Genesis 1:18-19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 1:14-19

This is the history of the fourth day's work, the creating of the sun, moon, and stars, which are here accounted for, not as they are in themselves and in their own nature, to satisfy the curious, but as they are in relation to this earth, to which they serve as lights; and this is enough to furnish us with matter for praise and thanksgiving. Holy Job mentions this as an instance of the glorious power of God, that by the Spirit he hath garnished the heavens (Job 26:13); and here we have an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 1:18

And to rule over the day, and over the night ,.... The one, namely the sun, or greater light, to rule over the day, and the moon and stars, the lesser lights, to rule over the night: this is repeated from Genesis 1:16 to show the certainty of it, and that the proper uses of these lights might be observed, and that a just value might be put upon them, but not carried beyond due bounds: and to divide the light from the darkness ; as the day from the night, which is done by the sun, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 1:19

And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Made by the rotation of the earth on its own axis, in the space of twenty four hours: this according to Capellus was the twenty first of April, and according to Bishop Usher the twenty sixth of October; or, as others, the fourth of September: and thus, as on the fourth day of the creation the sun was made, or appeared, so in the fourth millennium the sun of righteousness arose on our earth. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 1:14-19

The fourth day. Notice— I. GOD PREPARES HEAVEN AND EARTH FOR MAN . Light needed for the vegetable world. But when the higher life is introduced, then there is an order which implies intelligence and active rational existence. The signs are for those that can observe the signs. The seasons, days, and years for the being who consciously divides his life. II. THE LUMINARIES ARE SAID TO RULE THE DAY AND NIGHT . The concentration of light is the appointed method of its... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 1:17-18

And God set (literally, gave) them (i.e. sun, moon, and stars) in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and ever the night, and to divide the light from the darkness . An intimation that on this day the astronomical arrangements for the illumination of the globe and the measurement of time were permanently settled. And God saw that it was good . Laplace was inclined to question the Divine verdict with regard at least to the moon, which he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 1:19

And the evening and the morning were the fourth day . The Scripture references to this day's work are both numerous and instructive. The Hebrew writers supply no information as to the astronomical theories which were prevalent in their time; yet "from other sources we have facts leading to the belief that even in the time of Moses there was not a little practical astronomy in the East, and some good theory. The Chaldeans at a very early period had ascertained the principal circles of the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 1:14-19

- VI. The Fourth Day14. מאור mā'ôr, “a light, a luminary, a center of radiant light.”מועה mô‛ēd, “set time, season.”Words beginning with a formative מ musually signify that in which the simple quality resides or is realized. Hence, they often denote place.17. נתן nāthan “give, hold out, show, stretch, hold out.” Latin: tendo, teneo; τείνω teinō.The darkness has been removed from the face of the deep, its waters have been distributed in due proportions above and below the expanse; the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 1:1-31

THE STORY OF CREATIONThe Bible and scienceModern science has revealed so much about the wonders and the size of the physical universe that human beings may seem almost to be nothing. The Bible takes a different view. Human beings are its main concern, for they alone are made in God’s image. The story of creation is but an introduction to the story of God’s dealings with the human race. The Bible demonstrates this order of importance from the outset by fitting the story of creation into a mere... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 1:19

fourth day = day four. See note on Genesis 1:5 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 1:14-19

THE FOURTH DAY"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years: and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, and to... read more

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