King James Version

Genesis 1:16

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

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Hebrew

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וַיַּ֣עַשׂvayaasand doעָשָׂהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and do”, the next action in the storyH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…אֱלֹהִ֔יםelohimGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).שְׁנֵ֥יshenetwoשְׁנַיִםadjective, cardinal, masculine, dual, construct — “two”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8147two; also (as ordinal) twofoldboth, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.הַמְּאֹרֹ֖תhamorotthe lightמָאוֹרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the 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.הַגְּדֹלִ֑יםhagdolimthe greatגָּדוֹלdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “the great”, the ordinary formH1419great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent[phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַמָּא֤וֹרhamaorthe lightמָאוֹרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the 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.הַגָּדֹל֙hagadolthe greatגָּדוֹלdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “the great”, the ordinary formH1419great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent[phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶתlememsheletto dominionמֶמְשָׁלָהpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “to dominion”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4475rule; also (concretely in plural) a realm or a rulerdominion, government, power, to rule.הַיּ֔וֹםhayomthe as long asיוֹםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the as long as”, the ordinary formH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…וְאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַמָּא֤וֹרhamaorthe lightמָאוֹרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the 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.הַקָּטֹן֙haqatonthe leastקָטָןdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “the least”, the ordinary formH6996abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)least, less(-er), little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing), young(-er, -est).לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶתlememsheletto dominionמֶמְשָׁלָהpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “to dominion”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4475rule; also (concretely in plural) a realm or a rulerdominion, government, power, to rule.הַלַּ֔יְלָהhalaylahthe nightלַיִלdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the night”, the ordinary formH3915properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity(mid-)night (season).וְאֵ֖תveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַכּוֹכָבִֽיםhakokhavimthe starכּוֹכָבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the star”, the ordinary formH3556a star (as round or as shining); figuratively, a princestar(-gazer).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; and the stars.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

Young’s Literal Translation

And God maketh the two great luminaries, the great luminary for the rule of the day, and the small luminary — and the stars — for the rule of the night;

World English Bible

God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.

Darby Translation

And God made the two great lights, the great light to rule the day, and the small light to rule the night, — and the stars.

Douay-Rheims

And God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day; and a lesser light to rule the night: and the stars.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; and the stars.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And God made the two great lights, the greater light for regulating the day and the lesser light for regulating the night, the stars also.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς δύο φωστῆρας τοὺς μεγάλους· τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν μέγαν εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν ἐλάσσω εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτὸς, καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας.