Bible Strands
Genesis 1:21
So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every winged bird after its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God acts on the fifth day of creation, fulfilling the command to populate the waters and sky, immediately before pronouncing a blessing in Genesis 1:22.
The words — תַּנִּינִם (ta.ni.Nim) translates literally to sea monsters or great sea creatures, while נֶפֶשׁ (Ne.fesh) denotes a living creature or soul.
The thread — The pattern of divine creation according to distinct kinds recurs in Genesis 1:25 and Genesis 8:19, and Psalm 104:24 echoes the theme of God filling the earth with His creatures.
Why it lands — The text records God forming marine and avian life in separate categories and declaring it good, requiring the reader to acknowledge divine authorship and the ordered multiplication of life.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Cross-references
- Psalms 104:24 How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.
- Genesis 1:25 God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
- Genesis 8:19 Every living creature, every creeping thing, and every bird—everything that moves upon the earth—came out of the ark, kind by kind.
- Genesis 8:17 Bring out all the living creatures that are with you—birds, livestock, and everything that crawls upon the ground—so that they can spread out over the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon it.”
- Genesis 6:20 Two of every kind of bird and animal and crawling creature will come to you to be kept alive.
- Genesis 7:14 they and every kind of wild animal, livestock, crawling creature, bird, and winged creature.
- Genesis 9:7 But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out across the earth and multiply upon it.”
- Exodus 1:7 but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
- Exodus 8:3 The Nile will teem with frogs, and they will come into your palace and up to your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls.
- Genesis 1:18 to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.