And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so.
7. and it was so ] This formula is here out of place. See previous note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The firmament here is either,
1. The starry heaven; so called, not from its solidity, but from its fixed, durable, and, in a sort, incorruptible and unchangeable nature. Or,
2. The air; called here, the expansion, or extension, because it is extended far and wide, even from the earth to the third heaven; called also the firmament, because it is fixed in its proper place, from whence it cannot be moved, unless by force.
The waters under the firmament are seas, rivers, lakes, fountains, and other waters in the bowels of the earth.
The waters above the firmament, or above the heavens, as they are called, Psa 148:4, are either,
1. A collection or sea of waters placed by God above all the visible heavens, and there reserved for ends known to himself. Or rather,
2. The waters in the clouds; for the clouds are called waters, Psa 18:11; 104:3, and are said to be in heaven, 2Sa 21:10; Mat 24:30, and the production thereof is mentioned as an eminent work of God’s creation, Job 35:5; 36:29; Psa 147:8; Pro 8:28; which therefore it is not credible that Moses in his history of the creation would admit, which he doth, if they be not here meant; and these are rightly said to be above the firmament, i.e. the air, because they are above a considerable part of it. As God commanded and ordered it, so it was done and settled.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And God made the firmament,…. By a word speaking, commanding it into being, producing it out of the chaos, and spreading it in that vast space between the heaven of heavens and our earth z.
And divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; the lower part of it, the atmosphere above, which are the clouds full of water, from whence rain descends upon the earth; and which divided between them and those that were left on the earth, and so under it, not yet gathered into one place; as it now does between the clouds of heaven and the waters of the sea. Though Mr. Gregory a is of opinion, that an abyss of waters above the most supreme orb is here meant; or a great deep between the heavens and the heaven of heavens, where, as in storehouses, the depth is laid up; and God has his treasures of snow, hail, and rain, and from whence he brought out the waters which drowned the world at the universal deluge. Others suppose the waters above to be the crystalline heaven, which for its clearness resembles water; and which Milton b calls the “crystalline ocean”.
And it was so: the firmament was accordingly made, and answered this purpose, to divide the waters below it from those above it; or “it was firm” c, stable and durable; and so it has continued.
z ——and God made The firmament, expanse of liquid, pure, Transparent, elemental air, diffused In circuit to the uttermost convex Of this great round.—— Milton, Paradise Lost, B. 7. l. 263, &c. a Notes and Observations, &c. c. 23. p. 110, &c. b Ibid. l. 291. c “et factum est firmum”, Fagius & Nachmanides in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) God made the firmament.This wide open expanse upon earths surface, supplied by the chemistry of naturethat is, of Godwith that marvellous mixture of gases which form atmospheric air, was a primary necessity for mans existence and activity. In each step of the narrative it is ever man that is in view; and even the weight of the superincumbent atmosphere is indispensable for the health and comfort of the human body, and for the keeping of all things in their place on earth. (See Note, Gen. 1:8.) And in this secondary sense it may still rightly be called the firmament.
The waters which were under the firmament . . . the waters which were above the firmament.While this is a popular description of what we daily seenamely, masses of running water congregated upon earths surface, and above a cloudland, into which the waters rise and floatit is not contrary to, but in accordance with, science. The atmosphere is the receptacle of the waters evaporated from the earth and ocean, and by means of electrical action it keeps these aqueous particles in a state of repulsion, and forms clouds, which the winds carry in their bosom. So full of thoughtful contrivance and arrangement are the laws by which rain is formed and the earth watered, that they are constantly referred to in the Bible as the chief natural proof of Gods wisdom and goodness. (See Act. 14:17.) Moreover, were there not an open expanse next the earth, it would be wrapped in a perpetual mist, unvisited by sunshine. and the result would be such as is described in Gen. 2:5, that man could not exist on earth to till the ground. The use, however, of popular language and ideas is confessedly the method of Holy Scripture, and we must not force upon the writer knowledge which man was to gain for himself. Even if the writer supposed that the rains were poured down from an upper reservoir, it would be no more an argument against his being inspired than St. Marks expression, The sun did set (Mar. 1:32), disproves the inspiration of the Gospels. For the attainment of all such knowledge God has provided another way.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. God made the firmament By his almighty fiat the dense mist that hung over the face of the deep, and was itself a vast expanse of waters, was lifted up to find a local habitation on high . Thus was formed the vast reservoir of the heavens, from which the rains descend to fertilize and refresh the land . “Next to the light,” says Jacobus, “is the law of the atmosphere, so essential to life in the vegetable and animal world. Here it is set forth as supporting the floating vapour, and keeping in suspense a fluid of greater specific gravity than itself. The formation of clouds is referred to by Job in language which reveals an acquaintance with the laws here established by the Creator: ‘He maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof; which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds?’” Job 36:27-28; Job 37:16; compare also Gen 2:6. “But why, it may be asked, did he not speak of this storehouse of waters as diffused through the firmament, instead of placing it above it? We answer: This would have been to convert the firmament of sense into the atmosphere of science, and phenomena into natural philosophy, which doubtless God could have done, but did not see fit to do . ” Barrows .
‘And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it was so. And God called the firmament Sky (or Heaven). And there was evening and there was morning the second day.’
So by His word the waters were separated to produce atmosphere, and the waters above were held up by His ‘sky’. And it was all done by His word. As we have already seen the writer knew about clouds and rain. He is using metaphorical language to describe what he sees.
The first ‘ yom ’ has established light as the basis of the positive aspects of the universe, and has established light and darkness and called them ‘day’ and ‘night’. The second ‘ yom ’ has established an atmosphere above the waters so that fish and birds might enjoy their benefit, and He has called the upper canopy Sky (or Heaven). The giving of names by God is an indication of His authority over them. Man will have no control over them. They are outside man’s control.
Gen 1:7. And God called, &c. And this expanse God called heaven, shemmim, (because waters were there placed,) from sham, there, and maim, waters: a derivation the rather to be approved, because, as we shall see throughout the scriptures, the Hebrew names were generally given from the actions immediately at hand.
REFLECTIONS.1. God having made the light, a proper medium is now provided through which its rays may pass. But though this firmament is stretched over us, the way is open to the throne of God, and faith can even here enter within the vail, and prayer hath wings which mount beyond the skies. Observe, 2. the design of this firmament, to divide the waters from the waters. There are waters beneath the firmament that cover the great deep, and rivers which run among the vallies; and there are waters above the firmament, in clouds which drop down fatness, and in treasure-houses reserved for purposes of judgment.
Gen 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so.
Ver. 7. Waters which were above the firmament. ] That is the clouds, and watery meteors above the lower region of the air, where God’s “pavilion round about him is dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies”. Psa 18:11 Jer 10:13 These he “weighs by measure”; Job 28:25 not a drop falls in vain, or in a wrong place. And this is the first heaven: as the second is the starry sky, which is firm and fast, “as a molten looking-glass”. Job 37:18 To this heaven, some that have calculated curiously, have found it five hundred years’ journey. Others say, that if a stone should fall from the eighth sphere, and should pass every hour a hundred miles, it would be sixty-five years or more, before it would come to ground. a Beyond this second heaven, Aristotle acknowledgeth none other. Beyond the movable heavens, saith he, there is neither body, nor time, nor place, nor vacuum. b But “we have a more sure word of prophecy.” God’s blessed book assures us of a “third heaven,” 2Co 12:2 called elsewhere “the heaven of heavens,” Deu 10:14 the “Paradise” of God, Luk 22:43 the “bosom of Abraham,” Luk 16:22 the “Father’s house,” Joh 14:2 the “city of the living God,” Heb 12:22 the “country” of his pilgrims. Heb 12:14 A body it is, for bodies are in it; but a subtile, fine, spiritual body; next in purity to the substance of angels and men’s souls. It is also, say some, c solid as stone, but “clear as crystal” Rev 21:11 Job 37:18 A true firmament, indeed, not penetrable by any, no, not by angels, spirits, and bodies of just men made perfect; but by a miracle, God making way by His power, where there is no natural passage. It opens to the very angels, Joh 1:51 Gen 28:12 who yet are able to penetrate all under it. The other two heavens are to be passed through by the grossest bodies.
a Burton. Of Melancholy
b – Arist. De Caelo , c. ix.
c Yates’s Model
made. Occurs 7 times. App-5.
divided: Pro 8:28, Pro 8:29
above: Job 26:8, Psa 104:10, Psa 148:4, Ecc 11:3
and it: Gen 1:9, Gen 1:11, Gen 1:15, Gen 1:24, Mat 8:27
Reciprocal: Gen 1:20 – open firmament Gen 7:11 – all Exo 3:16 – elders Job 9:8 – Which Jon 2:10 – General
1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which [were] {f} under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so.
(f) As the sea and rivers, from those waters that are in the clouds, which are upheld by God’s power, least they should overwhelm the world.
God separated the waters so some of them remained on the earth and some were above the earth in the atmosphere. Before He made this division there may have been a dense fog over the whole surface of the earth. [Note: See my comments on the "canopy theory" at 2:4-6.]
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)