Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks during the creation sequence, immediately after forming land animals and livestock and before Genesis 1:27 describes the actual formation of humanity. This declaration occurs within the ongoing creative process, not at the conclusion of the sixth day.

The words — The Hebrew phrase נַֽעֲשׂ֥ה (na.'a.Seh) translates literally as "let us make," while בְּ/צַלְמֵ֖/נוּ (be./tzal.Me./nu) means "in image our." These terms establish the directive to form humanity and the specific manner of that formation.

The thread — The concept of humanity reflecting the Creator appears in Colossians 3:10 and Ephesians 4:24, though the latter specifies the new self is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness rather than in the image of the Creator. The theme of divine attention to humanity also echoes in Psalms 8:4.

Why it lands — The text commands humanity to exercise dominion over fish, birds, livestock, and the earth, establishing a functional role rather than a theological abstraction. A reader must recognize this directive as the immediate purpose assigned to the newly formed humankind.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֱלֹהִ֔ים'E.lo.HimGod נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥הna.'a.Sehlet us make אָדָ֛ם'a.Damhumankind בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּbe./tzal.Me./nuin/ image/ our כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּki/d.mu.Te./nuaccording to/ likeness/ our וְיִרְדּוּ֩ve./yir.Duand/ they may rule בִדְגַ֨תvi/d.Gatover/ [the] fish of הַיָּ֜םhai./Yamthe/ sea וּבְע֣וֹףu./ve./'ofand/ over/ [the] bird[s] of הַשָּׁמַ֗יִםha./sha.Ma.yimthe/ heavens וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙u./va./be.he.Mahand/ over the/ livestock וּבְכָל־u./ve./Khol-and/ over/ all הָאָ֔רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ earth וּבְכָל־u./ve./Khol-and/ over/ every הָרֶ֖מֶשׂha./Re.mes<the>/ creeping thing הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂha./ro.Meswhich/ creeps עַל־'al-on הָאָֽרֶץ׃ha./'A.retzthe/ earth

King James Version

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Cross-references

Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Psalms 8:4 what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?
Genesis 3:22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”
Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in His own likeness.
Psalms 100:3 Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Genesis 9:2 The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand.
Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.
Colossians 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.