Genesis 1:27

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27

Study notes

God created humankind in His own image, male and female.

Explanation

The verse repeats "created" three times, which marks the creation of humans as the high point of Genesis 1. Both male and female bear God's image. Verse 28 goes on to give them the task of caring for and ruling over the earth.

Theology

Every human being bears God's image. This gives each person dignity and worth (compare Genesis 9:6; James 3:9).

Original language

הָֽאָדָם֙ (ha.'a.Dam): man
Hebrew · Definite article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H0120G · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Humankind (adam): people, both male and female.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Genesis 1:27, word 4
בְּצֶ֥לֶם (be.Tze.lem): image
Hebrew · Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct · Strong's H6754 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Image: a likeness that represents.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Genesis 1:27, word 6
זָכָ֥ר (za.Khar): male
Hebrew · Adjective, masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H2145 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Male.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Genesis 1:27, word 10
וּנְקֵבָ֖ה (u.ne.ke.Vah): female
Hebrew · Conjunction + Adjective, feminine, singular, absolute · Strong's H5347 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Female.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Genesis 1:27, word 11

Cross-references

Genesis 1:26 · Surrounding passage
Let Us make man in Our image.
Genesis 9:6 · Same theme
God made man in His own image.
Colossians 3:10 · Same theme
Renewed in the image of the Creator.

Sources

STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament
Dataset · STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8 · Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Used for: Original language

Original language and places

Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.

Original language (Hebrew)

וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃

וַיִּבְרָ֨אvai.yiv.Ra'“and he created”
Conjunction + Verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from בָּרָא · “to create” · Strong's H1254A
אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀'E.lo.Him“God”
Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from אֱלֹהִים · “God” · Strong's H0430G
אֶת־'et-“<obj.>”
Particle, direct object marker · from אֵת · “[Obj.]” · Strong's H0853
הָֽאָדָם֙ha.'a.Dam“<the> humankind”
Definite article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from אָדָם · “man” · Strong's H0120G
בְּצַלְמ֔וֹbe.tzal.Mo“in own image his”
Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from צֶ֫לֶם · “image” · Strong's H6754
בְּצֶ֥לֶםbe.Tze.lem“in [the] image of”
Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from צֶ֫לֶם · “image” · Strong's H6754
אֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.Him“God”
Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from אֱלֹהִים · “God” · Strong's H0430G
בָּרָ֣אba.Ra'“he created”
Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from בָּרָא · “to create” · Strong's H1254A
אֹת֑וֹ'o.To“<obj.> it”
Particle, direct object marker + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from אֵת · “[Obj.]” · Strong's H0853
זָכָ֥רza.Khar“male”
Adjective, masculine, singular, absolute · from זָכָר · “male” · Strong's H2145
וּנְקֵבָ֖הu.ne.ke.Vah“and female”
Conjunction + Adjective, feminine, singular, absolute · from נְקֵבָה · “female” · Strong's H5347
בָּרָ֥אba.Ra'“he created”
Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from בָּרָא · “to create” · Strong's H1254A
אֹתָֽם׃'o.Tam“<obj.> them”
Particle, direct object marker + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural · from אֵת · “[Obj.]” · Strong's H0853

Prepared by the God & Savior team. Not yet reviewed by an editor.
Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)