Genesis 1:6

Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· γενηθήτω στερέωμα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ ἔστω διαχωρίζον ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος. καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.

And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and let it be a division between water and water.” And it was so.

ויאמר אלהים יהי רקיע בתוך המים ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים׃

* And it was so OR And thus it came into being

And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” And it was so.

Morphology of the Septuagint

1. Καὶ (ke) (Erasmian: kai)

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

2. εἶπεν (ípen) (Erasmian: eipen)

  • 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: Refers to God issuing a command.

3. (o) (Erasmian: ho)

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

4. Θεός (Theós) (Erasmian: Theós)

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

5. γενηθήτω (yenithíto) (Erasmian: genēthētō)

  • Root: γίνομαι
  • Form: Verb, Aorist Passive Imperative, 3rd Person Singular
  • Parsing Details: Aorist imperative, indicating a command for something to happen.
  • Lexical Meaning: “Let there be”
  • Contextual Notes: Divine command for creation.

6. στερέωμα (steréoma) (Erasmian: steréōma)

  • Root: στερέωμα
  • Form: Noun, Accusative Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “firmament”
  • Contextual Notes: Refers to the sky or structure separating the waters.

7. ἐν (en) (Erasmian: en)

  • Root: ἐν
  • Form: Preposition
  • Lexical Meaning: “in”
  • Contextual Notes: Indicates location, specifying the position of the firmament.

8. μέσῳ (méso) (Erasmian: mésōi)

  • Root: μέσος
  • Form: Noun, Dative Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “midst” or “middle”
  • Contextual Notes: Refers to the position of the firmament among the waters.

9. τοῦ (tou) (Erasmian: toú)

  • Root:
  • Form: Definite Article, Genitive Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “the”
  • Contextual Notes: Modifies ὕδατος (water).

10. ὕδατος (ídatos) (Erasmian: hýdatos)

  • Root: ὕδωρ
  • Form: Noun, Genitive Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “water”
  • Contextual Notes: Refers to the primordial waters.

11. καὶ (ke) (Erasmian: kai)

  • Root: καί
  • Form: Conjunction
  • Lexical Meaning: “and”
  • Contextual Notes: Connects the command to let the firmament separate the waters.

12. ἔστω (ésto) (Erasmian: éstō)

  • Root: εἰμί
  • Form: Verb, Present Active Imperative, 3rd Person Singular
  • Parsing Details: Imperative mood indicating a command for something to exist.
  • Lexical Meaning: “let it be”
  • Contextual Notes: Divine command for the firmament’s function.

13. διαχωρίζον (diakhōrízon) (Erasmian: diakhōrízōn)

  • Root: διαχωρίζω
  • Form: Participle, Present Active, Accusative Singular Neuter
  • Parsing Details: Present participle describing the action of separating.
  • Lexical Meaning: “dividing”
  • Contextual Notes: Describes the function of the firmament in separating the waters.

14. ἀνὰ (aná) (Erasmian: aná)

    • Root: ἀνά
    • Form: Preposition
    • Lexical Meaning: “between”
    • Contextual Notes: Indicates division between two sets of waters.

15. μέσον (méson) (Erasmian: méson)

  • Root: μέσος
  • Form: Noun, Accusative Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “midst” or “middle”
  • Contextual Notes: Refers to the central space or position in the division of waters.

16. ὕδατος (ídatos) (Erasmian: hýdatos)

  • Root: ὕδωρ
  • Form: Noun, Genitive Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “water”
  • Contextual Notes: Refers to one part of the waters being divided.

17. καὶ (ke) (Erasmian: kai)

  • Root: καί
  • Form: Conjunction
  • Lexical Meaning: “and”
  • Contextual Notes: Connects the two groups of water mentioned in the division.

18. ὕδατος (ídatos) (Erasmian: hýdatos)

  • Root: ὕδωρ
  • Form: Noun, Genitive Singular Neuter
  • Lexical Meaning: “water”
  • Contextual Notes: Refers to the other part of the waters being divided by the firmament.

19. καὶ (ke) (Erasmian: kai)

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

20. ἐγένετο (eyéneto) (Erasmian: egéneto)

  • Root: γίνομαι
  • Form: Verb, Aorist Middle Indicative, 3rd Person Singular
  • Parsing Details: Aorist tense indicating completed action; middle voice showing occurrence.
  • Lexical Meaning: “it was” or “it came to be”
  • Contextual Notes: Indicates the fulfillment of God’s command.

21. οὕτως (oútos) (Erasmian: hoútōs)

  • Root: οὕτως
  • Form: Adverb
  • Lexical Meaning: “thus” or “so”
  • Contextual Notes: Emphasizes that the command was fulfilled exactly as stated.

Other Greek Versions

Gen 1:6 [Aquila of Sinope]
και ειπεν ο Θεος· γενηθητω στερεωμα εν μεσω των υδατων, και εστω διαχωριζον μεταξυ υδατων εις υδατα.

Gen 1:6 [Symmachus]
και ειπεν ο Θεος· γενηθητω στερεωμα εν μεσω υδατων, και εστω διαχωριζον εν μεσω υδατος και εις υδωρ.

Gen 1:6 [Theodotion]
και ειπεν ο Θεος· γενηθητω στερεωμα εν μεσω υδατος, και εσται διαχωριζον αναμεσον υδατος εις υδατα.

 

Septuagint Manuscripts

Gen 1:6 [Codex Alexandrinus (A) (5th century)]1c1
Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ΘC Γενηθήτω στερέωμα ἐν μέσω τοῦ ὕδατος καὶ ἔστω διαχωρίζον ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος· καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως

 

Critical Apparatus :

 

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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