This Book is called GENESIS, i.e. generation, or birth, giving an account of passages during 2300 years and upwards, viz. from the creation of all things, to the death of Joseph.

In the beginning, to wit, of time and things, in the first place, before things were distinguished and perfected in manner hereafter expressed. Or the sense is this, The beginning of the world was thus.

The same confused mass or heap is here called both earth, from its most solid and substantial part; and the deep, from its vast bulk and depth; and waters, from its outward face and covering. See Ps. 104:6, 2 Pet. 3:5. Without form and void; without order and beauty, and without furniture and use.

He commanded, not by such a word or speech as we use, which agreeth not with the spiritual nature of God; but either by an act of his powerful will, called the word of his power, Heb. 1:3 or, by his substantial Word, his Son, by whom he made the worlds, Heb. 1:2, Ps.

He observed with approbation that it was pleasant and amiable, agreeable to God’s purpose and man’s use; and made a distinction or separation between them in place, time, and use, that the one should succeed and shut out the other, and so by their vicissitudes make the day and the night.

It is acknowledged by all, that the evening and the morning are not here to be understood according to our common usage, but are put by a synecdoche each of them for one whole part of the natural day.

A firmament; or, an extension, or a space or place extended or stretched out, and spread abroad like a tent or curtain, between the waters, though not exactly in the middle place; as Tyrus is said to sit, or be situated in the midst of the seas, Ezek.

The firmament here is either, 1. The starry heaven; so called, not from its solidity, but from its fixed, durable, and, in a sort, incorruptible and unchangeable nature. Or, 2.

The waters under the heaven; both the great abyss, or deep of water which is shut up in the bowels of the earth, Gen. 7:11, Ps. 24:2, Ps. 33:7, Ps. 136:6; as also the sea and rivers, all which are here said to be gathered together into one place, because of their communication and mixture one with…

He called them not sea, but seas; because of the differing quantity and nature both of several seas, and of the rivers, and other lesser collections of waters, all which the Hebrews call seas. The separation of the waters was begun on the second day, Gen.

Let the earth bring forth; the sense is: For the present let it afford matter, out of which I will make grass (as man’s rib afforded matter, out of which God made woman); and for the future let it receive virtue or power of producing it out of that matter which I have made, and suited to that end.

This clause is so often added, to show that all the disorders, evil and hurtful qualities, that now are in the creatures, are not to be imputed to God, who made all of them good; but to man’s sin, which hath corrupted their nature, and perverted their use.

Let there be lights; to wit, more glorious lights than that created the first day, which probably was now condensed and reduced into these lights; which are higher for place, more illustrious for light, and more powerful for influence, than that was.

Two great lights, or, enlighteners, as the word properly signifies. The sun, which is really and considerably greater than the moon, or any of the stars, or the whole earth.

This clause was omitted in the first day’s work, but is added here, because the light was then but glimmering and imperfect, which now was made more clear and complete.

The moving creature, or, creeping thing. A word which belongs to all those living creatures who move with their bellies close to the element they move in. Hence it is used both of birds which fly in the air, Lev. 11:20, and of things creeping upon the earth, as Gen.

God created, i.e. produced out of most unfit matter, as if a man should out of a stone make bread, which requires as great a power as that which is properly called creation.

He gave them power of procreation and fruitfulness, which is justly mentioned as a great blessing, Ps. 128:3–4. Fill the waters in the seas; and consequently in the rivers, which come from the sea, and return into it.

1. Those living creatures hereafter mentioned, whose original is from the earth, and whose habitation is in it. 2. Those tame beasts which are most familiar with and useful to men for food, clothing, or other service. 3.

God had now prepared all things necessary for man’s use and comfort. The plurals us and our afford an evident proof of a plurality of persons in the Godhead.

Not both together, as some of the Jews have fabled, but successively, the woman after and out of the man, as is more particularly related, Gen. 2:21;c., which is here mentioned by anticipation.

Having blessed them with excellent natures, and heavenly gifts and graces, he further blesseth them with a special and temporal blessing expressed in the following words. Replenish the earth, with inhabitants to be begotten by you. Question.

It is neither affirmed nor denied that flesh also was granted to the first men for food, and therefore we may safely be ignorant of it. It is sufficient for us that it was expressly allowed, Gen. 9:3.