The Genesis 1 Word List
The seven days of creation fix the words the whole Bible uses. When a later story mentions a sea, a field, a star or a bird, it is taking a word from this list.
And the earth was waste and without form; and it was dark on the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God was moving on the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. — Genesis 1:2-3 (BBE)
| Day | Words you will meet | What the group stands for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | darkness, deep, pit, light | The state before a new identity is spoken, then the first word spoken |
| 2 | arch (firmament), heaven, waters above and below | The edge between where you are now and where you are heading |
| 3 | dry land, ground, garden, field, wilderness, seed, tree, vine | The ground you stand on, and what grows from it |
| 4 | sun, moon, stars, seasons | The set times: when something is due |
| 5 | sea creatures, great fish, birds | What holds you, and what carries messages |
| 6 | land creatures, man, woman | The identity itself, and union |
| 7 | rest, Sabbath, completion | The identity held as already done |
A note on wording: the BBE says “solid arch” where most Bibles say “firmament”.
See the full glossary of the creation vocabulary and the creation week.
Remember: darkness comes before light, because both belong to day one. The court always goes down before it brings you out.