The Meaning of Genesis 1:27 Explained

Genesis 1:27

KJV: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

YLT: And God prepareth the man in His image; in the image of God He prepared him, a male and a female He prepared them.

Darby: And God created Man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

ASV: And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So God  created  man  in his [own] image,  in the image  of God  created  he him; male  and female  created  he them. 

What does Genesis 1:27 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 1:20-31 - Man Creation's Crown
Creation reveals God's nature, as the picture the artist. His eternal Power and Godhead are visible in His works. See Romans 1:20. And all things and beings were made through Jesus Christ. Consider Colossians 1:15-16. The hands of the Son of God wove the blue curtains above us and filled them with luminaries. The seas are His and He made them, and filled them with living creatures. The woodlands are the outcome of His mind, and He filled them with flowers and birds. He taught them to live without care. He filled the tiny heart of the mother-bird with love to her young and blessed her. His are the cattle on a thousand hills. He molded the red earth into His own likeness and made Man. We were made to have dominion. See Psalms 8:6-8. Ask Him to put all things, especially all the evil things of your heart, under your feet. The world is good, and if you were good, you would find it so. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 1

1  God creates heaven and earth;
3  the light;
6  the firmament;
9  separates the dry land;
14  forms the sun, moon, and stars;
20  fishes and fowls;
24  cattle, wild beasts, and creeping things;
26  creates man in his own image, blesses him;
29  grants the fruits of the earth for food

What do the individual words in Genesis 1:27 mean?

So created God - man in His [own] image in the image of God He created him male and female them
וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־ הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה אֹתָֽם

וַיִּבְרָ֨א  So  created 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרָא 
Sense: to create, shape, form.
אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָֽאָדָם֙  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ  in  His  [own]  image 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֶלֶם 
Sense: image.
בְּצֶ֥לֶם  in  the  image 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: צֶלֶם 
Sense: image.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בָּרָ֣א  He  created 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרָא 
Sense: to create, shape, form.
זָכָ֥ר  male 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
וּנְקֵבָ֖ה  and  female 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְקֵבָה  
Sense: female.