The Meaning of Genesis 1:3 Explained

Genesis 1:3

KJV: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

YLT: and God saith, 'Let light be;' and light is.

Darby: And God said, Let there be light. And there was light.

ASV: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And God  said,  Let there be  light:  and there was light. 

What does Genesis 1:3 Mean?

Study Notes

Let there be light
Neither here nor in Genesis 1:14-18 is an original creative act implied. A different word is used. The sense is, made to appear; made visible. The sun and moon were created "in the beginning." The "light" of course came from the sun, but the vapour diffused the light. Later the sun appeared in an unclouded sky.

Verse Meaning

The world came into being by God"s word (cf. Psalm 33:9; Hebrews 11:3). Each of the six creative days began with God speaking. God"s ten pronouncements in this chapter anticipate His ten commandments at Mt. Sinai ( Exodus 20:2-17). All but one of Jesus Christ"s miracles occurred immediately after He spoke. The exception occurs in Luke 8:25 when He laid His hands on a blind man. Jesus Christ, the Word of God, was the Creator ( John 1:3). The theme of God"s word (spoken, written, or incarnate) continues through the Bible. His word is consistently powerful, as here. Fiat (the Latin word for "Let there be") creation means creation that came into being by God"s word.
"The idea of creation by the word preserves first of all the most radical essential distinction between Creator and creature. Creation cannot be even remotely considered an emanation from God ... but is rather a product of his personal will." [1]
The "light" might not have been sunlight (cf. Genesis 1:14). Perhaps it came from a source fixed at a distance from the earth such as the shekinah, the light that manifests God"s glory (cf. Revelation 22:5). [2] Perhaps God created the sun on the first day, but it became visible on the fourth day. [3] A third view is that God created the sun, moon, and stars on the first day and assigned them their specific functions on the fourth day (cf. Genesis 1:14-18). [4]

Context Summary

Genesis 1:1-5 - Beginnings
All beginnings must begin with God. Always put God first. The first stone in every building, our first thought every morning, the first aim and purpose of all activity. Begin the book of the year with God, and you will end it with the glory of the New Jerusalem. At first, as in the physical creation, your heart and life may seem to be "without form and void." Do not be discouraged, the Spirit of God is within you, brooding amid the darkness, and presently His Light will shine through. It is the blessed presence of the Lord Jesus that stirs in your heart and will presently rule your life, John 1:4. His Presence divides between the good and evil. You must distinguish between Christ and self. Follow the gleam, and you shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. God's days begin in evenings, and always end in mornings. [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 1:3 mean?

And said God let there be light and there was light
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־ אֽוֹר

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יְהִ֣י  let  there  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
א֑וֹר  light 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
וַֽיְהִי־  and  there  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אֽוֹר  light 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.