imperfect תּוֹצִיא (totsi) shortens in the jussive, its last vowel becoming ֵ (e): “let the earth bring forth.”
הָאָ֜רֶץha-aretsthe earth
Subject of the jussive תּוֹצֵא — “the earth,” the “she” of the verb’s ת. Before א the article lengthens to הָ.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Geresh a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H776
נֶ֤פֶשׁnefeshsoul (nephesh)
Nephesh is “life, a breathing being, soul.” The word used of the water creatures in 1:20–21 is used of land animals too. OSHB marks its gender as “both”; here the adjective חַיָּה after it is feminine, so it is treated as feminine. There is no article — it is the object the earth brings forth (indefinite, so no אֵת either).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- נֶפֶשׁ (“soul”) — a segolate noun, stressed on the first syllable
- Accent
- Mahpakh conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H5315
חַיָּה֙chayyahliving
The feminine singular (ending ־ָה) of the adjective חַי “living.” A Hebrew adjective comes after its noun and agrees with it in gender and number — feminine, to match nephesh. The dagesh in יּ doubles the root’s י. “Nephesh chayyah” = “a living soul.”
לְמִינָ֔הּle-minahafter its (her) kind
לְ (“according to”) + min (מִין, “kind”) + the ending ־ָהּ (-ah) = “her.” The dot inside the ה (mappiq) shows that this ה is not a silent vowel letter but the consonant suffix “her.” The “her” is the feminine noun just before it, “living soul.” Such attached suffixes are a new pattern on this page (18).
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct + pronominal suffix · 3rd feminine singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- לְ + מִין + suffix ־ָהּ (3fs “her”)
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H4327
בְּהֵמָ֥הbehemahbeast
“Beast, cattle.” A feminine noun (ending ־ָה), without the article. It is the first of three that spell out the “living soul”: beast, creeping thing, living thing of the earth.
- Parsing
- noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- בְּהֵמָה (“beast”)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H929
וָרֶ֛מֶשׂva-remesand creeping thing
“Creeping thing,” a masculine noun from ramas “creep, move.” “And” is read וָ (va) because it stands right before the stressed syllable of a closely paired word (as in וָבֹהוּ, 1:2). The tevir (◌֛) makes a slight break within the list.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberaccents
- Form
- רֶמֶשׂ (“creeping thing”) + וָ
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H7431
וְחַֽיְתוֹve-chaytoand living thing (chai) of
The construct of chayyah (חַיָּה, “living thing, beast”). The ending ־וֹ is not “his” — OSHB also tags it as a construct with no suffix. It is an old construct ending, preserved in the set phrase “living thing of the earth.” In 1:25 the same phrase uses the ordinary construct, חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ. The stroke under חַֽ is a meteg (lengthening mark); a maqaf joins it to the next word.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- וְ + חַיָּה → old construct חַיְתוֹ־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H2416c
אֶ֖רֶץeretsthe earth
The word bound to the construct חַיְתוֹ־: “of the earth.” This is the form without the article, אֶרֶץ (with the article it is הָאָרֶץ). In a construct chain the second word decides whether the whole is definite.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) — no article
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H776
לְמִינָ֑הּle-minahafter its (her) kind
The same לְמִינָהּ again — this time closing the whole list (beast, creeping thing, living thing of the earth) with “after its kind.” The “her” agrees with the feminine noun just before it, חַיְתוֹ. This word carries the atnach (◌֑): verse 24 divides here into word | fulfilment.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct + pronominal suffix · 3rd feminine singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- לְ + מִין + suffix ־ָהּ (3fs “her”)
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H4327
וַֽיְהִיva-yehiand it was
The wayyiqtol וַיְהִי (1:3). The י in front = “it” — no subject is written; it is what God had just spoken. Joined by maqaf to כֵן (“so”): “and it was so.”
YLVAnd God made the living thing (chai) of the earth after its kind, and the beast after its kind, and every creeping thing of the ground (adamah) after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Two: [God made …] [God saw that it was good].
- What comes first?Both open with a wayyiqtol (וַיַּעַשׂ, וַיַּרְא) → pattern 1. Two events in order: making → seeing.
- The rest of the orderverb → subject → three objects. Each object has אֵת and “after its kind,” and the suffix follows the gender of the noun before it: ־ָהּ, ־ָהּ, ־ֵהוּ (f., f., m.) — pattern 18.
- Compared with verse 24Verse 24 is the word spoken to the earth; verse 25 is what God made. The list changes order from “beast, creeping thing, living thing” to “living thing, beast, creeping thing,” and the objects are now definite, marked with אֵת.
- The second clauseוַיַּרְא + subject + כִּי־טוֹב (a verbless clause) → pattern 7: the combination for seeing and judging.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on לְמִינֵהוּ divides it: [the making | the seeing].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God made the living thing (chai) of the earth after its kind, and the beast after its kind, and every creeping thing of the ground (adamah) after its kind;
Why?The wayyiqtol וַיַּעַשׂ (“he made”) first → subject → three objects. This time each object is definite, marked with אֵת. All three end “after its kind,” and the suffix follows the gender of the noun before it: ־ָהּ (living thing, f.), ־ָהּ (beast, f.), ־ֵהוּ (creeping thing, m.) — pattern 18.
YLVand God saw that it was good.
Why?The wayyiqtol וַיַּרְא + subject + כִּי־טוֹב. Unlike 1:4 there is no object; “that it was good” follows directly. טוֹב is a verbless clause.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on לְמִינֵהוּ divides it: [the making | the seeing]. In the first half the first two objects end at the revia (◌֗) and the zaqef (◌֔); the third (from וְאֵת, which carries a tevir ֛) runs to the atnach.
Word by word
וַיַּ֣עַשׂva-yaasand he made
Wayyiqtol of asah “make”: וַ + יּ (dagesh); the י = “he,” the next word, Elohim. The final ה has dropped off — a short form (imperfect יַעֲשֶׂה → וַיַּעַשׂ). Because the second root letter ע is a guttural, “a” vowels gather around it. Verse 24 told the earth to “bring forth”; verse 25 says that God made them.
אֱלֹהִים֩ElohimGod
The one who made — the subject after the verb. The small ring at the end of the word (◌֩) is telisha qetannah, a conjunctive accent leading on.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Telisha qetana conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H430
אֶתet(object marker)
The אֶת־ marking the first object, shortened before the maqaf. Verse 25 puts אֵת before all three objects — this time they are definite, “the living thing, the beast, every creeping thing” (verse 24 had no אֵת).
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
חַיַּ֨תchayyatthe living thing (chai) of
The ordinary construct of chayyah (חַיָּה). The feminine ending ־ָה becomes ־ַת in the construct, binding it to “the earth”: “the living thing of.” It is the same phrase as the old form חַיְתוֹ־אֶרֶץ in verse 24. Because the next word has the article, the whole phrase is definite: “the living thing of the earth.”
- Parsing
- noun · feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- חַיָּה → construct חַיַּת (־ָה → ־ַת)
- Accent
- Qadma conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H2416c
הָאָ֜רֶץha-aretsthe earth
“Of the earth,” bound to the construct חַיַּת. Before א the article is הָ.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Geresh a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H776
לְמִינָ֗הּle-minahafter its (her) kind
“After its kind.” The ending ־ָהּ (“her”) refers to the feminine noun just before it, חַיַּת.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct + pronominal suffix · 3rd feminine singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- לְ + מִין + suffix ־ָהּ (3fs “her”)
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H4327
וְאֶתve-etand (object marker)
“And” + the object marker, pointing to the second object, “the beast.” Before the maqaf it shortens to אֶת־.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + object marker
- Grammar
- conjunction wawobject marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- וְ + אֵת → before maqaf וְאֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הַבְּהֵמָה֙ha-behemahthe beast
The article הַ + a dagesh in the next letter (בּ) — the article doubles the first consonant. The beast named without the article in verse 24 is now definite, “the beast,” as God makes it.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- בְּהֵמָה + article הַ → הַבְּהֵמָה
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H929
לְמִינָ֔הּle-minahafter its (her) kind
“After its kind” again; ־ָהּ (“her”) refers to the feminine noun הַבְּהֵמָה. Its zaqef (◌֔) breaks off the first two objects from the “creeping thing” that follows.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct + pronominal suffix · 3rd feminine singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- לְ + מִין + suffix ־ָהּ (3fs “her”)
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H4327
וְאֵ֛תve-etand (object marker)
“And + אֵת” for the third object. This time it has its own accent (tevir ֛) and no maqaf, so it keeps the full form אֵת.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + object marker
- Grammar
- conjunction wawobject marker אֵתaccents
- Form
- וְ + אֵת
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H853
כָּלkolevery
The construct of כֹּל (“all”): “every.” Joined by maqaf it loses its stress, and the vowel becomes a short ָ (qamets chatuf), read “kol,” not “kal.” Bound to “creeping thing”: “every creeping thing.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל (“all”) → construct before maqaf כָּל־ (kol)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
רֶ֥מֶשׂremescreeping thing of
The “creeping thing” (רֶמֶשׂ) of verse 24, here a construct bound to “the ground.” A segolate noun has the same form in the construct.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- רֶמֶשׂ — the construct has the same form
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H7431
הָֽאֲדָמָ֖הha-adamahthe ground (adamah)
Adamah, “ground, soil.” Its first appearance in the chapter — a different word from erets (“earth”) in 1:24. א cannot take a dagesh, so the article lengthens to הָ; the stroke under הָֽ is a meteg. In 2:7 Adam is formed from the dust of this adamah.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֲדָמָה (“ground”) + article הָ → הָאֲדָמָה
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H127
לְמִינֵ֑הוּle-minehuafter its (his) kind
This time the ending is ־ֵהוּ (-ehu) = “his” (3rd masculine singular). The two before it referred to feminine nouns (living thing, beast) and were ־ָהּ; this one refers to the masculine noun “creeping thing” (רֶמֶשׂ). The suffix changes gender to match the noun before it. Atnach (◌֑) here — verse 25 divides into making | seeing.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- לְ + מִין + suffix ־ֵהוּ (3ms “his”)
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H4327
וַיַּ֥רְאva-yarand he saw
The וַיַּרְא of 1:4: וַ + יּ; the י = “he” — God. Unlike 1:4, no object follows; “that it was good” (כִּי־טוֹב) comes straight after.
אֱלֹהִ֖יםElohimGod
The one who saw.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H430
כִּיkithat
כִּי introducing what he saw. With no object: “he saw — that it was good.” Joined to טוֹב by maqaf.
- Parsing
- conjunction
- Grammar
- conjunction wawmaqqefaccents
- Form
- unchanging · joined by maqaf
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3588a
טֽוֹבtovgood
Adjective, masculine singular, “good” — a verbless clause (pattern 4). Silluq stroke under טֽ at the verse end. This “good” follows 1:4, 10, 12, 18 and 21 in the chapter.
YLVAnd God said, "Let us make man (adam) in our image, after our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the beast, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [God said] [let us make man …] [and let them rule …].
- What comes first?The first clause opens with the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר (1). The first word of the speech is the verb נַעֲשֶׂה — its נ = “we” → pattern 17.
- The rules of speechUntil now God’s words were third-person jussives (“let there be,” “let the earth bring forth”) and second-person imperatives (1:22). Here for the first time the speaker uses the first person, including himself: “let us ….” “Our image, our likeness” also carry the 1st plural suffix ־ֵנוּ (pattern 18).
- A wish that followsThe third clause, וְיִרְדּוּ, is shewa-waw + jussive (pattern 9) — after “let us make,” “and let them rule.” “They” is mankind, meant by the singular אָדָם. The five realms of rule are counted one by one with “בְּ + noun.”
- Why is it written this way?Unlike “let there be” on the other days, this word says in one sentence whom (man), how (in our image, after our likeness) and for what (to rule). Verse 27 fulfils it.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ divides it: [let us make | let them rule].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God said,
Why?Again the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר → the subject Elohim. The verb is 3rd masculine singular.
YLV"Let us make man (adam) in our image, after our likeness;
Why?At the head of the speech, the verb נַעֲשֶׂה. Its נ = “we” — the first first-person form in the chapter, and standing first in the speech it means “let us make” (pattern 17). Then the object אָדָם (no article → no אֵת) and “how”: בְּצַלְמֵנוּ, כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ — the 1st plural suffix ־ֵנוּ (“our,” pattern 18) on the nouns matches the “we” of the verb.
YLVand let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the beast, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."
Why?וְיִרְדּוּ is shewa-waw וְ + a 3rd plural jussive (prefix י + ending ־וּ = “they”). Not a wayyiqtol, it adds no event; it continues the wish of “let us make”: “and let them rule” (pattern 9). “They” is mankind, meant by the singular אָדָם. The five realms of rule each take בְּ, and the last is described by the article + participle הָרֹמֵשׂ (“that creeps,” pattern 12).
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ divides it: [“let us make” | “let them rule”]. The first half divides again at the zaqef (◌֔) on אֱלֹהִים: “God said | the words.” Of the five realms in the second half, four end at geresh, revia, pashta and zaqef; the fifth runs to the verse end (silluq), with a tipcha inside it after הָרֶמֶשׂ.
Word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva-yomerand he said
Again the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר — the second word of Day Six. The י = “he,” Elohim, who follows.
אֱלֹהִ֔יםElohimGod
The one who spoke. The subject is again אֱלֹהִים, and the verb וַיֹּאמֶר is 3rd masculine singular. The zaqef (◌֔) separates “God said” from the words spoken.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H430
נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥הnaasehlet us make
Asah “make.” The נ (nun) in front = “we” — 1st person plural. In the imperfect and wayyiqtol a prefixed נ always means “we” (י he · ת she, you · א I). The patach under נַ and the chateph patach under עֲ come from the guttural ע; the stroke in נַֽ is a meteg. The ending ־ֶה is the imperfect of a verb ending in ה. OSHB tags the word as imperfect, 1st common plural. Verbs ending in ה cannot add the cohortative ending ־ָה (“let us”), so the two look the same — the identical form וְנַעֲשֶׂה in 11:4 is tagged cohortative by OSHB. Standing first in the speech it means “let us make.” Who “we” are: see “Going deeper.”
אָדָ֛םadamman (adam)
Adam, “man, mankind.” Masculine singular, and here without the article — “man,” not yet made. The very next verb, וְיִרְדּוּ (“let them rule”), is plural, showing that this singular word can refer not to one person but to mankind as a whole. It is the object right after the verb; being indefinite, it has no אֵת.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אָדָם (“man”) — no article
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H120
בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּbe-tsalmenuin our image
בְּ (“in, by”) + tselem (צֶלֶם, “image”) + the ending ־ֵנוּ (-enu) = “our.” A 1st plural suffix on a noun, matching the “we” of נַעֲשֶׂה. With a suffix the segolate צֶלֶם returns to its base צַלְמ־ (tsalm-). A noun with a suffix is already definite, so no article is written.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct + pronominal suffix · 1st common plural
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- בְּ + צֶלֶם → צַלְמ־ + suffix ־ֵנוּ (“our”)
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H6754
כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּki-dmutenuafter our likeness
כְּ (“like, after”) + demut (דְּמוּת, “likeness”) + ־ֵנוּ (“our”). When two shewas meet (כְּ + דְ), the first becomes ִ (i): כִּ (ki), and then ד, now after a vowel, loses its dagesh. Demut is a feminine noun (ending ־וּת) from damah (דָּמָה, “be like”), in its construct form before the suffix. This word carries the atnach (◌֑): verse 26 divides into “let us make” | “let them rule.”
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · feminine · singular · construct + pronominal suffix · 1st common plural
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- כְּ + דְּמוּת → כִּדְמוּת + suffix ־ֵנוּ (“our”)
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H1823
וְיִרְדּוּ֩ve-yirduand let them rule
Radah “rule.” The י in front + the ending ־וּ = “they” (3rd masculine plural). “They” is “man (adam)” — a singular word for mankind as a whole, so the verb is plural. The וְ in front is the shewa-waw “and,” not the wayyiqtol וַ. OSHB tags it as a jussive: after “let us make” it continues the wish, “and let them rule” (pattern 9). Because the root ends in ה, the ה drops and only ־וּ remains. The dot in דּ is a dagesh lene after a closed syllable. “Rule over” takes בְּ.
בִדְגַ֨תvi-dgatover the fish of
בְּ (marking what is ruled, “over”) + the construct דְּגַת of dagah (דָּגָה, “fish” — a feminine collective). Two shewas cannot stand in a row, so the shewa of בְ becomes ִ (i): בִ. Since the previous word וְיִרְדּוּ ends in a vowel (־וּ) and has a conjunctive accent, the ב has no dagesh: a soft “vi.” The ד, now after a vowel, also loses its dagesh: דְ. The construct ending ־ַת gives “fish of the sea.”
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- בְּ + דָּגָה → construct דְּגַת → בִדְגַת (בִ, דְ without dagesh)
- Accent
- Qadma conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H1710
הַיָּ֜םha-yamthe sea
The article הַ + a dagesh in יּ. Yam, “sea” — the singular of “Seas” (יַמִּים) in 1:10. Bound to the construct דְגַת: “of the sea.”
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- יָם (“sea”) + article הַ → הַיָּם
- Accent
- Geresh a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H3220
וּבְע֣וֹףu-ve-ofand over the birds of
Before a shewa “and” becomes וּ (u); after that vowel בְ has no dagesh. Of, “flying things, birds” (a collective), in the construct — the form is unchanged. “Rule + בְּ” is repeated for each realm.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- וּ + בְּ + עוֹף (“birds”) → וּבְעוֹף
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H5775
הַשָּׁמַ֗יִםha-shamayimthe heavens
“Of the heavens,” bound to the construct עוֹף. The article הַ doubles the שּׁ.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁמַיִם (“heavens”) + article הַ → שּׁ
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H8064
וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙u-va-behemahand over the beast
וּ (“and,” u before ב) + בַּ, the preposition בְּ merged with the article: the ה disappears and its vowel moves to ב (the same rule as לָאוֹר, 1:5). The article’s trace remains as the dagesh in the next בּ.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + article + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiondefinite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- וּ + בְּ + הַ + בְּהֵמָה → וּבַבְּהֵמָה
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H929
וּבְכָלu-vekholand over all
וּ + בְּ + the construct כָּל־ (“all”). ב follows וּ and כ a vocal shewa, so neither has a dagesh: “u-vekhol.” Joined by maqaf to the next word.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- וּ + בְּ + כָּל־ → וּבְכָל־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
הָאָ֔רֶץha-aretsthe earth
Bound to כָל־: “all the earth.” Its zaqef (◌֔) sets a slight break before “every creeping thing.”
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H776
וּבְכָלu-vekholand over all
The same וּבְכָל־, opening the fifth realm of rule, “every creeping thing.”
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- וּ + בְּ + כָּל־ → וּבְכָל־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
הָרֶ֖מֶשׂha-remesthe creeping thing
ר cannot take a dagesh, so the article lengthens to הָ instead of הַ. “Creeping thing” (רֶמֶשׂ) with the article.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- רֶמֶשׂ + article הָ → הָרֶמֶשׂ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H7431
הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂha-romesthat creeps
Qal participle, masculine singular, of ramas “creep” (רֹמֵשׂ: “o” then “e” is the Qal participle pattern). With the article it describes the noun before it: “the creeping thing that creeps” — “every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” Article + participle works like “that does …,” describing a noun. The noun (רֶמֶשׂ) and the participle share the same root. Note the meteg (הָֽ).
- Parsing
- article “the” + verb · Qal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articleQal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ר-מ-שׂ → Qal participle ms רֹמֵשׂ + article הָ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H7430
עַלalupon
“Upon,” joined by maqaf to “the earth”: “upon the earth.”
- Parsing
- preposition
- Grammar
- prepositionmaqqefaccents
- Form
- unchanging · joined by maqaf
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H5921a
הָאָֽרֶץha-aretsthe earth
“The earth” of “upon the earth.” Silluq stroke under אָֽ at the verse end.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H776
YLVAnd God created the man (adam) in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three, built like a short three-line poem: [God created the man in his image] [in the image of God he created him] [male and female he created them]. All three lines have the verb בָּרָא.
- What comes first?The first line opens with the wayyiqtol וַיִּבְרָא (1). The second puts “in the image of God” first, the third “male and female” → both are pattern 2, “X + perfect.”
- So what fills the verb slot?The second and third lines cannot use a wayyiqtol, so they have the perfect בָּרָא (bare form = “he”). Since they do not extend the chain, they are not three new events but restate the creation of the first line twice more — the combination for setting a pair side by side (the same build as 1:5 and 1:10).
- What changes line by lineThe first two lines mirror each other (chiasm): “created — the man — in his image” / “in the image of God — created — him.” “His image” is revealed as “the image of God,” and the object moves from אֶת־הָאָדָם → אֹתוֹ (“him”) → אֹתָם (“them”) — pattern 18.
- Compared with verse 26The speech of verse 26 was “let us make, our image” (1st plural); in verse 27 all three verbs are 3rd masculine singular, “he created,” and the suffix is “his image” (singular). The verb also changes from עָשָׂה (“make”) to בָּרָא (“create”).
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on אֹתוֹ divides it: [he created him — two lines | he created them — one line]; the first half divides again at the zaqef (◌֔) on בְּצַלְמוֹ: first line | second line. The accents trace the three lines exactly.
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God created the man (adam) in his image;
Why?The first line is the wayyiqtol וַיִּבְרָא → subject → object אֶת־הָאָדָם → בְּצַלְמוֹ (“in his image”). It is the event fulfilling the word of verse 26. The verb is singular (prefix י = he), and so is the suffix ־וֹ (“his,” pattern 18) — the “we, our” of the speech becomes “he, his” in the fulfilment.
YLVin the image of God he created him;
Why?The second line puts “in the image of God” (בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים) before the verb, so the verb is the perfect בָּרָא, not a wayyiqtol (pattern 2). It is not a new event but restates the creation of the first line, making plain that “his image” is “the image of God.” It mirrors the first line (chiasm), and the object is אֹתוֹ, אֵת with a suffix (“him”).
YLVmale and female he created them.
Why?The third line puts “male and female” (זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה) first, again with the perfect בָּרָא. The object changes from אֹתוֹ (“him,” singular) to אֹתָם (“them,” plural) — the “them” are the “male and female” placed first. In all three lines the verb is the same בָּרָא and the subject is the one God.
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on אֹתוֹ divides it: [the two “he created him” lines | the one “he created them” line]. The first half divides again at the zaqef (◌֔) on בְּצַלְמוֹ, first line | second line — the accents trace the three lines exactly.
Word by word
וַיִּבְרָ֨אva-yivraand he created
The bara (בָּרָא, “create”) of 1:1, now as a wayyiqtol: וַ + יּ (dagesh); the י = “he,” the next word, Elohim — singular. The speech in verse 26 was “let us make” (plural), but the verb that reports the act is singular. ב closes the syllable right after the vowel ִ, so it has no dagesh: yiv-ra. The final א is silent.
אֱלֹהִ֤יםElohimGod
The one who created — the subject after the verb. The paseq ׀ after it sets a slight gap between “God” and “the man.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Mahpakh conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H430
אֶתet(object marker)
The אֶת־ pointing to the object “the man.” In verse 26 adam had neither אֵת nor the article; now, as “the man” just created, it is marked with אֵת.
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הָֽאָדָם֙ha-adamthe man (adam)
Adam with the article. א takes no dagesh, so the article lengthens to הָ; the stroke under הָֽ is a meteg. It points back to the “man” of “let us make” in verse 26. Because the word is masculine singular, the object in the next line is אֹתוֹ (“him,” singular).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אָדָם + article הָ → הָאָדָם
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H120
בְּצַלְמ֔וֹbe-tsalmoin his image
The same word as בְּצַלְמֵנוּ (“in our image,” verse 26), with only the ending changed to ־וֹ (-o) = “his” (3rd masculine singular). The “he” is the subject of the verse, God. In the speech it is “our image”; in the fulfilment, “his image.” The zaqef (◌֔) closes the first line.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- בְּ + צַלְמ־ + suffix ־וֹ (“his”)
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H6754
בְּצֶ֥לֶםbe-tselemin the image of
The head of the second line: בְּ + the construct of tselem — a segolate, so the form stays צֶלֶם — bound to Elohim: “in the image of God.” Because this phrase is placed before the verb, the verb is not a wayyiqtol but the perfect בָּרָא (pattern 2).
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- בְּ + צֶלֶם (the construct has the same form)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H6754
אֱלֹהִ֖יםElohimGod
Bound to the construct צֶלֶם: “the image of God.” It names whose image “his image” in the first line is. Its tipcha (◌֖) divides it from “he created — him.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H430
barahe created
אֹת֑וֹotohim
The object marker אֵת with the suffix ־וֹ (“him”). With a suffix the vowel of אֵת changes to אֹת־ (ot-). “Him” is the masculine singular “the man.” A pronoun object is not written as a separate word but attached to אֵת. This word carries the atnach (◌֑): verse 27 divides into the two “he created him” lines | the one “he created them” line.
- Parsing
- object marker + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine singular
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- אֵת + suffix ־וֹ (3ms) → אֹתוֹ
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H853
זָכָ֥רzakharmale
וּנְקֵבָ֖הu-neqevahand female
“Female,” a feminine noun (ending ־ָה). Before a shewa “and” is וּ (u). “Male and female” stand together as a pair at the head of the third line.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberaccents
- Form
- נְקֵבָה (“female”) + וּ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H5347
barahe created
אֹתָֽםotamthem
אֵת + the suffix ־ָם (-am) = “them” (3rd masculine plural). The אֹתוֹ (“him,” singular) of the second line becomes אֹתָם (“them,” plural) here — the suffix takes up the “male and female” placed first, so it is plural. A mixed group takes the masculine plural. Silluq at the verse end.
- Parsing
- object marker + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine plural
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- אֵת + suffix ־ָם (3mp) → אֹתָם
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H853
YLVAnd God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing (chai) that creeps upon the earth."
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Six: [he blessed] [he said to them] [be fruitful and multiply] [fill the earth] [subdue it] [rule …].
- What comes first?The first two clauses open with the wayyiqtols וַיְבָרֶךְ and וַיֹּאמֶר (1). In both, a short pronoun (אֹתָם “them,” לָהֶם “to them”) comes before the subject (pattern 18).
- The sentence inside the speechGod’s words are five 2nd masculine plural imperatives (pattern 15): פְּרוּ, וּרְבוּ, וּמִלְאוּ, וְכִבְשֻׁהָ, וּרְדוּ. The ending ־וּ is “you.” They begin with the same words as the blessing of 1:22 (פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ).
- The suffixוְכִבְשֻׁהָ is an imperative + ־הָ (“her”); before the suffix the ending ־וּ is written only as ֻ, without the vav; “her” is the feminine noun just before, “the earth.”
- Why is it written this way?The words that follow spell out the blessing of the first clause. “Let them rule” (וְיִרְדּוּ), a third-person jussive in verse 26, becomes here a second-person imperative spoken to man directly: “rule” (וּרְדוּ). This is the combination for reporting speech.
- The accents matchThe segolta (◌֒) on the first אֱלֹהִים sets off [the blessing], and the atnach (◌֑) on וְכִבְשֻׁהָ divides the verse: [fruitfulness · filling · subduing | ruling].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God blessed them,
Why?After the wayyiqtol וַיְבָרֶךְ (“he blessed”) the object אֹתָם (“them”) comes before the subject Elohim. A short pronoun object (אֵת + suffix, pattern 18) often stands right after the verb.
YLVand God said to them,
Why?The wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר → לָהֶם (“to them,” preposition + suffix) → subject. Here too the short לָהֶם precedes the subject. The blessing of 1:22 went on with לֵאמֹר (“saying”); here the hearers are named: “and God said to them.”
YLV"Be fruitful and multiply,
Why?The first clause of the speech — 2nd masculine plural imperatives פְּרוּ, וּרְבוּ (ending ־וּ = “you”). An imperative has no person prefix, only the ending (pattern 15). It begins with the same two words as 1:22.
YLVand fill the earth
Why?The third command וּמִלְאוּ (“fill”) + the object אֶת־הָאָרֶץ, joined to the previous commands with וּ.
YLVand subdue it;
Why?The fourth command וְכִבְשֻׁהָ — after the imperative ending ־וּ (“you,” written here as ֻ without the vav before the suffix) comes the object suffix ־הָ (“her”). “Her” is the feminine noun just before, “the earth.” The object is attached to the verb, not written separately (pattern 18).
YLVand rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing (chai) that creeps upon the earth."
Why?The fifth command וּרְדוּ (“rule”). The jussive וְיִרְדּוּ of verse 26 (“let them rule”) becomes here an imperative addressed to man directly. Three realms take בְּ, and the last is described by the article + participle הָרֹמֶשֶׂת (“that creeps,” feminine to match חַיָּה).
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The major break of the first half is a segolta (◌֒), on the first אֱלֹהִים, setting off [the blessing]. The atnach (◌֑) on וְכִבְשֻׁהָ divides the verse: [be fruitful · multiply · fill · subdue | rule].
Word by word
וַיְבָ֣רֶךְva-yevarekhand he blessed
Piel wayyiqtol of barakh “to bless.” The י (yod) in front = “he”; the “he” is Elohim, which follows. Because י has a shewa (יְ), it loses the dagesh even after וַ. The Piel doubles the middle root letter, but ר cannot take a dagesh, so the vowel before it lengthens instead (qamets in בָ). In the wayyiqtol the last vowel shortens from the tsere ֵ of the imperfect יְבָרֵךְ to segol ֶ. The final כ takes its final form ךְ.
אֹתָם֮otamthem
The object marker אֵת with the pronoun suffix ־ָם (3rd masculine plural, “them”). With a suffix אֵת becomes אֹת־ (ot-). “Them” is the male and female of verse 27 — a group of men and women together is referred to with the masculine plural. The small mark over the last letter (◌֮) is zarqa, the minor disjunctive accent that comes before a segolta.
- Parsing
- object marker + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine plural
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- אֵת → אֹת־ + ־ָם (“them”)
- Accent
- Zarqa (zinor) a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H853
אֱלֹהִים֒ElohimGod
The one who blessed — placed not right after the verb but after the object “them.” The accent above, segolta (◌֒), is a major pause in the first half of the verse: up to here is the blessing, next comes the speaking.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Segolta a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H430
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרva-yomerand he said
לָהֶ֜םlahemto them
The preposition לְ (“to”) with the pronoun suffix ־הֶם (3rd masculine plural, “them”). Before this suffix the ל takes qamets (לָ). “Them” are the same male and female as אֹתָם. “Say + לְ” = “say to.”
- Parsing
- preposition + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine plural
- Grammar
- prepositionpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- לְ + ־הֶם → לָהֶם
- Accent
- Geresh a smaller pause
- Lexicon
אֱלֹהִ֗יםElohimGod
The one who spoke. Elohim appears twice in one verse — “God blessed … and God said.” The order is verb, “to them,” subject.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
פְּר֥וּperube fruitful
Imperative of parah “to bear fruit.” The ending ־וּ (-u) marks 2nd masculine plural, “you (all).” An imperative has no person letter in front — only the ending. The “you” are the male and female of verse 27; addressing men and women together uses the masculine plural. The root’s final ה drops and וּ takes its place. The first פּ has a dagesh: a hard p.
- Parsing
- verb · Qal · imperative · 2nd masculine plural
- Grammar
- Qal stemimperativeaccents
- Form
- root פ-ר-ה → imperative 2mp: ־וּ replaces the final ה
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H6509
וּרְב֛וּu-revuand multiply
Imperative of ravah “to multiply.” The ending ־וּ = “you (all)” (2mp), the same male and female. “And” is וּ (u) because the next ר has a shewa — before a shewa וְ becomes וּ. The pair “פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ” is the same two words spoken to the fish and birds in 1:22.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + verb · Qal · imperative · 2nd masculine plural
- Grammar
- conjunction wawQal stemimperativeaccents
- Form
- root ר-ב-ה → רְבוּ (־וּ replaces ה) + וּ
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H7235a
וּמִלְא֥וּu-mil’uand fill
Imperative of male “to fill.” The ending ־וּ = “you (all)” (2mp). מ is a lip-sound, so “and” is וּ (u). The root’s final א is silent, and וּ follows it: mil-u. What is to be filled follows: אֶת־הָאָרֶץ.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + verb · Qal · imperative · 2nd masculine plural
- Grammar
- conjunction wawQal stemimperativeaccents
- Form
- root מ-ל-א → imperative מִלְאוּ + וּ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H4390
אֶתet(object marker)
The object marker, joined by maqaf (־) to “the earth,” with its short vowel אֶת. It points to the definite object of “fill”: “the earth.”
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הָאָ֖רֶץha-aretsthe earth
א cannot take a dagesh, so the article lengthens to הָ. It is the object of “fill,” and the word the suffix ־הָ (“her”) on the next verb “subdue” points back to. Accent: tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H776
וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָve-khivshuhaand subdue it
Imperative 2mp of kavash “to subdue,” with the object suffix ־הָ (3rd feminine singular, “her”). Before the suffix the imperative ending ־וּ is written only with qibbuts (שֻׁ), without the vav — it still means “you (all).” The “her” is the earth just named — erets is feminine. So: “subdue it (the earth).” After the shewa כ has no dagesh: a soft kh. Atnach (◌֑) here — the spoken words of verse 28 divide in two at this point.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + verb · Qal · imperative · 2nd masculine plural + pronominal suffix · 3rd feminine singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawQal stemimperativeobject suffix on a verbaccents
- Form
- root כ-ב-שׁ → imperative כִּבְשׁוּ + suffix ־הָ (“her”) → כִבְשֻׁהָ + וְ
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H3533
וּרְד֞וּu-reduand rule
Imperative of radah “to rule.” The ending ־וּ = “you (all)” (2mp), standing where the root’s final ה dropped. ר has a shewa, so “and” is וּ. This verb takes what is ruled with בְּ: “over the fish, over the birds, over every living thing.” God’s word in verse 26, וְיִרְדּוּ (“let them rule”), is here given as a command.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + verb · Qal · imperative · 2nd masculine plural
- Grammar
- conjunction wawQal stemimperativeaccents
- Form
- root ר-ד-ה → imperative רְדוּ + וּ
- Accent
- Gershayim a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H7287a
בִּדְגַ֤תbi-dgatover the fish of
בְּ (“in,” here marking what is ruled) + the construct of dagah “fish.” The feminine ending ־ָה becomes ־ַת in the construct, binding it to “the sea”: “the fish of.” The next letter also has a shewa, and two shewas cannot stand together at the start, so בְּ becomes בִּ (bi). After that vowel ד has no dagesh. The singular form stands for all fish.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- דָּגָה (“fish”) → construct דְּגַת + בְּ → בִּדְגַת
- Accent
- Mahpakh conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H1710
הַיָּם֙ha-yamthe sea
The article הַ doubles the next consonant — the dagesh in יּ. Yam “sea,” singular here (in 1:22 the plural יַּמִּים “seas”). Bound to the construct before it: “the fish of the sea.” The pashta accent (◌֙) sits over the last letter.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- יָם (“sea”) + article הַ → הַיָּם
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H3220
וּבְע֣וֹףu-ve-ofand over the birds of
Three parts: וּ (“and”) + בְ (“over”) + of “birds, winged things.” Before ב (a lip-sound) “and” is וּ; after that vowel ב has no dagesh: a soft v. Of is in the construct, “birds of” (same form), bound to “the heavens.” The singular stands for all birds. The second thing to be ruled.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- וּ + בְּ + עוֹף (“birds”) → וּבְעוֹף · the “o” is written with vav (וֹ)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H5775
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha-shamayimthe heavens
The word of 1:1 — article הַ with the dagesh in שּׁ, always plural in form (־ַיִם). Here it is bound to the construct “birds”: “the birds of the heavens.” Accent: zaqef (◌֔).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁמַיִם (“heavens”) + article הַ → שּׁ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H8064
וּבְכָלu-ve-kholand over every
וּ (“and”) + בְ (“over”) + kol “all, every.” Before ב “and” is וּ, and ב is a soft v; after the shewa כ also loses its dagesh: kh. Kol is in the construct, joined by maqaf (־); in this position the qamets of כָל is a short “o” (qamets hatuf): kol. The third thing to be ruled.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל (“all”) → before maqaf כָּל־ (kol) + וּ + בְ
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
חַיָּ֖הchayyahliving thing
A noun from chai “alive”: “a living thing, a creature” (feminine ending ־ָה). The dagesh in יּ shows the root’s י doubled. Bound to “every”: “every living thing.” The YLV shows the Hebrew: “living thing (chai).” Accent: tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- root ח-י-י → חַיָּה (“living thing”)
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H2416a
הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂתha-romesetthat creeps
Qal participle of ramas “to creep, move,” with the article: “the one that creeps.” The “o” after the first root letter (holem in רֹ) marks the Qal active participle; the ending ־ֶת (-et) is feminine singular, because the word it describes, חַיָּה (“living thing”), is feminine. ר cannot take a dagesh, so the article lengthens to הָ; the stroke beside it is the “lengthening” mark (meteg).
- Parsing
- article “the” + verb · Qal · participle · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articleQal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ר-מ-שׂ → Qal participle רֹמֵשׂ → feminine רֹמֶשֶׂת + article הָ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H7430
עַלalupon
הָאָֽרֶץha-aretsthe earth
“The earth” — the article הָ before א. At the end of verse 28 (silluq) a small vertical stroke stands under אָֽ. “The earth” appears twice in the verse’s speech — “fill the earth” and “creeps upon the earth.”
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H776
YLVAnd God said, "Behold, I have given to you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [God said] [behold, I have given to you …] [to you it shall be for food].
- What comes first?The first clause is a wayyiqtol (1). The first clause of the speech is הִנֵּה (“behold”) + the perfect נָתַתִּי → pattern 19. The ending ־תִּי = “I” — God speaks in the 1st singular.
- So what fills the verb slot?A perfect inside speech does not narrate the past; it declares, “I (now) have given.” The recipient לָכֶם (“to you,” pattern 18) comes before the objects.
- How the objects are builtאֵת marks the two objects, described by the participle זֹרֵעַ (“yielding seed,” pattern 12) and אֲשֶׁר clauses (pattern 10): “every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth” and “every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed.”
- The third clauseלָכֶם (“to you”) is placed before the verb, and the verb is the imperfect יִהְיֶה (“it shall be”). Inside speech the future is said with the imperfect.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on the second זָרַע divides it: [what is given | its use (food)].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God said,
Why?The wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר → subject: the fourth “said” of Day Six.
YLV"Behold, I have given to you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed;
Why?הִנֵּה (“behold”) + the perfect נָתַתִּי. The ending ־תִּי = “I” — the first time God speaks in the 1st singular. A perfect inside speech, it declares: “I (now) have given” (pattern 19). The recipient לָכֶם (“to you,” suffix ־כֶם) comes before the objects, and אֵת marks each of the two objects. The first is described by the participle זֹרֵעַ (“yielding seed”) and an אֲשֶׁר clause (pattern 10), the second by אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ (“in which is”).
YLVto you it shall be for food.
Why?לָכֶם (“to you”) is placed before the verb, and the verb is the imperfect יִהְיֶה (“it shall be,” prefix י). Inside speech, what is to come is said with the imperfect. The fronted לָכֶם gives weight to “to you,” and לְאָכְלָה (“for food”) states the purpose.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on the second זָרַע divides it: [what is given | it shall be food for you]. Within the first half revia (◌֗), geresh and zaqef (◌֔) set off “God said | behold, I have given to you | the herb,” and “the tree” runs to the atnach (with a tevir ֛ inside it, on הָעֵץ).
Word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva-yomerand he said
The wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר. The י = “he”; the “he” is Elohim, which follows. After verse 28 God speaks again — this time about food.
אֱלֹהִ֗יםElohimGod
The one who spoke — the subject after the verb. Accent: revia (◌֗).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
הִנֵּה֩hinnehbehold
“Behold, look” — a word that turns the hearer’s eyes to what is being said now. It is not a verb, so it has no person marker. The dagesh in נּ doubles the נ: hin-neh. Followed by the perfect נָתַתִּי — “behold, I have given” — it announces the act as done at the moment of speaking. The accent above (◌֩) is telisha qetannah, placed on the last letter.
נָתַ֨תִּיnatattiI have given
Qal perfect of natan “to give.” The ending ־תִּי (-ti) marks the 1st person singular, “I” — the same for male or female. The “I” is God, the speaker. The root’s last נ merges into the ת of the ending, leaving a dagesh in תּ (natan + ti → natatti). With הִנֵּה, “behold, I have given” — a perfect that declares the giving at the moment of speaking.
לָכֶ֜םlakhemto you
The preposition לְ (“to”) with the pronoun suffix ־כֶם (2nd masculine plural, “you”). Before the suffix the ל takes qamets (לָ). “You” are the male and female addressed in verse 28. After the vowel כ has no dagesh: a soft kh. The receivers come before the thing given (the object).
- Parsing
- preposition + pronominal suffix · 2nd masculine plural
- Grammar
- prepositionpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- לְ + ־כֶם → לָכֶם
- Accent
- Geresh a smaller pause
- Lexicon
אֶתet(object marker)
The object marker אֶת־, pointing to what is given, “every herb.” Joined by maqaf, its vowel is short.
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
כָּלkolevery
The construct of kol “all, every,” bound to the next word: “every ….” Joined by maqaf (־) it has no stress, and its qamets is read as a short “o” (qamets hatuf): kol. אֶת־ ends in a consonant, so כּ keeps its dagesh (a hard k).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל (“all”) → before maqaf כָּל־ (kol)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
עֵ֣שֶׂבesevherb
“Herb, green plant” — the word of 1:11, which the earth brought forth. A segolate noun, stressed on the first syllable: e-sev. The vertical line ׀ after it (paseq) is a small separating stroke. The singular stands for all such plants.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- עֵשֶׂב (“herb”) · final ב after a vowel is a soft v
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H6212
זֹרֵ֣עַzoreayielding
Qal active participle, masculine singular, of zara “to sow, yield seed” — the “o” after the first root letter (holem in זֹ) is the sign. The word it describes, “herb,” is masculine singular, so there is no ending. The patach under the final ע is read first (zo-re-a, a furtive patach). The noun זֶרַע (“seed”) from the same root follows as its object — participle and object share one root.
- Parsing
- verb · Qal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- Qal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ז-ר-ע → Qal participle ms זֹרֵעַ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H2232
זֶ֗רַעzeraseed
“Seed,” a noun from the same root ז-ר-ע as the participle before it (also in 1:11, 12). A segolate, stressed on the first syllable: ze-ra. Because it ends in ע the second vowel is patach (רַע) instead of segol. Accent: revia (◌֗).
אֲשֶׁר֙asherwhich
The relative particle אֲשֶׁר, taking up “herb” and introducing a description: “which ….” It never changes form and marks no gender or number. The clause has no verb: “(herb) which (is) upon the face of all the earth.”
עַלalupon
פְּנֵ֣יpeneiface of
The word of 1:2 — the plural construct ־ֵי of panim (face), “the face of,” bound to “all the earth.” עַל־ ends in a consonant, so פּ keeps its dagesh (a hard p).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · plural · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- פָּנִים → construct פְּנֵי (־ִים becomes ־ֵי)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H6440
כָלkholevery
Construct “all” — “all the earth.” The word before, פְּנֵי, ends in a vowel, so כ has no dagesh and is a soft kh (כָל). Joined by maqaf: khol.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כָּל־ → dagesh drops after the vowel: כָל־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
הָאָ֔רֶץha-aretsthe earth
“The earth” — the article הָ before א. The last word of “upon the face of all the earth.” Accent: zaqef (◌֔).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H776
וְאֶתve-etand (object marker)
“And” וְ + the object marker, joined by maqaf, in its short form אֶת. It points separately to the second thing given, “every tree” — one verb נָתַתִּי with two objects.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + object marker
- Grammar
- conjunction wawobject marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- וְ + אֵת → before maqaf וְאֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
כָּלkolevery
Construct “every.” The next word has the article: “every (the) tree.” אֶת־ ends in a consonant, so כּ has a dagesh.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל (“all”) → before maqaf כָּל־ (kol)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
הָעֵ֛ץha-etsthe tree
The article + ets “tree.” ע cannot take a dagesh, so the article lengthens to הָ instead of הַ. The final צ takes its final form ץ. The singular stands for all trees. Accent: tevir (◌֛).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- עֵץ (“tree”) + article הָ → הָעֵץ
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H6086
אֲשֶׁרasherwhich
בּ֥וֹboin it
The preposition בְּ (“in”) with the pronoun suffix וֹ (3rd masculine singular, “it/him”). The “it” is “the tree” — ets is masculine. A Hebrew relative clause takes up the head word again with a pronoun: “the tree which — in it — fruit.” אֲשֶׁר־ ends in the consonant ר, so בּ keeps its dagesh (a hard b).
- Parsing
- preposition + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine singular
- Grammar
- prepositionpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- בְּ + ־וֹ (“it”) → בּוֹ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
פְרִיferifruit of
Peri “fruit,” in the construct (same form), “fruit of,” bound to “tree.” בּוֹ before it ends in a vowel and carries a conjunctive accent (merkha), so פ has no dagesh: a soft f. Same root פ-ר-ה as פְּרוּ (“be fruitful”) in verse 28. This clause, too, has no verb: “in it (is) fruit.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- פְּרִי (“fruit”) → dagesh drops after the vowel: פְרִי
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H6529
עֵ֖ץetstree
זֹרֵ֣עַzoreayielding
The Qal participle ms seen above, “yielding.” This time it describes “fruit of a tree” — masculine singular, so there is no ending. Furtive patach under the final ע: zo-re-a.
- Parsing
- verb · Qal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- Qal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ז-ר-ע → Qal participle ms זֹרֵעַ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H2232
זָ֑רַעzaraseed
The same word as זֶרַע (“seed”) above, but at the atnach pause (◌֑) its first vowel lengthens from segol to qamets: the pausal form זָרַע. Verse 29 divides here: what is given, then “to you it shall be for food.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- זֶרַע (“seed”) → pausal זָרַע
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H2233
לָכֶ֥םlakhemto you
“To you” — לְ + the 2mp suffix ־כֶם, the second time in this verse. Now it stands first in its clause: “to you it shall be for food” — the receivers are put in front.
- Parsing
- preposition + pronominal suffix · 2nd masculine plural
- Grammar
- prepositionpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- לְ + ־כֶם → לָכֶם
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
יִֽהְיֶ֖הyihyehit shall be
Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular, of hayah “to be.” The י (yod) in front = “it” — what was given (the herbs and trees) taken together as one, in the masculine singular. This is the full, unshortened imperfect (ending ־ֶה), unlike the jussive יְהִי (“let there be”) of 1:3: “it shall be” — what will hold from now on. With the לְ that follows: “become, serve as.”
לְאָכְלָֽהle-okhlahfor food
לְ (“for, as”) + okhlah “food, something to eat”: root א-כ-ל (“eat”) with the feminine ending ־ָה. The qamets of the first אָ stands in a closed syllable and is read as a short “o” (qamets hatuf): okh-lah. There is no article, so לְ keeps its shewa. Silluq at the end of verse 29 — the stroke under לָֽה.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- root א-כ-ל → אָכְלָה (“food”) + לְ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H402
YLVAnd to every living thing (chai) of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to every thing that creeps upon the earth, in which is a living soul (nephesh), I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Two: [to every living thing of the earth … every green herb for food] [and it was so].
- What comes first?וּלְכָל (“and to every …”) — the recipients come first. This clause has no verb: it carries on the נָתַתִּי (“I have given”) of verse 29 (pattern 19 continued), setting down only the recipients, the gift and its use.
- Three recipients“לְ + כָל” three times: every living thing of the earth, every bird of the heavens, everything that creeps upon the earth. The third is described by אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה (“in which is a living soul,” pattern 10).
- Compared with verse 29Verse 29 gives man (לָכֶם) seed-bearing herbs and trees; verse 30 gives the animals “every green herb.” Both close with לְאָכְלָה (“for food”).
- Back to the chainוַיְהִי־כֵן (“and it was so”) — the speech ends and the story chain resumes (pattern 6).
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on לְאָכְלָה divides it: [the giving | and it was so].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd to every living thing (chai) of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to every thing that creeps upon the earth, in which is a living soul (nephesh), I have given every green herb for food";
Why?This clause has no verb. It carries on the נָתַתִּי (“I have given”) of verse 29, setting down only the three recipients (וּלְכָל ×3, “and to every …”), what is given (אֶת־כָּל־יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב, “every green herb”) and its use (לְאָכְלָה). The recipients stand first, set against the “to you” of verse 29. The third is described by אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה (“in which is a living soul,” pattern 10).
YLVand it was so.
Why?The speech ends and the wayyiqtol וַיְהִי־כֵן (“and it was so”) returns to the story chain — the second “and it was so” of Day Six.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on לְאָכְלָה divides it: [the gift to the animals | and it was so]. The first half divides again at the zaqef (◌֔) on חַיָּה: “the three recipients | what is given (every green herb for food).”
Word by word
וּֽלְכָלu-le-kholand to every
וּ (“and”) + לְ (“to”) + the construct כָל־ (“every”). ל has a shewa, so “and” is וּ (u); the stroke beside it is a meteg (lengthening mark). After the shewa כ loses its dagesh: kh. Verse 30 has no verb — נָתַתִּי (“I have given”) of verse 29 carries on, and now three receivers are listed, each with לְ.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- וּ + לְ + כָּל־ → וּלְכָל־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
חַיַּ֣תchayyatliving thing of
The חַיָּה (“living thing”) of verse 28 in the construct: the ending ־ָה becomes ־ַת, “living thing of,” bound to “the earth.” The dagesh in יּ is the doubled root י. YLV: “every living thing (chai) of the earth.”
- Parsing
- noun · feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- חַיָּה → construct חַיַּת (־ָה becomes ־ַת)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H2416c
הָ֠אָרֶץha-aretsthe earth
“The earth” — article הָ, bound to the construct before it: “living thing of the earth.” The accent at the front of הָ (◌֠) is telisha gedolah, placed at the very start of a word.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Telisha gedola a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H776
וּלְכָלu-le-kholand to every
The second receiver: “and to every ….” וּ + לְ + construct כָל־. This time there is no meteg.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- וּ + לְ + כָּל־ → וּלְכָל־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
ע֨וֹףofbird of
Of “bird, winged thing,” in the construct (same form): “bird of the heavens.” The singular stands for all birds. The “o” is written with vav (וֹ); final ף is the final form of פ. The same word as the עוֹף inside וּבְעוֹף of verse 28.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- עוֹף (“birds”) · the construct has the same form
- Accent
- Qadma conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H5775
הַשָּׁמַ֜יִםha-shamayimthe heavens
“The heavens” — article הַ with the dagesh in שּׁ, bound to the construct “bird”: “bird of the heavens.” Accent: geresh (◌֜).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁמַיִם (“heavens”) + article הַ → שּׁ
- Accent
- Geresh a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H8064
וּלְכֹ֣לu-le-kholand to every thing
The third receiver: וּ + לְ + kol. This time there is no maqaf; it carries its own accent (munach), so the vowel is written as a full holem, כֹל (kol) — compare כָל־ before a maqaf. “Every thing — creeping upon the earth.” The vertical line ׀ after it (paseq) is a small separating stroke.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- וּ + לְ + כֹּל → וּלְכֹל (dagesh drops after the shewa)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H3605
רוֹמֵ֣שׂromescreeping
Qal participle of the same verb ramas as הָרֹמֶשֶׂת in verse 28, but here masculine singular (no ending) and without the article — because the word it describes, “every thing” (כֹל), is masculine singular. This time the “o” is written with vav (וֹ) (verse 28 has only the dot, רֹ): the same sound, a different spelling. The final שׂ is an s.
- Parsing
- verb · Qal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- Qal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ר-מ-שׂ → Qal participle ms רוֹמֵשׂ (with vav וֹ)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H7430
עַלalupon
הָאָ֗רֶץha-aretsthe earth
“The earth” — article הָ. The end of “creeping upon the earth.” Accent: revia (◌֗).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H776
אֲשֶׁרasherwhich
בּוֹ֙boin it
בְּ + the 3ms suffix וֹ, “in it.” This “it” is “every thing” (כֹל) — masculine singular, hence וֹ: “which — in it — a living soul.” Accent: pashta (◌֙).
- Parsing
- preposition + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine singular
- Grammar
- prepositionpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- בְּ + ־וֹ (“it”) → בּוֹ
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
נֶ֣פֶשׁnefeshsoul
Nefesh “soul, life, a breathing being.” A segolate, stressed on the first syllable: ne-fesh. Though it has no ה ending it is treated as feminine, so the adjective חַיָּה after it is feminine. פ after a vowel has no dagesh: f. “Nefesh chayyah” is used of the creatures of the water and land in 1:20, 24, and of man in 2:7. YLV: “living soul (nephesh).”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- נֶפֶשׁ (“soul”)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H5315
חַיָּ֔הchayyahliving
The same letters as חַיָּה in verse 28, but here not a noun: an adjective, “living,” feminine singular. It follows and describes נֶפֶשׁ (feminine), so it has the feminine ending ־ָה. A Hebrew adjective comes after its noun and agrees in gender and number. This clause also has no verb: “in it (is) a living soul.” Accent: zaqef (◌֔).
אֶתet(object marker)
The object marker אֶת־. Verse 30 has no verb, yet the object marker appears — a sign that נָתַתִּי (“I have given”) of verse 29 is still in force. What is given: “every green herb.”
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
כָּלkolevery
Construct “every” — after אֶת־ the כּ keeps its dagesh; joined by maqaf to “green”: kol.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל (“all”) → before maqaf כָּל־ (kol)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
יֶ֥רֶקyereqgreen
Yereq “green, greenery” — a noun, not an adjective. A segolate, stressed on the first syllable: ye-req. Placed side by side with “herb” — “green, (that is,) herb” → “green herb.” OSHB marks both as absolute, not construct.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- יֶרֶק (“green”)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H3418
עֵ֖שֶׂבesevherb
The “herb” עֵשֶׂב of verse 29, side by side with “green”: “green herb.” Accent: tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- עֵשֶׂב (“herb”) · final ב after a vowel is a soft v
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H6212
לְאָכְלָ֑הle-okhlahfor food
The same “for food” as at the end of verse 29 (לְ + אָכְלָה, okhlah). The word to man and the word about the animals end with the same phrase. Atnach (◌֑) here — verse 30 divides into the giving and “and it was so.”
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- root א-כ-ל → אָכְלָה (“food”) + לְ
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H402
וַֽיְהִיva-yehiand it was
The wayyiqtol וַיְהִי of 1:3. The י = “it” (3ms) — with כֵן (“so”) that follows: “and it was so.” No noun is written as subject; it is a general “it.” Joined by maqaf to כֵן; the stroke in וַֽ is a meteg.
YLVAnd God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Five: [he saw all that he had made] [behold, very good] [there was evening] [there was morning] [the sixth day].
- What comes first?The first clause opens with the wayyiqtol וַיַּרְא (1). Inside the object אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה (“all that he had made”) the verb is the perfect עָשָׂה (pattern 10).
- The second clauseInstead of the כִּי טוֹב (“that it was good”) of 1:4–25 comes וְהִנֵּה (“and behold,” pattern 19), followed by the verbless clause טוֹב מְאֹד (“very good,” pattern 4).
- The closing sentenceוַיְהִי עֶרֶב, וַיְהִי בֹקֶר + יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי → pattern 8. For the first time the ordinal (“sixth”) takes the article הַ.
- Why is it written this way?What he sees now is not one work after another but “all that he had made” (כָּל), and “very” (מְאֹד) is added to the judgment. It is the seeing-and-judging build (7) with כִּי replaced by וְהִנֵּה.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on מְאֹד divides it: [the seeing · very good | evening · morning · the sixth day].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God saw all that he had made,
Why?The wayyiqtol וַיַּרְא → subject → object אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה (“all that he had made”). The verb inside the אֲשֶׁר clause is the perfect עָשָׂה (pattern 10), pointing outside the chain to what he had already made.
YLVand behold, it was very good.
Why?Instead of the כִּי טוֹב (“that it was good”) of 1:4–25 comes וְהִנֵּה (“and behold”). “He saw — behold” presents the scene through the eyes of the one seeing (pattern 19), followed by the verbless clause טוֹב מְאֹד (“very good,” pattern 4). מְאֹד (“very”) occurs only here in the chapter.
YLVAnd there was evening
Why?The closing sentence: wayyiqtol וַיְהִי + subject “evening.”
YLVand there was morning,
Why?The same וַיְהִי + subject “morning.”
YLVthe sixth day.
Why?The day’s name יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי, standing without a verb. For the first time the ordinal (“sixth”) takes the article הַ (days two to five had none). יוֹם itself has no article.
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on מְאֹד divides it: [the seeing · very good | evening · morning · the sixth day]. The first half divides again at the zaqef (◌֔) on עָשָׂה: “he saw all that he had made | behold, very good.”
Word by word
וַיַּ֤רְאva-yarand he saw
The וַיַּרְא of 1:4: וַ + יּ (dagesh); the י = “he,” and the “he” is Elohim, which follows. The final ה has dropped (short form). “He saw” has recurred since Day One; this time he sees not one thing but “all that he had made.”
אֱלֹהִים֙ElohimGod
The one who saw — the subject after the verb. Accent: pashta (◌֙).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
אֶתet(object marker)
The object marker אֶת־, pointing to what he saw: “all ….”
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
כָּלkolall
The construct כָּל־ “all” — followed not by a noun but by a relative clause: “all that ….” After אֶת־ the כּ keeps its dagesh; joined by maqaf: kol.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל (“all”) → before maqaf כָּל־ (kol)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
אֲשֶׁ֣רasherwhich
asahhe had made
Qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular, of asah “to make, do” — the bare form with no ending, “he did.” The “he” is God (not written again; Elohim above). The final ה is the third letter of the root ע-שׂ-ה, not a feminine ending — compare ־תָה in הָיְתָה (“she was”) of 1:2. Inside a relative clause the verb is a perfect, not a narrative wayyiqtol. שׂ is an s. Accent: zaqef (◌֔).
וְהִנֵּהve-hinnehand behold
וְ (“and”) + הִנֵּה (“behold”), joined by maqaf to “good.” In verse 29 God said “behold” within his speech; here the narrative uses “behold” to show what God saw, through his eyes: “behold, very good.” In place of the כִּי (“that”) of 1:4 and the other days stands וְהִנֵּה.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + demonstrative particle
- Grammar
- conjunction wawmaqqefaccents
- Form
- וְ + הִנֵּה → וְהִנֵּה־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H2009
ט֖וֹבtovgood
Adjective, masculine singular, “good,” with no verb “to be.” No subject is written; what he saw is “all that (he) had made” just before. The “good” of the earlier days now has “very” added. Accent: tipcha (◌֖).
מְאֹ֑דme’odvery
וַֽיְהִיva-yehiand there was
The first וַיְהִי that closes the day. The י = “it,” and the “it” is the evening that follows (masculine singular). Joined by maqaf to “evening”; the stroke in וַֽ is a meteg.
עֶ֥רֶבerevevening
“Evening” — the sixth day, too, names evening first. The same sentence as in 1:5.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- עֶרֶב (“evening”)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H6153
וַֽיְהִיva-yehiand there was
The same וַיְהִי again. The “it” (yod) is the morning that follows.
בֹ֖קֶרvoqermorning
י֥וֹםyomday
“Day” — without the article; the article stands only on the ordinal “sixth” that follows. From the second to the fifth day both words lacked the article, as in “יוֹם שֵׁנִי.” OSHB marks יוֹם here as construct.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- יוֹם (“day”)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H3117
הַשִּׁשִּֽׁיha-shishithe sixth
The ordinal “sixth,” שִׁשִּׁי, with the article הַ and a dagesh in the next שּׁ. The ordinal is formed from the number שֵׁשׁ (six) with the ending ־ִי; the dagesh in the middle שּׁ doubles it (shish-shi). This is the first time in Genesis 1 that the ordinal of a day has the article — after “day one, a second day … a fifth day” comes “the sixth day.” Silluq at the end of chapter 1.
All the sentence patterns of this page in one table, and the places where views differ.
2-1Sentence patterns on this page
Which patterns build the clauses of this page, in one table.
| Pattern | On this page |
|---|---|
| 1. The wayyiqtol narrative sentence | 1:24 And God said,1:24 and it was so.1:25 And God made the living thing (chai) of the earth after its kind, and the beast after its kind, and every creeping thing of the ground (adamah) after its kind;1:26 And God said,1:27 And God created the man (adam) in his image;1:28 And God blessed them,1:28 and God said to them,1:29 And God said,1:30 and it was so.1:31 And God saw all that he had made,1:31 And there was evening1:31 and there was morning, |
| 2. The “X + perfect” sentence | 1:27 in the image of God he created him;1:27 male and female he created them. |
| 4. The verbless sentence | 1:31 and behold, it was very good. |
| 6. “Let there be → there was”: word and fulfilment | 1:24 "Let the earth bring forth a living soul (nephesh) after its kind, beast and creeping thing and living thing (chai) of the earth after its kind";1:24 and it was so.1:30 and it was so. |
| 7. “Saw … that it was good” — see + object + כִּי | 1:25 and God saw that it was good. |
| 8. The sentence that closes a day | 1:31 And there was evening1:31 and there was morning,1:31 the sixth day. |
| 9. “And + imperfect / jussive”: a wish continued inside speech | 1:26 and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the beast, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." |
| 10. The relative clause with אֲשֶׁר | 1:30 And to every living thing (chai) of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to every thing that creeps upon the earth, in which is a living soul (nephesh), I have given every green herb for food";1:31 And God saw all that he had made, |
| 12. Participles and adjectives that modify a noun | 1:26 and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the beast, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."1:28 and rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing (chai) that creeps upon the earth." |
| 15. The imperative — “you, do!” | 1:28 "Be fruitful and multiply,1:28 and fill the earth1:28 and subdue it;1:28 and rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing (chai) that creeps upon the earth." |
| 17. First person: “let us …,” “I will …” | 1:26 "Let us make man (adam) in our image, after our likeness; |
| 18. Pronoun suffixes on verbs, prepositions and אֵת | 1:25 And God made the living thing (chai) of the earth after its kind, and the beast after its kind, and every creeping thing of the ground (adamah) after its kind;1:26 "Let us make man (adam) in our image, after our likeness;1:27 And God created the man (adam) in his image;1:27 in the image of God he created him;1:27 male and female he created them.1:28 And God blessed them,1:28 and God said to them,1:28 and subdue it;1:29 "Behold, I have given to you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed;1:29 to you it shall be for food. |
| 19. הִנֵּה “behold” + perfect (declaration) | 1:29 "Behold, I have given to you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed;1:30 And to every living thing (chai) of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to every thing that creeps upon the earth, in which is a living soul (nephesh), I have given every green herb for food";1:31 and behold, it was very good. |
2-2Going deeper
Verse 26, “let us make” (נַעֲשֶׂה) — who is “us”?
What the text makes clear — נַעֲשֶׂה is 1st plural, “we,” by its prefix נ, and בְּצַלְמֵנוּ, כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ are “our.” The speaker is God of וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, with a singular verb. When the word is fulfilled in verse 27, all three verbs — וַיִּבְרָא, בָּרָא, בָּרָא — are 3rd masculine singular, and “his image” (בְּצַלְמוֹ) = “the image of God.” The speech is plural; the creating is done by one. Genesis 1 does not itself say who “us” is.
① A plural of majesty — the royal “we”
- Evidence
- It takes the “we” as the way a king speaks of himself. In Ezra 4:18 the Persian king’s Aramaic letter says, “the letter which you sent to us has been read plainly before me,” using “us” and “me” together. It is also thought to suit the plural-form name Elohim.
- Problems
- Biblical Hebrew offers no clear case of a king calling himself “we,” and Ezra 4:18 is Aramaic and can be read as the king speaking with his court. The same God says in 1:29, “I have given” (נָתַתִּי, singular). Gesenius’ grammar (GKC §124g, note) rejects this explanation for 1:26.
- Sources
- An explanation found in various commentaries · against it: Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar (GKC §124g, note)
② A plural of self-deliberation
- Evidence
- It takes the “we” as the speech of resolve, as a person alone may say, “Come, let us ….” In 2 Sam 24:14 David says, “let us fall now into the hand of YHWH … but into the hand of man (adam) let me not fall,” using “us” and “me” in one breath. Unlike “let there be” on the other days, the making of man is introduced by a pause of resolve. Gesenius’ grammar (GKC §124g, note) calls this the best explanation, and Cassuto reads it so.
- Problems
- The “us” of 2 Sam 24:14 can also be read as David with his people. “Resolve” alone does not explain the suffix “our image” (בְּצַלְמֵנוּ), nor 3:22, “Behold, Adam has become like one of us” — “one of us” assumes more than one.
- Sources
- Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar (GKC §124g, note) · U. Cassuto, From Adam to Noah (Hebrew 1944, English 1961)
③ Words addressed to the heavenly court (the angels)
- Evidence
- Scripture shows God amid the host of heaven — 1 Kgs 22:19, “all the host of the heavens standing by him, on his right hand and on his left”; Isa 6:8, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (“I” and “us” together). Job 38:7 says that when the earth was founded “all the sons of God shouted for joy,” and 3:22 “one of us” also assumes more than one. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan renders it as God speaking “to the angels who minister before him,” and Rashi read it as God consulting the angels.
- Problems
- Angels never appear in Genesis 1. Verse 27 says only “God created” (singular), and man is made in “the image of God,” not of angels. Isa 40:14, “With whom did he take counsel,” and 44:24, “who stretches out the heavens alone, who spreads out the earth by myself,” say that no one else shared in creation.
- Sources
- Targum Pseudo-Jonathan · Rashi on Genesis · various modern commentaries
④ Plurality within the one God
- Evidence
- Plural speech (“us”) with singular verbs of creation — the structure itself is read as plurality within one God. “The spirit of God” appears in 1:2, and God’s “us” recurs in 3:22 and 11:7. The New Testament says that the Word (John 1:3) and the Son (Col 1:16) shared in creation. The Epistle of Barnabas (5:5), Justin (Dialogue with Trypho 62) and Irenaeus (Against Heresies 4.20.1) read it this way.
- Problems
- The grammar alone cannot prove it — a first-person plural can be read in the other ways above. The text does not say how these words sounded to Israel, who first received Genesis; this reading rests on the witness of the whole Bible, especially the New Testament. Some also note that 3:22, “like one of us,” is hard to read in this sense.
- Sources
- Epistle of Barnabas 5:5 · Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 62 · Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.20.1
⑤ God together with the earth
- Evidence
- Since in verse 24 the earth “brought forth” the animals, the “us” of verse 26 is taken as God and the earth — the body from the earth, the breath of life from God (2:7). Ramban (Nachmanides, 13th century) read it so.
- Problems
- The earth has no “image,” and “our image” is identified in verse 27 as “the image of God.” The verb of verse 27 is בָּרָא (singular), whose subject is God alone.
- Sources
- Ramban (Nachmanides) on Genesis
① and ② read “us” as the speech of one; ③ and ⑤ as God with others; ④ as plurality within the one God. What the grammar says for certain is: the word is spoken in the 1st plural (verse 26), and the creating is told in the 3rd singular (verse 27).
“Image” (צֶלֶם) and “likeness” (דְּמוּת) — what do they mean?
What the text makes clear — verse 26 uses two expressions, “בְּ + image” and “כְּ + likeness”; verse 27 uses “image” alone, twice. 5:1 says “in the likeness of God” (בִּדְמוּת, now בְּ + likeness), and 5:3 says Adam begot “in his likeness (בִּדְמוּתוֹ), after his image (כְּצַלְמוֹ)” — the two nouns and the two prepositions trade places. 9:6, after the flood, still says “for in the image of God he made man (adam)” (בְּצֶלֶם). And in verse 26 “let them rule” (וְיִרְדּוּ) follows straight after “let us make.” Genesis 1 does not define what the image is.
① Two different things — image as nature, likeness as growth
- Evidence
- It relies on the two separate words and their different prepositions (בְּ, כְּ). Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.6.1) distinguished image from likeness, taking the likeness as a resemblance given by the Spirit, and much later church interpretation followed the distinction.
- Problems
- In 5:1 and 5:3 the two nouns and prepositions trade places, and 27 and 9:6 speak of “image” alone. The text never explains the two separately.
- Sources
- Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.6.1
② One thing in two words
- Evidence
- Hebrew likes to say one thing with two words (1:2 תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ). The swaps in 5:1 and 5:3 show the two used almost interchangeably. Since דְּמוּת comes from דָּמָה (“be like”), some take it as softening “image” to “resemblance,” so that man is not said to be identical to God.
- Problems
- The text does not say why only verse 26 has both. Elsewhere the two are not used quite alike — צֶלֶם is often a made image (Num 33:52, “all their molten images”; 1 Sam 6:5, “images of your tumors and images of your mice”), דְּמוּת a “likeness of” (2 Kgs 16:10, “the likeness of the altar”).
- Sources
- Many modern grammars and commentaries
③ A representative who rules — defined by function
- Evidence
- Elsewhere צֶלֶם is often a visible image. Ancient kings set up their images in lands they ruled to stand for themselves, and the Tell Fekheriyeh statue (9th century BC, inscribed in Aramaic and Akkadian) calls a single statue by the two words corresponding to צלם and דמות. In verse 26 “let them rule” follows straight after “let us make,” and verse 28 gives the command “rule.” Ps 8:6, “with glory and honor you crown him,” also leads on to rule.
- Problems
- וְיִרְדּוּ (“and let them rule”) is a wish that follows the image, so grammar alone cannot settle whether rule is the image itself or what flows from it. In 5:3, “in his likeness, after his image” speaks not of rule but of a son’s resemblance to his father.
- Sources
- D. J. A. Clines, “The Image of God in Man” (Tyndale Bulletin 19, 1968) · J. R. Middleton, The Liberating Image (2005)
④ An inner capacity — reason, spirit
- Evidence
- Unlike 1:22, verse 28 says “God said to them” (וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם), addressing man directly, and in 2:7 man alone receives the breath God breathes in. Much of church tradition, such as Augustine (On the Trinity) and Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologiae I, q. 93), took the image to be reason or intellect.
- Problems
- The text does not define the image, and צֶלֶם elsewhere usually names a visible form; narrowing it to an inner capacity goes beyond the word’s own use.
- Sources
- Augustine, On the Trinity · Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae I, q. 93
⑤ Bodily form
- Evidence
- It relies on צֶלֶם almost always naming a visible image, and on Ezek 1:26, where above the throne was seen “a likeness like the appearance of a man (adam)” (דְּמוּת). Hermann Gunkel (Genesis commentary, 1901) and others held this.
- Problems
- Deut 4:15, “you saw no form,” and Isa 40:18, “what likeness will you compare to him?” forbid comparing God to a visible form. Ezek 1:26 itself speaks guardedly: “a likeness like the appearance of.”
- Sources
- H. Gunkel, Genesis (1901) and others
⑥ Relationship — “male and female”
- Evidence
- In verse 27 the line after “in the image of God he created him” is “male and female he created them.” Karl Barth (Church Dogmatics III/1, 1945) saw the image in the fellowship of man and woman facing each other, and linked it with God’s “us” in verse 26.
- Problems
- The same two words, זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, are used in 6:19 of the animals entering the ark. The third line of verse 27 adds a detail of the creation; the grammar does not make it the definition of the image.
- Sources
- Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics III/1 (1945)
What the text says plainly: man alone is made “in the image, after the likeness”; that image is “the image of God” (verse 27); it is still spoken of in man after the flood (9:6); and “let them rule” follows at once. What the image consists in, the views above explain in different ways.