And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

GENESIS 1:10KJV
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Genesis 1:10 (KJV)

What does Genesis 1:10 mean?

Genesis 1:10 describes how God named the dry land “Earth” and the gathered waters “Seas,” and then declared that what He had made was good. This verse shows God organizing the world by giving names and recognizing the goodness of His creation.

In this part of Genesis, God is speaking as the Creator, shaping the world out of chaos. The act of naming the land and seas highlights God’s authority and care in bringing order. The statement that “God saw that it was good” emphasizes that the physical world, as God arranged it, meets His standard and purpose.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 1:10

  • אֱלֹהִים (’Elohim): This is the Hebrew word for “God” used throughout Genesis 1. It carries a sense of majesty and power, underscoring God’s role as the supreme Creator in this passage.
  • קָרָא (qara’): Translated “called,” this word means to name or designate. God’s act of naming shows authority and intentionality, not just labeling but assigning purpose and identity.
  • יַבָּשָׁה (yabbashah): This word, translated “dry,” refers to dry land as distinct from the waters. Its use marks the separation and distinction God makes in creation.
  • יָם (yam): Translated “Seas,” this word refers to the gathered bodies of water. The plural form here points to the various seas or large bodies of water, not just one.
  • טוֹב (tov): Translated “good,” this word means something is fitting, beautiful, or as it should be. God’s declaration that creation is “good” affirms its value and completeness.

Why Genesis 1:10 matters

  • Genesis 1:10 clarifies that the physical world—both land and sea—is intentionally created and valued by God, countering any idea that matter is accidental or unimportant.
  • The act of naming in Genesis 1:10 highlights God’s authority and the orderliness of creation, which is a recurring theme in the chapter.
  • By stating that creation is “good,” Genesis 1:10 sets a pattern for the rest of the creation account, showing that each stage of God’s work meets His purpose and approval.

Where else these words appear

“together” Hebrew H4723 · used in 10 verses

  • Exodus 7:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
  • 1 Chronicles 29:15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
  • Jeremiah 14:8 O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?

“dry” Hebrew H3004 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
  • Exodus 14:29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
  • Psalms 66:6 He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.