The Septuagint bible & Ancient Greek

​To compare the Greek and Ancient Hebrew meanings of the words in Genesis 1:1-5, we need to look at both the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Septuagint. Here's a breakdown of the key words and phrases from these verses, along with their meanings in both languages:

1. Genesis 1:1

Hebrew:

• "בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים" (Bereshit bara Elohim)

• בְּרֵאשִׁית (Bereshit): In the beginning

• בָּרָא (Bara): Created

• אֱלֹהִים (Elohim): God

Greek (Septuagint):

• "Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός" (En archē epoiēsen ho Theos)

• Ἐν ἀρχῇ (En archē): In the beginning

• ἐποίησεν (Epoiēsen): Made or created

• ὁ Θεός (Ho Theos): The God

2. Genesis 1:2

Hebrew:

• "וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ" (Veha'aretz hayetah tohu vavohu)

• וְהָאָרֶץ (Veha'aretz): And the earth

• הָיְתָה (Hayetah): Was

• תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ (Tohu vavohu): Formless and empty

Greek:

• "ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος" (Hē de gē ēn aoratos kai akataskueastos)

• ἡ δὲ γῆ (Hē de gē): And the earth

• ἦν (Ēn): Was

• ἀόρατος (Aoratos): Invisible or unseen

• ἀκατασκεύαστος (Akataskueastos): Unprepared or unformed

3. Genesis 1:3

Hebrew:

• "וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר" (Vayomer Elohim yehi or)

• וַיֹּאמֶר (Vayomer): And God said

• יְהִי (Yehi): Let there be

• אוֹר (Or): Light

Greek:

• "καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός γενηθήτω φῶς" (Kai eipen ho Theos genēthētō phōs)

• καὶ εἶπεν (Kai eipen): And said

• γενηθήτω (Genēthētō): Let there come into existence

• φῶς (Phōs): Light

4. Genesis 1:4

Hebrew:

• "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאוֹר כִּי-טוֹב" (Vayar Elohim et-ha'or ki-tov)

• וַיַּרְא (Vayar): And God saw

• אֶת-הָאוֹר (Et-ha'or): The light

• כִּי-טוֹב (Ki-tov): That it was good

Greek:

• "καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ φῶς ὅτι καλόν" (Kai eiden ho Theos to phōs hoti kalon)

• καὶ εἶδεν (Kai eiden): And saw

• τὸ φῶς (To phōs): The light

• ὅτι καλόν (Hoti kalon): That it was good

5. Genesis 1:5

Hebrew:

• "וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם" (Vayikra Elohim la'or yom)

• וַיִּקְרָא (Vayikra): And God called

• לָאוֹר (La'or): To the light

• יוֹם (Yom): Day

Greek:

• "καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ φῶς ἡμέραν" (Kai ekalesen ho Theos to phōs hēmeran)
  καὶ ἐκάλεσεν (Kai ekalesen): And called

• ὸ φῶς (To phōs): The light

• ἡμέραν (Hēmeran): Day

Overall, the translations are quite consistent with minor variations in the nuance or additional descriptive elements provided by each language. The Greek translation often provides a broader or slightly different connotation, which can be useful in understanding how the ancient Greek-speaking Jewish communities and early Christians might have interpreted these texts.