Genesis 1:3

Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· γενηθήτω φῶς. καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς.

And God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light.

ויאמר אלהים יהי אור ויהי־אור׃

 

Other Greek Versions

Gen 1:3 [Aquila of Sinope]
γενεσθω φως· και εγενετο φως.

Gen 1:3 [Symmachus]
εστω φως· και εγενετο φως.

Gen 1:3 [Theodotion]
γενηθήτω φῶς· καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς.

 

Morphology of the Septuagint

1. Καὶ (ke)

  • Root: καί
  • Form: Conjunction
  • Lexical Meaning: “and”
  • Contextual Notes: Connects phrases or clauses, here introducing God’s command.

2. εἶπεν (ípen)

  • Root: λέγω
  • Form: Verb, Aorist Active Indicative, 3rd Person Singular
  • Parsing Details: Aorist tense, indicating a completed action in the past.
  • Lexical Meaning: “said”
  • Contextual Notes: Represents God’s act of speaking creation into existence.

3. (o)

  • Root:
  • Form: Definite Article, Nominative Singular Masculine
  • Lexical Meaning: “the”
  • Contextual Notes: Marks Θεός (God) as the subject.

4. Θεός (Theós)

  • Root: Θεός
  • Form: Noun, Nominative Singular Masculine
  • Parsing Details: Subject of εἶπεν (said).
  • Lexical Meaning: “God”
  • Contextual Notes: Identifies the speaker as the deity, performing the act of creation.

5. γενηθήτω (yenithíto)

  • Root: γίνομαι
  • Form: Verb, Aorist Passive Imperative, 3rd Person Singular
  • Parsing Details: Aorist imperative indicates a command for an event to happen immediately.
  • Lexical Meaning: “Let there be”
  • Contextual Notes: Divine command for light to come into existence.

6. φῶς (fos)

  • Root: φῶς
  • Form: Noun, Nominative Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “light”
  • Contextual Notes: The object of creation, representing illumination or the first act of creation.

7. καὶ (ke)

  • Root: καί
  • Form: Conjunction
  • Lexical Meaning: “and”
  • Contextual Notes: Connects the command with its fulfillment.

8. ἐγένετο (eyéneto)

  • Root: γίνομαι
  • Form: Verb, Aorist Middle Indicative, 3rd Person Singular
  • Parsing Details: Aorist tense indicates a completed action; middle voice shows the result of God’s command.
  • Lexical Meaning: “there was” or “it came to be”
  • Contextual Notes: Expresses the fulfillment of God’s command for light to exist.

9. φῶς (fos)

  • Root: φῶς
  • Form: Noun, Nominative Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “light”
  • Contextual Notes: Repeats the object of the command, showing that light indeed came into existence as commanded.

Septuagint Manuscripts

Gen 1:3 [Codex Alexandrinus (A) (5th century)]1c1
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ΘC; γενηθήτω φῶς καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς

 

Critical Apparatus :

Cambridge LXX Gen 1:3

Cambridge LXX Gen 1:3

 

LXX Editions:

  • Robert Holmes (1798)
  • Paul Anton de Lagarde (1868)
  • Tischendorf-Nestle (1880)
  • Henry Barclay Swete (1887)
  • Cambridge (Alan England Brooke & Norman McLean) (1906)]
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