Gen 1:26-31 | TNotes | STEP | 1:26 Let us make is more personal than the remote “Let there be” (e.g., 1:3 , 6 ). • The plural us has inspired several explanations: (1) the Trinity; (2) the plural to denote majesty; (3) a plural to show deliberation with the self; and (4) God speaking with his heavenly court of angels. The concept of the Trinity—one true God who exists eternally in three distinct persons—was revealed at a later stage in redemptive history, making it unlikely that the human author intended that here. Hebrew scholars generally dismiss the plural of majesty view because the grammar does not clearly support it (the plural of majesty has not been demonstrated to be communicated purely through a plural verb). The plural of self-deliberation also lacks evidence; the only clear examples refer to Israel as a corporate unity (e.g., 2 Sam 24:14 ). God’s speaking to the heavenly court, however, is well-attested in the Old Testament (see Gen 3:22 ; 11:7 ; 1 Kgs 22:19-22 ; Job 1:6-12 ; 2:1-6 ; 38:7 ; Ps 89:5-6 ; Isa 6:1-8 ; Dan 10:12-13 ). • The descriptors in our image and like us are virtually synonymous in Hebrew. Humans enjoy a unique relationship with God. • They will reign: Humans represent the Creator as his ambassadors, vice-regents, and administrators on earth.

1:26 ^a Let us make is more personal than the remote “Let there be” (e.g., 1:3 ^b, 6 ^c).

• The plural us has inspired several explanations: (1) the Trinity; (2) the plural to denote majesty; (3) a plural to show deliberation with the self; and (4) God speaking with his heavenly court of angels. The concept of the Trinity—one true God who exists eternally in three distinct persons—was revealed at a later stage in redemptive history, making it unlikely that the human author intended that here. Hebrew scholars generally dismiss the plural of majesty view because the grammar does not clearly support it (the plural of majesty has not been demonstrated to be communicated purely through a plural verb). The plural of self-deliberation also lacks evidence; the only clear examples refer to Israel as a corporate unity (e.g., 2 Sam 24:14 ^d). God’s speaking to the heavenly court, however, is well-attested in the Old Testament (see Gen 3:22 ^e; 11:7 ^f; 1 Kgs 22:19-22 ^g; Job 1:6-12 ^h; 2:1-6 ⁱ; 38:7 ^j; Ps 89:5-6 ^k; Isa 6:1-8 ^l; Dan 10:12-13 ^m).

• The descriptors in our image and like us are virtually synonymous in Hebrew. Humans enjoy a unique relationship with God.

• They will reign: Humans represent the Creator as his ambassadors, vice-regents, and administrators on earth.
1:27 ⁿ The first poetry of Genesis reflectively celebrates God’s climactic feat in creating humankind.

• human beings: This term (Hebrew ha-’adam, “the man”) is often used to denote humanity collectively (see 6:1 ^o, 5-7 ^p; 9:5-6 ^q). Though traditionally translated “man,” gender is not at issue here; both male and female are included.
1:28 ^r God blessed them: See study note on 1:22; see also 17:16 ^s; 48:16 ^t; Deut 7:13 ^u.

• said: God’s message to humankind is direct and intimate; we are stewards of his delegated authority.

• govern... . Reign: As God’s vice-regents, humans are entrusted with the care and management of the world God created (see also Gen 9:2 ^v; Ps 8:5-8 ^w).
Summary for Gen 1:29-30: 1:29-30 ^x These verses highlight the extent (throughout the earth) and variety (every seed-bearing plant ... all the fruit trees) of God’s provision for humans, animals, and birds.
1:31 ^y The Creator declares his work good seven times in ch 1 ^z; following the creation of human beings, God declares it all very good.

Thematic note: Blessing
Before his death, Jacob offered a blessing to each of his sons (49:1-28 ^aa), as well as to Joseph’s sons (Gen 48:3-20 ^ab), just as his father Isaac had blessed him (27:27-29 ^ac). Blessing enables, enhances, and enriches life, whereas a curse diminishes it (Lev 26:14-39 ^ad). A blessing is issued publicly by a benefactor and provides power for prosperity and success. Blessing is essential to covenant relationships in that it guides and motivates the parties to obey the covenant’s stipulations (Lev 26:3-13 ^ae). Obedience leads to blessing, whereas rebellion brings a curse (see Deut 28 ^af).
The initial realm of blessing is creation, in which God as Creator is the ultimate granter of blessing for animals (Gen 1:22 ^ag) and humans (1:28 ^ah; see Pss 104 ^ai; 128:3-4 ^aj). Humans also serve as channels of divine blessing. Abraham was called to be a blessing to the nations (Gen 12:2-3 ^ak). The institutions of family (27:27-29 ^al), government (1 Kgs 8:14 ^am, 52 ^an, 66 ^ao), and religion (Gen 14:19 ^ap; Lev 9:22 ^aq) are nurtured, commissioned, and purified through blessing. Israel’s priests mediated God’s blessing to Israel (Num 6:24-26 ^ar; Deut 10:8 ^as).
Three basic characteristics can be observed in Old Testament blessings: (1) They are conveyed from a greater party to a lesser one (Gen 32:26 ^at; Heb 7:6-7 ^au); (2) they are signs of favor that result in well-being and productivity (Deut 28:3-7 ^av); and (3) they acknowledge that all power and blessing stems from the Creator. All blessings have their source in God’s love (Deut 7:7-8 ^aw, 12-15 ^ax).
God’s blessings in the Old Testament are in striking contrast with those of the pagan religions of antiquity. For pagan religions, fortunes and fertility of flock, family, and fields came about through sympathetic magic in ceremonial observances at their shrines—profane customs that were designed to manipulate the deities to act on their behalf so that the cycle of life could be maintained. In the Old Testament, all life, fertility, and blessing came by God’s decree, for he is the only true and living God.
In the New Testament, the emphasis of blessing shifts from the material to the spiritual, from the nation to the church, and from the temporal to the eternal (Matt 6:25 ^ay; Eph 1:3 ^az; 1 Pet 3:9 ^ba). In his death, Jesus carried the consequences of sin’s curse (Gal 3:13 ^bb), established God’s Kingdom (Matt 3:2 ^bc; 5:3-20 ^bd; John 3:3-5 ^be), and blessed its citizens with forgiveness of sin (Rom 4:6-25 ^bf). Now believers are called to bless the world (Luke 6:27-28 ^bg; Rom 12:14 ^bh; see also Isa 19:24 ^bi; Zech 8:13 ^bj).

Passages for Further Study
Gen 1:22 ^bk, 28 ^bl; 9:26-27 ^bm; 12:2-3 ^bn; 14:19-20 ^bo; 24:59-60 ^bp; 27:1-41 ^bq; 28:1-4 ^br; 32:24-30 ^bs; 46:1–50:26 ^bt; Lev 26:3-13 ^bu; Num 6:22-27 ^bv; Deut 7:12-15 ^bw; 10:8 ^bx; 28:1-14 ^by; 33:1-29 ^bz; 1 Sam 2:20-21 ^ca; Ps 128:1-6 ^cb; Matt 5:3-12 ^cc; Luke 6:27-28 ^cd; Rom 12:14 ^ce; Gal 3:13-14 ^cf; Eph 1:3 ^cg; Heb 7:6-7 ^ch; 1 Pet 3:9 ^ci