And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Parallel translations
- WEB God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
- BSB Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.
- NKJV And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
- NASB Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;
- NLT Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God gives the seed-bearing plants and fruit to humanity for food. The Creator graciously provides for the needs of those he made.
Overview
God designates the seed-bearing herbs and fruit trees as food for humanity, displaying his provision for human life from the very beginning. The generosity of this gift shows that God's intent for creation is the flourishing of his creatures. This pattern of God providing daily bread continues throughout Scripture and finds its fullest expression in Christ, the bread of life (John 6:35).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Gen 9:3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
- Ps 104:14–15He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
- Ps 145:15–16The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.
- Ps 104:27–28These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
- Acts 14:17Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
- Ps 147:9He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
- Ps 24:1The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
- Job 36:31For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
- Matt 6:25–26Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
- Matt 6:11Give us this day our daily bread.
- Gen 2:16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
- Acts 17:28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
- Ps 115:16The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
- Isa 33:16He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
- Hos 2:8For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.
- Ps 146:7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
- Ps 136:25Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
- Ps 111:5He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
- 1 Tim 6:17Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
- Acts 17:24–25God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Lay
The single best free starting point for Genesis 1–11 — clear, visual, and faithful to the literary design.
Pastoral
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Commentaries & study tools
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The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 1:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.