Kejadian 1:6

1:6 God said, “Let there be an expanse ¹  in the midst of the waters and let it separate water ²  from water.

Nehemia 9:6

9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, ³  along with all their multitude of stars, ⁴  the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Ayub 9:8

9:8 he alone spreads out the heavens,

and treads ⁵  on the waves of the sea; ⁶ 

[1:6]  ¹ tn The Hebrew word refers to an expanse of air pressure between the surface of the sea and the clouds, separating water below from water above. In v. 8 it is called “sky.”

[1:6]  sn An expanse. In the poetic texts the writers envision, among other things, something rather strong and shiny, no doubt influencing the traditional translation “firmament” (cf. NRSV “dome”). Job 37:18 refers to the skies poured out like a molten mirror. Dan 12:3 and Ezek 1:22 portray it as shiny. The sky or atmosphere may have seemed like a glass dome. For a detailed study of the Hebrew conception of the heavens and sky, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World (AnBib), 37-60.

[1:6]  ² tn Heb “the waters from the waters.”

[9:6]  ³ tn Heb “the heavens of the heavens.”

[9:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “all their host.”

[9:8]  ⁵ tn Or “marches forth.”

[9:8]  ⁶ tn The reference is probably to the waves of the sea. This is the reading preserved in NIV and NAB, as well as by J. Crenshaw, “Wÿdorek `al-bamote ‘ares,” CBQ 34 (1972): 39-53. But many see here a reference to Canaanite mythology. The marginal note in the RSV has “the back of the sea dragon.” The view would also see in “sea” the Ugaritic god Yammu.