Judges Chapter 3

2 And when Jehovah raised them up judges, then Jehovah was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented Jehovah because of their groaning by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

3 But it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their doings, nor from their stubborn way.

4 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel; and he said, Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

5 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died;

6 that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Jehovah to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

7 So Jehovah left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

8 Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many

9 of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

10 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:

11 namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.

12 And they were

13 left, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

14 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

15 and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

16 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

17 Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

18 And when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

19 And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.

20 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

21 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.

22 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.

23 And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

24 But when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.

25 And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

26 And he offered the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

27 And when he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people that bare the tribute.

28 But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king. And he said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

29 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

30 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:

31 and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 And these are the nations that Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, all that had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know war by learning it, at the least those who before had known nothing thereof:

3 five lord ships of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwell on mount Lebanon; from mount Baal-Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.

4 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites: Hittites and Amorites and Perizzites and Hivites and Jebusites;

6 and they took their daughters as wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served theirgods.

7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgot Jehovah theirGod, and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

8 And the anger of Jehovah was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.

9 And the children of Israel cried to Jehovah; and Jehovah raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 And the Spirit of Jehovah was upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah gave Chushan-rishathaim king of Syria into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.

11 And the land had rest forty years; and Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they did evil in the sight of Jehovah.

13 And he gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek and went and smote Israel, and they took possession of the city of palm-trees.

14 And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 And the children of Israel cried to Jehovah, and Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a man left-handed. And by him the children of Israel sent a gift to Eglon king of Moab.

16 And Ehud made him a sword having two edges, it was of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right hip.

17 And he brought the gift to Eglon king of Moab; now Eglon was a very fat man.

18 And it came to pass when he had ended offering the gift, he sent away the people that had borne the gift.

19 But he turned from the graven images that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret word unto thee, O king. And he said, Be silent! And all that stood by him went out from him.

20 And Ehud came to him; now he was sitting in the cool upper-chamber, which was for him alone. And Ehud said, I have a word fromGod unto thee. And he arose from the seat.

21 Then Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right hip, and thrust it into his belly;

22 and the haft also went in after the blade, and the fat closed upon the blade; for he did not draw the sword out of his belly, and it came out between the legs.

23 And Ehud went out into the portico, and shut the doors of the upper-chamber upon him, and bolted them.

24 And when he was gone out, the servants of the [king] came and saw, and behold, the doors of the upper-chamber were bolted. And they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the summer chamber.

25 And they waited till they were ashamed; and behold, he opened not the doors of the upper-chamber, and they took the key, and opened [them], and behold, their lord lay dead on the earth.

26 And Ehud had escaped while they lingered, and passed beyond the graven images, and escaped to Seirah.

27 And it came to pass when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.

28 And he said to them, Follow after me, for Jehovah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan toward Moab, and suffered no one to pass over.

29 And they slew the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand men, all fat, and all men of valour, and not a man escaped.

30 And Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years.

31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath; and he smote the Philistines, six hundred men, with an ox-goad. And he also delivered Israel.

lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

1 And these [are] the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel with them, all that had not known the wars of Chanaan.

2 Only for the sake of the generations of Israel, to teach them war, only the men before them knew them not.

3 The five lordships of the Phylistines, and every Chananite, and the Sidonian, and the Evite who dwelt in Libanus from the mount of Aermon to Laboemath.

4 And [this] was done in order to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commands of the Lord, which he charged their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt in the midst of the Chananite, and the Chettite, and the Amorite, and the Pherezite, and the Evite, and the Jebusite.

6 And they took their daughters for wives to themselves, and they gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

8 And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and sold them into the hand of Chusarsathaim king of Syria of the rivers: and the children of Israel served Chusarsathaim eight years.

9 And the children of Israel cried to the Lord; and the Lord raised up a saviour to Israel, and he saved them, Gothoniel the son of Kenez, the brother of Chaleb younger than himself.

10 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war against Chusarsathaim: and the Lord delivered into his hand Chusarsathaim king of Syria of the rivers, and his hand prevailed against Chusarsathaim.

11 And the land was quiet forty years; and Gothoniel the son of Kenez died.

12 And the children of Israel continued to do evil before the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglom king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil before the Lord.

13 And he gathered to himself all the children of Ammon and Amalec, and went and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of Palm-trees.

14 And the children of Israel served Eglom the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 And the children of Israel cried to the Lord; and he raised up to them a saviour, Aod the son of Gera a son of Jemeni, a man who used both hands alike: and the children of Israel sent gifts by his hand to Eglom king of Moab.

16 And Aod made himself a dagger of two edges, of a span long, and he girded it under his cloak upon his right thigh.

17 And he went, and brought the presents to Eglom king of Moab, and Eglom [was] a very handsome man.

18 And it came to pass when Aod [had] made an end of offering his gifts, that he dismissed those that brought the gifts.

19 And he himself returned from the quarries that are by Galgal; and Aod said, I have a secret errand to thee, O king! and Eglom said to him, Be silent: and he sent away from his presence all who waited upon him.

20 And Aod went in to him; and he sat in his own upper summer chamber quite alone; and Aod said, I have a message from God to thee, O king: and Eglom rose up from his throne near him.

21 And it came to pass as he arose, that Aod stretched forth his left hand, and took the dagger off his right thigh, and plunged it into his belly;

22 and drove in also the haft after the blade, and the fat closed in upon the blade, for he drew not out the dagger from his belly.

23 And Aod went out to the porch, and passed out by the appointed [guards], and shut the doors of the chamber upon him, and locked [them].

24 And he went out: and Eglom's servants came, and saw, and behold, the doors of the upper chamber [were] locked; and they said, Does he not uncover his feet in the summer-chamber?

25 And they waited till they were ashamed, and, behold, there was no one that opened the doors of the upper chamber; and they took the key, and opened them; and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead upon the earth.

26 And Aod escaped while they were in a tumult, and no one paid attention to him; and he passed the quarries, and escaped to Setirotha.

27 And it came to pass when Aod came into the land of Israel, that he blew the horn in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came down with him from the mountain, and he [was] before them.

28 And he said to them, Come down after me, for the Lord God has delivered our enemies, even Moab, into our hand; and they went down after him, and seized on the fords of Jordan before Moab, and he did not suffer a man to pass over.

29 And they smote Moab on that day about ten thousand men, every lusty [person] and every mighty man; and not a man escaped.

30 So Moab was humbled in that day under the hand of Israel, and the land had rest eighty years; and Aod judged them till he died.

31 And after him rose up Samegar the son of Dinach, and smote the Philistines to the number of six hundred men with a ploughshare [such as is drawn by] oxen; and he too delivered Israel.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Hæ sunt gentes, quas Dominus dereliquit, ut erudiret in eis Israelem, et omnes, qui non noverant bella Chananæorum:

2 ut postea discerent filii eorum certare cum hostibus, et habere consuetudinem præliandi:

3 quinque satrapas Philisthinorum, omnemque Chananæum, et Sidonium, atque Hevæum, qui habitabat in monte Libano, de monte Baal Hermon usque ad introitum Emath.

4 Dimisitque eos, ut in ipsis experiretur Israelem, utrum audiret mandata Domini quæ præceperat patribus eorum per manum Moysi, an non.

5 Itaque filii Israel habitaverunt in medio Chananæi, et Hethæi, et Amorrhæi, et Pherezæi, et Hevæi, et Iebusæi:

6 et duxerunt uxores filias eorum, ipsique filias suas filiis eorum tradiderunt, et servierunt diis eorum.

7 Feceruntque malum in conspectu Domini, et obliti sunt Dei sui, servientes Baalim et Astaroth.

8 Iratusque contra Israel Dominus, tradidit eos in manus Chusan Rasathaim regis Mesopotamiæ, servieruntque ei octo annis.

9 Et clamaverunt ad Dominum: qui suscitavit eis salvatorem, et liberavit eos, Othoniel videlicet filium Cenez, fratrem Caleb minorem:

10 fuitque in eo Spiritus Domini, et iudicavit Israel. Egressusque est ad pugnam, et tradidit Dominus in manus eius Chusan Rasathaim regem Syriæ, et oppressit eum.

11 Quievitque terra quadraginta annis, et mortuus est Othoniel filius Cenez.

12 Addiderunt autem filii Israel facere malum in conspectu Domini: qui confortavit adversum eos Eglon regem Moab: quia fecerunt malum in conspectu eius.

13 Et copulavit ei filios Ammon, et Amalec: abiitque et percussit Israel, atque possedit Urbem palmarum.

14 Servieruntque filii Israel Eglon regi Moab decem et octo annis:

15 et postea clamaverunt ad Dominum: qui suscitavit eis salvatorem vocabulo Aod, filium Gera, filii Iemini, qui utraque manu pro dextera utebatur. Miseruntque filii Israel per illum munera Eglon regi Moab.

16 Qui fecit sibi gladium ancipitem, habentem in medio capulum longitudinis palmæ manus, et accinctus est eo subter sagum in dextro femore.

17 Obtulitque munera Eglon regi Moab. Erat autem Eglon crassus nimis.

18 Cumque obtulisset ei munera, prosecutus est socios, qui cum eo venerant.

19 Et reversus de Galgalis, ubi erant idola, dixit ad Regem: Verbum secretum habeo ad te o Rex. Et ille imperavit silentium: egressisque omnibus, qui circa eum erant,

20 ingressus est Aod ad eum: sedebat autem in æstivo cœnaculo solus, dixitque: Verbum Dei habeo ad te. Qui statim surrexit de throno.

21 Extenditque Aod sinistram manum, et tulit sicam de dextro femore suo, infixitque eam in ventre eius

22 tam valide, ut capulus sequeretur ferrum in vulnere, ac pinguissimo adipe stringeretur. Nec eduxit gladium, sed ita ut percusserat, reliquit in corpore: statimque per secreta naturæ alvi stercora proruperunt.

23 Aod autem clausis diligentissime ostiis cœnaculi, et obfirmatis sera,

24 per posticum egressus est. Servique regis ingressi viderunt clausas fores cœnaculi, atque dixerunt: Forsitan purgat alvum in æstivo cubiculo.

25 Expectantesque diu donec erubescerent, et videntes quod nullus aperiret, tulerunt clavem: et aperientes invenerunt dominum suum in terra iacentem mortuum.

26 Aod autem, dum illi turbarentur, effugit, et pertransiit Locum idolorum, unde reversus fuerat. Venitque in Seirath:

27 et statim insonuit buccina in monte Ephraim: descenderuntque cum eo filii Israel, ipso in fronte gradiente.

28 Qui dixit ad eos: Sequimini me: tradidit enim Dominus inimicos nostros Moabitas in manus nostras. Descenderuntque post eum, et occupaverunt vada Iordanis quæ transmittunt in Moab: et non dimiserunt transire quemquam:

29 sed percusserunt Moabitas in tempore illo, circiter decem millia, omnes robustos et fortes viros. nullus eorum evadere potuit.

30 Humiliatusque est Moab in die illo sub manu Israel: et quievit Terra octoginta annis.

31 Post hunc fuit Samgar filius Anath, qui percussit de Philisthiim sexcentos viros vomere: et ipse quoque defendit Israel.

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:

3 the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

4 They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the LORD’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

5 The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

6 They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

8 Therefore the LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.

9 When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

10 The LORD’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.

11 The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.

13 He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

14 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.

17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

18 When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.

19 But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.

20 Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat.

21 Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.

22 The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

24 After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”

25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.

26 Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.

27 When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.

28 He said to them, “Follow me; for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.

29 They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped.

30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.

31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 And these <FI>are<Fi> the nations which Jehovah left, to try Israel by them, all who have not known all the wars of Canaan;

2 (only for the sake of the generations of the sons of Israel's knowing, to teach them war, only those who formerly have not known them) --

3 five princes of the Philistines, and all the Canaanite, and the Zidonian, and the Hivite inhabiting mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-Hermon unto the entering in of Hamath;

4 and they are to prove Israel by them, to know whether they obey the commands of Jehovah that He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 And the sons of Israel have dwelt in the midst of the Canaanite, the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

6 and take their daughters to them for wives, and their daughters have given to their sons, and they serve their gods;

7 and the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and forget Jehovah their God, and serve the Baalim and the shrines.

8 And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel, and He selleth them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram-Naharaim, and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight years;

9 and the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, and Jehovah raiseth a saviour to the sons of Israel, and he saveth them--Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother;

10 and the Spirit of Jehovah is upon him, and he judgeth Israel, and goeth out to battle, and Jehovah giveth unto his hand Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram, and strong is his hand against Chushan-Rishathaim;

11 and the land resteth forty years. And Othniel son of Kenaz dieth,

12 and the sons of Israel add to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah; and Jehovah strengtheneth Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because that they have done the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah;

13 and he gathereth unto him the Bene-Ammon and Amalek, and goeth and smiteth Israel, and they possess the city of palms;

14 and the sons of Israel serve Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15 And the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, and Jehovah raiseth to them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite (a man--shut of his right hand), and the sons of Israel send by his hand a present to Eglon king of Moab;

16 and Ehud maketh for himself a sword, and it hath two mouths (a cubit <FI>is<Fi> its length), and he girdeth it under his long robe on his right thigh;

17 and he bringeth near the present to Eglon king of Moab, and Eglon <FI>is<Fi> a very fat man.

18 And it cometh to pass, when he hath finished to bring near the present, that he sendeth away the people bearing the present,

19 and he himself hath turned back from the graven images which <FI>are<Fi> at Gilgal, and saith, `A secret word I have unto thee, O king;' and he saith, `Hush!' and go out from him do all those standing by him.

20 And Ehud hath come unto him, and he is sitting in the upper chamber of the wall which he hath for himself, and Ehud saith, `A word of God I have unto thee;' and he riseth from off the throne;

21 and Ehud putteth forth his left hand, and taketh the sword from off his right thigh, and striketh it into his belly;

22 and the haft also goeth in after the blade, and the fat shutteth on the blade, that he hath not drawn the sword out of his belly, and it goeth out at the fundament.

23 And Ehud goeth out at the porch, and shutteth the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and hath bolted <FI>it<Fi> ;

24 and he hath gone out, and his servants have come in, and look, and lo, the doors of the upper chamber are bolted, and they say, `He is only covering his feet in the inner chamber of the wall.'

25 And they stay till confounded, and lo, he is not opening the doors of the upper chamber, and they take the key, and open, and lo, their lord is fallen to the earth--dead.

26 And Ehud escaped during their tarrying, and hath passed by the images, and is escaped to Seirath.

27 And it cometh to pass, in his coming in, that he bloweth with a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim, and go down with him do the sons of Israel from the hill-country, and he before them;

28 and he saith unto them, `Pursue after me, for Jehovah hath given your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand;' and they go down after him, and capture the passages of the Jordan towards Moab, and have not permitted a man to pass over.

29 And they smite Moab at that time, about ten thousand men, all robust, and every one a man of valour, and not a man hath escaped,

30 and Moab is humbled in that day under the hand of Israel; and the land resteth eighty years.

31 And after him hath been Shamgar son of Anath, and he smiteth the Philistines--six hundred men--with an ox-goad, and he saveth--he also--Israel.

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).