Genesis 1 – Line 00020

LINE RENDERING FILE

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This isn’t a lesson. It’s a space. Come as you are. Let the line speak to you.

FILE TAGS

INTRO

This file gives a minimal English phrasing of the original line, built directly from the Line Source File.

It’s readable, but not smoothed. Nothing is added beyond what’s traceable.

RENDERED LINE

And God said: Let the waters swarm with a swarm of living soul, and let the bird fly over the earth across the face of the expanse of the heavens.

RENDERING NOTES

“Let…swarm” from יִשְׁרְצוּ (yishretzu), 3rd person plural Qal imperfect — permissive jussive form.

“Swarm of living soul” renders שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה (sheretz nefesh chayyah) — teeming creature with living being.

“Let the bird fly” from יְעוֹפֵף (‘ye‘ofef), Polel imperfect — emphasizes fluttering, active motion.

“Over the earth…face of the expanse” preserves spatial dual-preposition structure: עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם.

Maintains Hebrew parallelism between water-bound teeming and sky-borne movement.

INSERTION / HELPER WORD TRACKING

“Let” inserted for jussive command tone — matches Genesis 1 stylistic precedent.

“With a” inserted for smoother English readability around “swarm of living soul.”

“The” added to “waters,” “earth,” “expanse,” and “heavens” to reflect Hebrew definite articles.

“And” at mid-point retained from Hebrew vav.

CONTEXTUAL PLACEMENT

Begins Day Five of creation — introduces first mobile, animate life.

First appearance of “living soul” (nefesh chayyah) — foundational term for creaturely life.

Establishes dual creation domains: aquatic and aerial.

STRUCTURAL ALIGNMENT NOTES

Structural parallel to v.11 (“Let the earth sprout vegetation”) — domain-based creative command.

Prepares linguistic and thematic frame for v.21, where this command is fulfilled.

Repetition of motion verbs (swarm, fly) signals animate abundance.

CAUTIONARY REMINDER

This rendering is provided for orientation only.

It draws from the Line Source File and reflects the structure of the original text as faithfully as possible, while adapting to minimal English phrasing.

Interpretive meaning is not asserted. For lexical and grammatical details, consult the Line Source File.