King James Version

Genesis 1:15

And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

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Hebrew

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וְהָי֤וּvehayvand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and be”, a completed action in a sequenceH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.לִמְאוֹרֹת֙limorotto lightמָאוֹרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “to light”, the ordinary formH3974properly, a luminous body or luminary, i.e. (abstractly) light (as an element); figuratively, brightness, i.e.cheerfulness; specifically, a chandelierbright, light.בִּרְקִ֣יעַbirqiain firmamentרָקִיעַpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in firmament”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7549properly, an expanse, i.e. the firmament or (apparently) visible arch of the skyfirmament.הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםhashamayimthe heavenשָׁמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).לְהָאִ֖ירlehairto gloriousאוֹרpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “to glorious”, the to-form of the verbH215to be (causative, make) luminous (literally and metaphorically)[idiom] break of day, glorious, kindle, (be, en-, give, show) light (-en, -ened), set on fire, shine.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הָאָ֑רֶץhaaretsthe earthאֶרֶץdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.וַֽיְהִיvayhiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.כֵֽןkhenas... asכֵּןadverb — “as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.' And it was so.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

Young’s Literal Translation

and they have been for luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth:' and it is so.

World English Bible

and let them be for lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth;” and it was so.

Darby Translation

and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens, to give light on the earth. And it was so.

Douay-Rheims

To shine in the firmament of heaven, and to give light upon the earth. And it was so done.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.' And it was so.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And let them be for light in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth, and it was so.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἔστωσαν εἰς φαῦσιν ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὥστε φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.