Ezekiel Chapter 37
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die, and thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand.
2
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he turn not from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul.
3
And thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel: Thus ye speak, saying, Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live?
4
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
5
And thou, son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall he that is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sinneth.
6
When I say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he hath committed, therein shall he die.
7
Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
8
if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
9
None of his sins that he hath committed shall be remembered against him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
10
Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
11
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die therein.
12
And when the wicked turneth from his wickedness, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
13
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
14
And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth
15
month, in the fifth
16
day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.
17
Now the hand of Jehovah had been upon me in the evening, before he that was escaped came; and he had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
18
And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
19
Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.
20
Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes unto your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?
21
Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbor’s wife: and shall ye possess the land?
22
Thus shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured; and they that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
23
And I will make the land a desolation and an astonishment; and the pride of her power shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through.
24
Then shall they know that I am Jehovah, when I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment, because of all their abominations which they have committed.
25
And as for thee, son of man, the children of thy people talk of thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from Jehovah.
26
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but do them not; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their gain.
27
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
28
And when this cometh to pass (behold, it cometh), then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
The hand of Jehovah was upon me, and Jehovah carried me out in the Spirit, and set me down in the midst of a valley; and it was full of bones.
2
And he caused me to pass by them round about; and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and behold, they were very dry.
3
And he said unto me, Son of man, Shall these bones live? And I said, Lord Jehovah, thou knowest.
4
And he said unto me, Prophesy over these bones, and say unto them, Ye dry bones, hear the word of Jehovah.
5
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.
6
And I will put sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live: and ye shall know that I [am] Jehovah.
7
And I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a rustling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.
8
And I looked, and behold, sinews and flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9
And he said unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
10
And I prophesied as he had commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
11
And he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off!
12
Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13
And ye shall know that I [am] Jehovah, when I have opened your graves, and have caused you to come up out of your graves, O my people.
14
And I will put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I will place you in your own land: and ye shall know that I Jehovah have spoken, and have done [it], saith Jehovah.
15
And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
16
And thou, son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel, his companions. And take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.
17
And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thy hand.
18
And when the children of my people speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not declare unto us what thou meanest by these?
19
say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions, and will put them with this, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.
20
And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thy hand before their eyes.
21
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, whither they are gone, and will gather them from every side, and bring them into their own land:
22
and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.
23
And they shall not defile themselves any more with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; and I will save them out of all their dwelling-places wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be theirGod.
24
And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: and they shall walk in mine ordinances, and keep my statutes, and do them.
25
And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and David my servant shall be their prince for ever.
26
And I will make a covenant of peace with them: it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for ever.
27
And my tabernacle shall be over them; and I will be theirGod, and they shall be my people.
28
And the nations shall know that I Jehovah do hallow Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for ever.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
And the hand of the Lord came upon me, and the Lord brought me forth by the Spirit, and set me in the midst of the plain, and it was full of human bones.
2
And he led me round about them every way: and, behold, [there were] very many on the face of the plain, very dry.
3
And he said to me, Son of man, will these bones live? and I said, O Lord God, thou knowest this.
4
And he said to me, Prophesy upon these bones, and thou shalt say to them, Ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
5
Thus saith the Lord to these bones; Behold, I [will] bring upon you the breath of life:
6
and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and will spread skin upon you, and will put my Spirit into you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
7
So I prophesied as [the Lord] commanded me: and it came to pass while I was prophesying, that, behold, [there was] a shaking, and the bones approached each one to his joint.
8
And I looked, and, behold, sinews and flesh grew upon them, and skin came upon them above: but there was no breath in them.
9
And he said to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord; Come from the four winds, and breathe upon these dead [men], and let them live.
10
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath entered into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, a very great congregation.
11
And the Lord spoke to me, saying, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: and they say, Our bones are become dry, our hope has perished, we are quite spent.
12
Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I [will] open your tombs, and will bring you up out of your tombs, and will bring you into the land of Israel.
13
And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, that I may bring up my people from [their] graves.
14
And I will put my Spirit within you, and ye shall live, and I will place you upon your own land: and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord; I have spoken, and will do [it], saith the Lord.
15
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
16
Son of man, take for thyself a rod, and write upon it, Juda, and the children of Israel his adherents; and thou shalt take for thyself another rod, and thou shalt inscribe it for Joseph, the rod of Ephraim, and all the children of Israel that belong to him.
17
And thou shalt join them together for thyself, so as that they should bind themselves into one stick; and they shall be in thine hand.
18
And it shall come to pass, when the children of thy people shall say to thee, Wilt thou not tell us what thou meanest by these things?
19
Then shalt thou say to them, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will take the tribe of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel that belong to him, and I will add them to the tribe of Juda, and they shall become one rod in the hand of Juda.
20
And the rods on which thou didst write shall be in thine hand in their presence.
21
And thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I [will] take the whole house of Israel out of the midst of the nations, among whom they have gone, and I will gather them from all that are round about them, and I will bring them into the land of Israel.
22
And I will make them a nation in my land, even on the mountains of Israel; and they shall have one prince: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided any more at all into two kingdoms:
23
that they may no more defile themselves with their idols; and I will deliver them from all their transgressions whereby they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be to me a people, and I the Lord will be to them a God.
24
And my servant David [shall be] a prince in the midst of them: there shall be one shepherd of [them] all; for they shall walk in mine ordinances, and keep my judgments, and do them.
25
And they shall dwell in their land, which I have given to my servant Jacob, where their fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell upon it: and David my servant [shall be their] prince for ever.
26
And I will make with them a covenant of peace; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will establish my sanctuary in the midst of them for ever.
27
And my tabernacle shall be among them; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be my people.
28
And the nations shall know that I am the Lord that sanctifies them, when my sanctuary is in the midst of them for ever.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Facta est super me manus Domini, et eduxit me in spiritu Domini: et dimisit me in medio campi, qui erat plenus ossibus:
2
Et circumduxit me per ea in gyro: erant autem multa valde super faciem campi, siccaque vehementer.
3
Et dixit ad me: Fili hominis putasne vivent ossa ista? Et dixi: Domine Deus, tu nosti.
4
Et dixit ad me: Vaticinare de ossibus istis: et dices eis: Ossa arida audite verbum Domini.
5
Hæc dicit Dominus Deus ossibus his: Ecce ego intromittam in vos spiritum, et vivetis.
6
Et dabo super vos nervos, et succrescere faciam super vos carnes, et superextendam in vobis cutem: et dabo vobis spiritum, et vivetis, et scietis quia ego Dominus.
7
Et prophetavi sicut præceperat mihi: factus est autem sonitus, prophetante me, et ecce commotio: et accesserunt ossa ad ossa, unumquodque ad iuncturam suam.
8
Et vidi, et ecce super ea nervi, et carnes ascenderunt: et extenta est in eis cutis desuper, et spiritum non habebant.
9
Et dixit ad me: Vaticinare ad spiritum, vaticinare fili hominis, et dices ad spiritum: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: A quattuor ventis veni spiritus, et insuffla super interfectos istos, et reviviscant.
10
Et prophetavi sicut præceperat mihi: et ingressus est in ea spiritus, et vixerunt: steteruntque super pedes suos exercitus grandis nimis valde.
11
Et dixit ad me: Fili hominis, ossa hæc universa, domus Israel est: ipsi dicunt: Aruerunt ossa nostra, et periit spes nostra, et abscissi sumus.
12
Propterea vaticinare, et dices ad eos: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce ego aperiam tumulos vestros, et educam vos de sepulchris vestris populus meus: et inducam vos in terram Israel.
13
Et scietis quia ego Dominus, cum aparuero sepulchra vestra, et eduxero vos de tumulis vestris popule meus:
14
Et dedero spiritum meum in vobis, et vixeritis, et requiescere vos faciam super humum vestram: et scietis quia ego Dominus locutus sum, et feci, ait Dominus Deus.
15
Et factus est sermo Domini ad me, dicens:
16
Et tu fili hominis sume tibi lignum unum: et scribe super illud: Iudæ, et filiorum Israel sociorum eius: et tolle lignum alterum, et scribe super illud: Ioseph ligno Ephraim, et cunctæ domui Israel, sociorumque eius.
17
Et adiunge illa, unum ad alterum tibi in lignum unum: et erunt in unionem in manu tua.
18
Cum autem dixerint ad te filii populi tui loquentes: Nonne indicas nobis quid in his tibi velis?
19
loqueris ad eos: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce ego assumam lignum Ioseph, quod est in manu Ephraim, et tribus Israel, quæ sunt ei adiunctæ: et dabo eas pariter cum ligno Iuda, et faciam eas in lignum unum: et erunt unum in manu eius.
20
Erunt autem ligna, super quæ scripseris in manu tua, in oculis eorum.
21
Et dices ad eos: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce ego assumam filios Israel de medio nationum, ad quas abierunt: et congregabo eos undique, et adducam eos ad humum suam.
22
Et faciam eos in gentem unam in terra in montibus Israel, et rex unus erit omnibus imperans: et non erunt ultra duæ gentes, nec dividentur amplius in duo regna.
23
Neque polluentur ultra in idolis suis, et abominationibus suis, et cunctis iniquitatibus suis: et salvos eos faciam de universis sedibus, in quibus peccaverunt, et emundabo eos: et erunt mihi populus, et ego ero eis Deus.
24
Et servus meus David rex super eos, et pastor unus erit omnium eorum: in iudiciis meis ambulabunt, et mandata mea custodient, et facient ea.
25
Et habitabunt super terram, quam dedi servo meo Iacob, in qua habitaverunt patres vestri: et habitabunt super eam ipsi, et filii eorum, et filii filiorum eorum, usque in sempiternum: et David servus meus princeps eorum in perpetuum.
26
Et percutiam illis fœdus pacis, pactum sempiternum erit eis: et fundabo eos, et multiplicabo, et dabo sanctificationem meam in medio eorum in perpetuum.
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Et erit tabernaculum meum in eis: et ero eis Deus, et ipsi erunt mihi populus.
28
Et scient Gentes quia ego Dominus sanctificator Israel, cum fuerit sanctificatio mea in medio eorum in perpetuum.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
The LORD’s hand was on me, and he brought me out in the LORD’s Spirit, and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.
2
He caused me to pass by them all around; and behold, there were very many in the open valley, and behold, they were very dry.
3
He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I answered, “Lord GOD, you know.”
4
Again he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, ‘You dry bones, hear the LORD’s word.
5
The Lord GOD says to these bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live.
6
I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”’”
7
So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, there was an earthquake. Then the bones came together, bone to its bone.
8
I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.
9
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’”
10
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We are completely cut off.’
12
Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.
13
You will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people.
14
I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.’”
15
The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,
16
“You, son of man, take one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.’ Then take another stick, and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.’
17
Then join them for yourself to one another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.
18
“When the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’
19
tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in my hand.
20
The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.”’
21
Say to them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land.
22
I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. One king will be king to them all. They will no longer be two nations. They won’t be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.
23
They won’t defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. So they will be my people, and I will be their God.
24
“‘“My servant David will be king over them. They all will have one shepherd. They will also walk in my ordinances and observe my statutes, and do them.
25
They will dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers lived. They will dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children’s children, forever. David my servant will be their prince forever.
26
Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will place them, multiply them, and will set my sanctuary among them forever more.
27
My tent also will be with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
28
The nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is among them forever more.”’”
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
There hath been upon me a hand of Jehovah, and He taketh me forth in the Spirit of Jehovah, and doth place me in the midst of the valley, and it is full of bones,
2
and He causeth me to pass over by them, all round about, and lo, very many <FI>are<Fi> on the face of the valley, and lo, very dry.
3
And He saith unto me, `Son of man, do these bones live?' And I say, `O Lord Jehovah, Thou--Thou hast known.'
4
And He saith unto me, `Prophesy concerning these bones, and thou hast said unto them: O dry bones, hear a word of Jehovah:
5
Thus said the Lord Jehovah to these bones: Lo, I am bringing into you a spirit, and ye have lived,
6
and I have given on you sinews, and cause flesh to come up upon you, and covered you over with skin, and given in you a spirit, and ye have lived, and ye have known that I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah.'
7
And I have prophesied as I have been commanded, and there is a noise, as I am prophesying, and lo, a rushing, and draw near do the bones, bone unto its bone.
8
And I beheld, and lo, on them <FI>are<Fi> sinews, and flesh hath come up, and cover them doth skin over above--and spirit there is none in them.
9
And He saith unto me: `Prophesy unto the Spirit, prophesy, son of man, and thou hast said unto the Spirit: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: From the four winds come in, O Spirit, and breathe on these slain, and they do live.'
10
And I have prophesied as He commanded me, and the Spirit cometh into them, and they live, and stand on their feet--a very very great force.
11
And He saith unto me, `Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; lo, they are saying: Dried up have our bones, And perished hath our hope, We have been cut off by ourselves.
12
Therefore, prophesy, and thou hast said unto them, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am opening your graves, And have brought you up out of your graves, O My people, And brought you in unto the land of Israel.
13
And ye have known that I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah, In My opening your graves, And in My bringing you up out of your graves, O My people.
14
And I have given My Spirit in you, and ye have lived, And I have caused you to rest on your land, And ye have known that I Jehovah, I have spoken, and I have done <FI>it<Fi> , An affirmation of Jehovah.'
15
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
16
`And thou, son of man, take to thee one stick, and write on it, For Judah, and for the sons of Israel, his companions; and take another stick, and write on it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel, his companions,
17
and bring them near one unto another, to thee, for one stick, and they have become one in thy hand.
18
`And when sons of thy people speak unto thee, saying, Dost thou not declare to us what these <FI>are<Fi> to thee?
19
Speak unto them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am taking the stick of Joseph, that <FI>is<Fi> in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions, and have given them unto him, with the stick of Judah, and have made them become one stick, and they have been one in My hand.
20
And the sticks on which thou writest have been in thy hand before thine eyes,
21
and speak thou unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am taking the sons of Israel, From among the nations whither they have gone, And have gathered them from round about, And I have brought them in unto their land.
22
And I have made them become one nation in the land, on mountains of Israel, And one king is to them all for king, And they are no more as two nations, Nor are they divided any more into two kingdoms again.
23
Nor are they defiled any more with their idols, And with their abominations, And with any of their transgressions, And I have saved them out of all their dwellings, In which they have sinned, And I have cleansed them, And they have been to Me for a people, And I--I am to them for God.
24
And My servant David <FI>is<Fi> king over them, And one shepherd have they all, And in My judgments they go, And My statutes they keep, and have done them.
25
And they have dwelt on the land that I gave to My servant, to Jacob, In which your fathers have dwelt, And they have dwelt on it, they and their sons, And their son's sons--unto the age, And David My servant <FI>is<Fi> their prince--to the age.
26
And I have made to them a covenant of peace, A covenant age-during it is with them, And I have placed them, and multiplied them, And placed My sanctuary in their midst--to the age.
27
And My tabernacle hath been over them, And I have been to them for God, And they have been to Me for a people.
28
And known have the nations that I Jehovah am sanctifying Israel, In My sanctuary being in their midst--to the age!'
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).