The Literal Interpretation of the Genesis One Creation Account
by Rich Deem

Introduction

Get out your Bibles and be prepared for a shock. You are about to read the Genesis creation account and see (probably) for the first time what the text really says. My only request is that you pray for spiritual guidance, since the Holy Spirit can teach us what our pride usually rejects.

Holy Spirit, teach us what you told Moses about what you were doing¹ during the creation of the earth and life upon it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Genesis 1:1

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Volumes have been written about the first verse of Genesis. There are a two main interpretations of what this verse really means. Some say that the verse is a summary of the rest of the Genesis creation account. Others say that the verse represents the first creative act of God. How can we tell which interpretation is correct?

Day 1

The answer is really quite simple - keep reading! Reading Genesis 1:1 or any other Bible verse outside its context is one of the worst things that a person can do.² When we look at Genesis 1:2,³ we see that it begins with the conjunction "and." This fact immediately tells us that Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 are part of one continuous thought. Remove the period at the end of Genesis 1:1 and read it as originally intended:

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was formless and void...

The conjunction at the beginning of Genesis 1:2 tells us that Genesis 1:1 is not a summary of the creation account! This verse is a factual statement of what God did at the beginning of the first day. There are other context clues that tell us that this is not a summary statement. If we continue reading the Genesis creation account, we come to the real summary at the end (Genesis 2:1).⁴ It would be superfluous to have a second summary at the beginning. As we continue to read Genesis one, we will notice how succinct the creation account really is.

So, we conclude that the text claims that God created the heavens and earth on the first day. What do the heavens consist of? Stars, galaxies, etc. So, we know that God created, at minimum, the stars and the earth. Actually, the Hebrew phrase translated "heaven and earth" refer to the entire created universe. Some people claim that God created the earth first and that the rest of the heavenly bodies were created later. However, we are led to contemplate why God said that He created the "heavens and the earth." To accept this interpretation, we would have to say that God created "nothing" and the earth. If God had only created the earth, the Genesis 1:1 would have said, "In the beginning God created the earth." So, we can safely say that God created the entire heavens and earth at the beginning of the first creation day.

Genesis 1:2 - the early earth

Keep your Bible open as we zoom on to Genesis 1:2. Those interpretations that claim Genesis 1:1 is just a summary have a problem in this next verse. If Genesis 1:1 is just a summary, then there is no mention in Genesis of God creating matter - it is just suddenly mentioned as if it had existed all along. Such a model is compatible with the LDS (Mormon) theology, but not Christianity.

It is important in Genesis 1:2 to examine the context and the perspective to determine where the action is happening. Let's read the text:

And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)

Where is God? In heaven? In outer space? NO! God, our personal Creator and Savior, is on the surface of the waters of the earth doing His creating "up close and personal." Imagine that - God personally came to earth to create and shape it for habitation! The important thing about this verse is that it defines the conditions as they appeared from God's perspective on the surface of the earth. What are the conditions? "...the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep..." Why was the earth dark? Genesis one does not say, but other creation accounts in the Bible do say. In fact, in the book of Job, God Himself tells us the answer:

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? ...When I made a cloud its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band" (Job 38:4-9)⁵

How long is day 1?

Many Christians assume that all the Genesis creation days are exactly 24-hours long. Neither the Genesis 1 text nor other Bible verses directly address how long the first day was. However, there were a lot of things that happened on the first day. God created the entire universe. There are other Bible verses that address at least part of how God created the universe. No fewer than 11 verses from five different inspired authors claim that God stretches out the heavens.⁶ Many of these verses use present tense, indicating that God is still stretching out the heavens. How long did it take to stretch out the trillions and trillions of stars. The Bible doesn't say, but if we measure the current rate that the universe is being stretched, it would suggest a very long time.

So, we know that when God created the earth it was dark because it was covered with thick clouds. This fact will be important to understand the next few verses.

"Let there be light"

Genesis 1:3 begins with another conjunction, so we know it is part of the continuing action. God is still on the surface of the earth. "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." Where is the light? It's on the surface of the earth for the first time. Where does the light come from. The text does not say directly, but it gives a lot of clues. Did God create the light? No! If God had created the light, the text would have said so, like it does in the rest of Genesis one. It says that God "let it be." Let's read the rest of the first day to get the clues.

"And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day." (Genesis 1:4-5)

Notice that every thought is begun with a conjunction, so we know that all of this is part of the continuing action. The text says that there was day and night on the earth on the first day. This tells us that the light that was shining on the earth was directional (from one source). Let's put it all together. God created the earth with a thick layer of clouds around it that caused it to be dark. When God said "Let there be light" it is most logical to conclude that God removed at least some of those thick clouds so that light would fall on the surface of the earth. Where did the light come from? The Sun shining on a rotating earth. You might protest, "But the text never said God created the Sun." It actually does. As stated previously, the Hebrew term "the heavens and the earth" in Genesis 1:1 refers to the entire created universe. So, the Sun, stars, and earth were all created at the beginning of day 1.

Day 2

How long is day 2?

It is difficult to say how long the second day was. Part of the verse indicates that God "let the separation be" (suggesting natural process), but then the text goes on to explain that God "made" the separation. The Hebrew word asah¹⁰ translated "made" suggests that God formed the separation from materials that already existed, rather than creating it brand new. As such, the formation could involve both supernatural and natural processes. If the separation was allowed to form on its own, it would be expected that the second day could be a very long period of time.

On the second day, God allows a separation of the waters above from the waters below (Genesis 1:6-7).⁷ The text seems to be describing the setting up of a water cycle on the earth. The waters above (i.e., clouds) are separated from the waters below (the "deep" or seas mentioned in verse 2). The separation is called "heaven"⁸ (also translated "skies").⁹

Day 3

God did a couple things on the third day. God's first action was the formation of dry land:

Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:9-10)

Similar to the first two days, God "let" the dry land appear. The land already existed, although it was underneath the original seas. Psalm 104 (the "creation Psalm") tells us how God accomplished the appearance of the land. According to the Psalm, "The mountains rose; the valleys sank down To the place which Thou didst establish for them."¹¹ The description suggests that God used some form of tectonic activity to form the dry land. If tectonic activity were used by God to form the dry land, it would suggest that the beginning of the third day would be a very long period of time.

How long is day 3?

There is no plant in the world that can germinate and produce seeds within a 24-hour period of time. It gets worse for the 24-hour interpretation. Not only do we have plants, we have trees that grow and produce fruit with seed in it. It takes fruit trees several years of growth before they produce any fruit. You might say that God could have caused everything to happen super-quick. However, God says, "Let the earth sprout vegetation..." and the text says, "And the earth brought forth vegetation..." In order to claim that God miraculously created all the plants, seed, etc. in 24-hours, one would have to claim God was a liar. Not a good accusation to make! So we know that the second part of the third day was at least several years long.

Creation of plants

Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth"; and it was so. And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:11-12)

On the third day God allows the earth to produce plants through germination (sprouting) and growth until seeds are produced. The Hebrew word dasha refers to a plant that sprouts from a seed until the seedling turns green.¹² This verb tells us that God used processes identical to what we see on the earth today. Plants spouted, grew to maturity, and produced seeds. Several kinds of plants are described. The Hebrew word deshe¹³ refers primarily to grasses; the word eseb¹⁴ refers primarily to herbs and the words peri¹⁵ ets¹⁶ refer to fruit trees.

Day 4

Many people believe that the text about day 4 says that God created the Sun, moon and stars on the fourth day. This is not what the text actually says, so let's read it again.

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years; (Genesis 1:14)
and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. (Genesis 1:15)
And God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. (Genesis 1:16)
And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, (Genesis 1:17)
and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:18)

How can a day be longer than 24-hours?

Even though the Genesis text clearly indicates that the days are longer than 24-hours, some Christians insist that any interpretation of Genesis 1 that deviates from 24-hour days is not literal. The problem is that the Hebrew word yom¹⁷ has three literal definitions - 12 hour daylight period, 24 period of time, or a long, but indefinite period of time. A careful reading of the Genesis creation account reveals that the 24-hour interpretation is ruled out by the actual Genesis text. The first definitive example of a day that is longer than 24-hours can be found in the beginning of the Genesis 2 creation account, which says that the entire six days of creation are one day.¹⁸

In verse 14 we have that unusual construction again of "let there be." It is not a statement of creation, but a statement of appearance. At this point, the clouds present at the initial creation of the earth were completely removed so that the bodies themselves appeared for the first time on the surface of the earth. The passage tells us that the lights were allowed "to be" so that they could be signs of the seasons, days, and years. It was necessary for the creatures of day 5 that the heavenly bodies be visible. We know that many of the migratory birds (created on day 5) require visible stars to navigate, hence the need to actually see these bodies. Verse 18 gives us another hint. The lights were placed in the sky to "separate the light from the darkness." Does this sound familiar? It is the exact Hebrew phrase used for God's work on the first day when, "God separated the light from the darkness" (Genesis 1:4) By using this phrase, the text is recounting the formation of the Sun, moon and stars from the first day. If we accept that God created the Sun, moon and stars on the fourth day, then He didn't really create the heavens in verse one. So, the 24-hour day interpretation suffers a contradiction between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:16.

Day 5

On the fifth day, God created the animals described by the Hebrew word nephesh.

Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures [nephesh], and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens." (Genesis 1:20)
And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature [nephesh] that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:21)
And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." (Genesis 1:22)

The word nephesh is used of both animals and human beings, and primarily has the meaning "soul."¹⁹ The term encompasses the ideas of mind, will, and emotion. These characteristics apply to the higher animals, such as the birds and mammals. The kinds of creature created includes many different kinds of birds (Genesis 1:21) and the "great sea monsters," probably referring to the whales (also referred to as nephesh beings). These creatures were created in great abundance, as indicated by the verbs sharats²⁰ and ramas.²¹ The fossil record confirms that there was a massive introduction of bird and mammal species at the beginning of the tertiary age.²²

Day 6

The sixth days describes the creation of animals that impact mankind and the creation of mankind himself.

Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures [nephesh] after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind"; and it was so. (Genesis 1:24)
God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:25)
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Genesis 1:26)
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)

The sixth day begins with the creation of more nephesh creatures. These include the cattle (behemah²³), creeping (remes²⁴) nephesh (probably rodents), and "beasts (chay²⁵) of the earth" (translated "wild animals" in the NIV, usually referring to the wild carnivores).

The ultimate nephesh creation is mankind, created at the end of the sixth day. Genesis 1:27 tells us that God created mankind as males and females. However, Genesis 2 tells us more about the sixth day. From Genesis 1:27, we know that the sixth day extended at least through the creation of Eve, since the text indicates that God created both males and females on the sixth day. The following events took place after the creation of Adam

God planted a garden in Eden (Genesis 2:8)²⁶
God caused the garden to sprout and grow (Genesis 2:9)²⁷
God brought all the birds, cattle and wild animals to Adam to name (Genesis 2:19-20)²⁸
God put Adam to sleep, took a part of him and formed Eve (Genesis 2:21-22)²⁹

The events of the sixth day seem to require longer than 24 hours also. The text indicates that God planted a garden. This garden was not planted full-grown, since the text says that the trees were caused to sprout or grow (Hebrew tsamach³⁰). The amount of time allowed for the garden to grow is not stated, but would presumably take longer than 24-hours. After the garden had grown sufficiently, the man was placed into the garden to cultivate it.³¹ By this time, the trees were producing fruit so that Adam could eat.³² This process takes a period of time greater than 24 hours. Next, Adam was given the assignment of naming the birds, cattle and wild animals. The list includes only birds and mammals and does not mention fish or other lower life forms. Even so, it would require that Adam name at least 14,600 species (8,600 species of birds and 4,000 species of mammals). This would require Adam to name more than 10 species per minute (assuming he had the entire 24 hours). For those who believe in a young earth, it would require that Adam name not only all of the existing birds and mammals but all the ones in the fossil record also (since they would all have to be alive on day 6 - no animal death before the fall). Such a task would probably double the number of species to be named. However, Adam did not have the entire 24 hours, since part of it was required for the planting and growing of the garden, Adam tending the garden, and God putting Adam to sleep to create Eve. Realistically, Adam would have to name at least 20 species per minute, including all the species found in the fossil record. Following this naming of the animals, no suitable helper was found for Adam. So, God put Adam to sleep, took at piece of Adam's side, and created Eve. Adam's response to Eve's creation is also telling. Upon seeing Eve for the first time, Adam says "at last."³³ This is not exactly the response one would expect from a person who had waited for less than one day. So, we must conclude that the sixth day was most certainly longer than 24 hours, and probably took at least several years from Adam's response.

Conclusion

We are left with only one internally consistent interpretation for the days of Genesis one. The literal, clearly indicated, meaning of yom for Genesis one must be an unspecified, long period of time. Since the Genesis text says that the third day must be at least several years long, none of the other days would be expected to be limited to 24-hours. All or nearly all of the other creation days would seem to require long periods of time, although the text does not clearly indicate the specific amount of time required.

Other Resources

A Matter of Days by Hugh Ross

Dr. Ross looks the creation date controversy from a biblical, historical, and scientific perspective. Most of the book deals with what the Bible has to say about the days of creation. Ross concludes that biblical models of creation should be tested through the whole of scripture and the revelations of nature.

Peril in Paradise: Theology, Science, and the Age of the Earth by Mark S. Whorton, Ph.D.

This book, written for Christians, examines creation paradigms on the basis of what scripture says. Many Christians assume that the young earth "perfect paradise" paradigm is based upon what the Bible says. In reality, the "perfect paradise" paradigm fails in its lack of biblical support and also in its underlying assumptions that it forces upon a "Christian" worldview. Under the "perfect paradise" paradigm, God is relegated to the position of a poor designer, whose plans for the perfect creation are ruined by the disobedience of Adam and Eve. God is forced to come up with "plan B," in which He vindictively creates weeds, disease, carnivorous animals, and death to get back at humanity for their sin. Young earth creationists inadvertently buy into the atheistic worldview that suffering could not have been the original intent of God, stating that the earth was created "for our pleasure." However, the Bible says that God created carnivores, and that the death of animals and plants was part of God's original design for the earth.

References

Yes, the Holy Spirit is Creator, "...and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." (Genesis 1:2)
As Greg Koukl says, "Never read a Bible verse" (). Verse numbers and separations are arbitrary creations of Christians during the Middle Ages. Don't assume that they represent complete thoughts or are self-contained. One should always read the verses before and after (and maybe more) to determine the context and meaning.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:2)
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. (Genesis 2:1-2)
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements, since you know? Or who stretched the line on it? "On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? "Or who enclosed the sea with doors, When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; When I made a cloud its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band, (Job 38:4-9)
Bible verses that claim God stretched out the heavens when He created them:
- Who alone stretches out the heavens, And tramples down the waves of the sea; (Job 9:8)
- Covering Thyself with light as with a cloak, Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. (Psalm 104:2)
- It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. (Isaiah 40:22)
- Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk in it, (Isaiah 42:5)
- Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, "I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself, And spreading out the earth all alone" (Isaiah 44:24)
- "It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands, And I ordained all their host." (Isaiah 45:12)
- "Surely My hand founded the earth, And My right hand spread out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand together." (Isaiah 48:13)
- That you have forgotten the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens, And laid the foundations of the earth; That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, As he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? (Isaiah 51:13)
- It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens. (Jeremiah 10:12)
- It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom, And by His understanding He stretched out the heavens. (Jeremiah 51:15)
- The burden of the word of the Lord concerning Israel. Thus declares the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, (Zechariah 12:1)
Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." And God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. (Genesis 1:6-7)
And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. (Genesis 1:8)
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
shamayim (Strong's H8064)
1. heaven, heavens, sky
  1. visible heavens, sky
    1. as abode of the stars
    2. as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc.
  2. Heaven (as the abode of God)
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from an unused root meaning to be lofty
Same Word by TWOT Number: 2407a
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
asah (Strong's H6213)
1. to do, fashion, accomplish, make
  1. (Qal)
    1. to do, work, make, produce
      1. to do
      2. to work
      3. to deal (with)
      4. to act, act with effect, effect
    2. to make
      1. to make
      2. to produce
      3. to prepare
      4. to make (an offering)
      5. to attend to, put in order
      6. to observe, celebrate
      7. to acquire (property)
      8. to appoint, ordain, institute
      9. to bring about
      10. to use
      11. to spend, pass
  2. (Niphal)
    1. to be done
    2. to be made
    3. to be produced
    4. to be offered
    5. to be observed
    6. to be used
  3. (Pual) to be made
2. (Piel) to press, squeeze
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1708, 1709
Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; The waters were standing above the mountains. At Thy rebuke they fled; At the sound of Thy thunder they hurried away. The mountains rose; the valleys sank down To the place which Thou didst establish for them. Thou didst set a boundary that they may not pass over; That they may not return to cover the earth. (Psalm 104:6-9)
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
dasha (Strong's H1876)
1. to sprout, shoot, grow green
  1. (Qal) to sprout, grow green
  2. (Hiphil) to cause to sprout, cause to shoot forth
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 456
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
deshe (Strong's H1877)
1. grass, new grass, green herb, vegetation, young
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from H1876
Same Word by TWOT Number: 456a
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
eseb (Strong's H6212)
1. herb, herbage, grass, green plants
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from an unused root meaning to glisten (or be green)
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1707a
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
peri (Strong's H6529)
1. fruit
  1. fruit, produce (of the ground)
  2. fruit, offspring, children, progeny (of the womb)
  3. fruit (of actions) (figuratively)
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from H6509
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1809a
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
ets (Strong's H6086)
1. tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
  1. tree, trees
  2. wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from H6095
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1670a
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
yom (Strong's H3117)
1. day, time, year
  1. day (as opposed to night)
  2. day (24 hour period)
  3. days, lifetime (plural)
  4. time, period (general)
  5. year
  6. temporal references
    1. today
    2. yesterday
    3. tomorrow
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from an unused root meaning to be hot
Same Word by TWOT Number: 852
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven. (Genesis 2:4)
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
nephesh (Strong's H5315)
1. soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
  1. that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
  2. living being
  3. living being (with life in the blood)
  4. the man himself, self, person or individual
  5. seat of the appetites
  6. seat of emotions and passions
  7. activity of mind
    1. dubious
  8. activity of the will
    1. dubious
  9. activity of the character
    1. dubious
Part of Speech: noun feminine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from H5314
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1395a
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
sharats (Strong's H8317)
1. (Qal) to teem, swarm, multiply
  1. to swarm, teem
    1. to swarm
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 2467
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
ramas (Strong's H7430)
1. to creep, move lightly, move about, walk on all fours
  1. (Qal)
    1. to creep, teem (of all creeping things)
    2. to creep (of animals)
    3. to move lightly, glide about (of water animals)
    4. to move about (of all land animals generally)
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 2177
Feduccia, A. 1995. Explosive evolution in tertiary birds and mammals. Science 267: 637-638
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
behemah (Strong's H929)
1. beast, cattle, animal
  1. beasts (collective of all animals)
  2. cattle, livestock (of domestic animals)
  3. wild beasts
Part of Speech: noun feminine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute)
Same Word by TWOT Number: 208a
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
remes (Strong's H7431)
1. creeping things, moving things, creeping organism
  1. creeping things
  2. gliding things (of sea animals)
  3. moving things (of all animals)
Part of Speech: noun masculine collective
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from H7430
Same Word by TWOT Number: 2177a
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
chay (Strong's H2416)
1. living, alive (adjective)
  1. green (of vegetation)
  2. flowing, fresh (of water)
  3. lively, active (of man)
  4. reviving (of the springtime)
2. relatives (noun masculine)
3. life (abstract emphatic) (noun masculine)
  1. life
  2. sustenance, maintenance
4. living thing, animal (noun feminine)
  1. animal
  2. life
  3. appetite
  4. revival, renewal
5. community (noun feminine)
Part of Speech: see above in Definition
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from H2421
Same Word by TWOT Number: 644a
And the LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. (Genesis 2:8)
And out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9)
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. And the man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. (Genesis 2:19-20)
So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place. And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22)
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
tsamach (Strong's H6779)
1. to sprout, spring up, grow up
  1. (Qal)
    1. to sprout, spring up
      1. of plants
      2. of hair
      3. of speech (figuratively)
  2. (Piel) to grow abundantly or thickly
  3. (Hiphil)
    1. to cause to grow
    2. to cause to verb
Part of Speech: masculine collective
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1928
Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17)
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
pa‛am/pa‛ămâh (/) (Strong's H6471)
1. stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence
  1. foot, hoof-beat, footfall, footstep
  2. anvil
  3. occurrence, time, stroke, beat
    1. one time, once, twice, thrice, as time on time, at this repetition, this once, now at length, now...now, at one time...at another
Part of Speech: noun feminine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong's Number: from H6470
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1793a