KJV ORIGINAL
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And God said, 'Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it separate the waters above from the waters below.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is creating the sky or atmosphere to separate the waters above (clouds and rain) from the waters below (oceans and seas).
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of the second day of creation in Genesis, written when ancient people understood the world as having waters above the sky (which explained rain) and waters below on earth. The Hebrew word 'firmament' (raqia) literally means something hammered out or spread like a dome, reflecting how ancient cultures viewed the sky as a solid barrier holding back heavenly waters.
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