Genesis 1:28

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and every living creature that moves on the ground.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הֽ͏ָרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Transliteration

And wayĕbārek ʾōtām ʾĕlōhîm and wayyōʾmer to-them ʾĕlōhîm pĕrû and rĕbû and milʾû ʾet-the ʾāreṣ and kibšūhā and rĕdû in dĕgat the yām and in ʿôp the šāmayim and in all-ḥayyāh the rōmeśet upon the ʾāreṣ

Grammar Details

• *lāhem*: preposition + 3mp suffix - to them
• *wĕ-kibšūhā*: conjunction + verb, qal imperative, masculine plural + 3fs suffix - and subdue it
• *û-rĕdû*: conjunction + verb, qal imperative, masculine plural - and rule
• *û-bĕ-kol-ḥayyāh*: conjunction + preposition + noun + noun - and in all living thing
• *hā-rōmeśet*: definite article + verb, qal participle, feminine singular - the creeping

Word Meanings

• *kibšūhā*: subdue it/dominate it/bring it under control

Other Translations

• claude3.7

  And blessed them God, and said to them God, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And God{H430} blessed{H1288} them: and God{H430} said{H559} unto them, Be fruitful,{H6509} and multiply,{H7235} and replenish{H4390} the earth,{H776} and subdue it;{H3533} and have dominion{H7287} over the fish{H1710} of the sea,{H3220} and over the birds{H5775} of the heavens,{H8064} and over every living thing{H2416} that moveth{H7430} upon the earth.{H776}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And God{H430} blessed{H1288}{(H8762)} them, and God{H430} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto them, Be fruitful{H6509}{(H8798)}, and multiply{H7235}{(H8798)}, and replenish{H4390}{(H8798)} the earth{H776}, and subdue it{H3533}{(H8798)}: and have dominion{H7287}{(H8798)} over the fish{H1710} of the sea{H3220}, and over the fowl{H5775} of the air{H8064}, and over every living thing{H2416} that moveth{H7430}{(H8802)} upon the earth{H776}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And God blessed them and God sayd vnto them. Growe and multiplye and fyll the erth and subdue it and have domynyon over the fysh of the see and over the foules of the ayre and over all the beastes that move on the erth.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And God blessed them, and sayde vnto them: Growe, and multiplie, and fyll the earth, and subdue it, & haue domynion ouer the fish of the see, and ouer the foules of the ayre, and ouer all the beastes that crepe vpo the earth.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And God blessed them, and God said to them, Bring forth fruite and multiplie, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foule of the heauen, & ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And God blessed them, and God sayde vnto them: be fruitefull, & multiplie, and replenishe the earth, & subdue it, and haue dominion of the fisshe of the sea, and foule of the ayre, & of euery lyuing thing that moueth vpon the earth.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, `Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And God gave them his blessing and said to them, Be fertile and have increase, and make the earth full and be masters of it; be rulers over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing moving on the earth.

• World English Bible (2000)

  God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  God blessed them and said to them,“Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 9:1 : 1 God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, 'Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.'
• Gen 9:7 : 7 But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply upon it.
• Lev 26:9 : 9 I will turn to you, make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will confirm my covenant with you.
• Isa 45:18 : 18 For this is what the LORD says—He who created the heavens, He is God, He who formed the earth and made it, He established it, He did not create it to be empty but formed it to be inhabited—He says: 'I am the LORD, and there is no other.'
• Gen 1:22 : 22 God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.'
• Gen 8:17 : 17 Bring out every living thing that is with you—all creatures, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—so they can multiply on the earth, be fruitful, and increase in number.
• 1 Chr 4:10 : 10 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request.
• Gen 17:16 : 16 I will bless her and surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will become the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.
• Gen 17:20 : 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will bless him; I will make him fruitful and greatly multiply his descendants. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
• Gen 22:17-18 : 17 I will surely bless you and will greatly multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore, and your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies. 18 And through your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.'
• Gen 24:60 : 60 They blessed Rebekah and said to her, "Our sister, may you become thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gate of their enemies."
• Gen 26:3-4 : 3 Stay in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your descendants and will fulfill the oath I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and give them all these lands, and through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
• Gen 26:24 : 24 That night the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham."
• Gen 33:5 : 5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, 'Who are these with you?' Jacob replied, 'They are the children whom God has graciously given to your servant.'
• Gen 49:25 : 25 Because of the God of your father, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb.
• 1 Chr 26:5 : 5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth, for God had blessed him.
• Job 42:12 : 12 The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.
• Ps 69:34 : 34 For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his prisoners.
• Ps 107:38 : 38 He blessed them, and they multiplied greatly, and He did not let their livestock decrease.
• Ps 127:1-5 : 1 Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stay awake in vain. 2 It is futile for you to rise early and stay up late, eating the bread of toil, for He grants sleep to His beloved. 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. 5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they confront their enemies at the gate.
• Ps 128:3-4 : 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. 4 Behold, this is how the man who fears the Lord will be blessed.
• 1 Tim 4:3 : 3 They will forbid marriage and require abstinence from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.