Unearthing Genesis 1:1 | Appendix D

The Sapphire Review Vol. 2 | No. 29 • June 3, 2025

What is the Firmament According to Scripture?

In this series, we have acknowledged definitively that the scriptures define “the heaven” of Genesis 1:1 as the firmament called Heaven.¹ But what is the firmament, exactly? How does scripture describe it? While some use terms such as “solid dome” or “arched vault” to describe the firmament, no such language is employed anywhere in the King James Bible. Thus, as we have permitted scripture to exposit itself using its own words throughout this series, let us now, in like manner, allow the Bible to answer the question, what is the firmament called Heaven?

The word “firmament” occurs seventeen times in fifteen verses² in the Old Testament, mostly in the books of Genesis and Ezekiel. Yet, the words “heaven” and “sky” are also synonymous with the word firmament. Thus, we need not rely solely upon the occurrences of “firmament” in order to ascertain what the firmament is, for scripture uses a number of words of like senses for our profit. Let us begin in our primary text, Genesis 1.

“Let there be [an expansion]”

In Genesis 1:6, we read: “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Two points of significance are beheld in this verse. The first being the purpose, function, and design of the firmament,—to divide (i.e. separate) the waters of “the deep” into two bodies: the waters above the firmament, and the waters below it. This important detail informs us of what the firmament does. Secondly, in the marginal reading is affixed a synonym for a definition, this being “an expansion”, whereby the verse would read,—

And God said, Let there be an expansion in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Genesis 1:6

While the word expansion itself does not occur in the body of scripture without the margin, it may be understood to denote “[to] spread out”, “[to] stretch forth”, etc. (hence, “expand”) as seen in the following verses:—

Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Job 9:8

He stretcheth out the north ^(heaven) over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
Job 26:7

Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
Psalm 104:2

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Isaiah 40:22

Thus saith God [JEHOVAH], he that created the heavens, and stretched them out…
Isaiah 42:5

Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am [JEHOVAH] that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Isaiah 44:24

I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
Isaiah 45:12

Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and the palm of my right hand hath spread out the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
Isaiah 48:13, margin

And forgettest [JEHOVAH] thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth…
Isaiah 51:13

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
Jeremiah 10:12

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
Jeremiah 51:15

The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith [JEHOVAH], which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
Zechariah 12:1

In each of the examples given above, the phrases “spreadeth out”, “stretcheth out”, “stretched forth”, etc. are employed in connection to the heaven[s], and more specifically, in the context of that creative act by the word of JEHOVAH on the second day.³ Therefore, expansion may be defined as “that which is stretched or spread out or forth”. This description informs us of what is precisely meant by,—“And God made the firmament,”⁴—for when God made the firmament which is called Heaven, He indeed stretched and spread it out,⁵ even “as a tent to dwell in.”⁶ So then, “made” in this context becomes synonymous with “stretched forth”, “spread out”, etc.—and thus, the verse might rightly be rendered:

And God [stretched out] the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
Genesis 1:7

This definition of the word expansion,—as “that which is stretched out”, in turn aids in the explanation of the meaning of the word firmament.

Which leads us to our next verse:

“As a molten looking glass”

Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?
Job 37:18

The word “sky” in this context is synonymous with “heaven” and “firmament”. Not only do we have yet another verse in which the firmament is described as having been “spread out”, but here we have two more descriptors. The firmament is strong, and likened to a molten looking glass. The word “molten” in this context denotes the quality of hardness,⁷ especially that which has become hardened (i.e. something that is made firm or hard⁸ since having first been melted), hence why molten is parallelled with the word “strong” within the verse itself. Molten also carries the sense of that which “cannot be moved”,⁹ which signifies being “set” or “established”.

A “looking glass” (or lookingglass) is a mirror made out of metal, particularly of brass (i.e. bronze), hence the term “brasen glasses”.¹⁰ Therefore, the firmament is strong as it were brass which has been melted (i.e. molten), and spread out, and hardened (made firm) into a polished, “brasen glass” (see also, glass).¹¹

“A paved work of sapphire stone”

And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
Exodus 24:10

The word “paved”, in respect to a “pavement” floor (e.g. of stone, brick, or tile) holds the connotation of “lay” (or “laid”), as in Ezekiel 4:1,—“Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:”, and perhaps more appropriately, as in Isaiah 54:11,—“Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.” (See also Joshua 7:23). Paved might also be likened to the phrase “spread out/forth”.

In respect to a “looking glass”, a mirror that is made of polished sapphire will reflect a much clearer image of the form which gazes into it than a brazen glass. The phrase, the body of heaven, of course, refers to the firmament proper. The word clearness also carries the sense of “glory” or “brightness”, as rendered in Psalm 89:44 with its marginal reading. Moreover, concerning the firmament’s brightness, we read of such in Daniel 12:3,—“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament”. The “brightness” of the sky,—that is, of the firmament, is indeed of the appearance or likeness of sapphire in its radiant blue colour.

N.B. Sapphire stone is also significantly harder than brass.

“Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven”

Following the division of the waters above from the waters beneath the firmament, the gathering together of the waters under the heaven (or, the firmament) unto one place (which are called Seas), and the appearance of the dry-land (which is called Earth), God made “two great lights;”—the greater (i.e. the sun) to rule the day and the lesser (i.e. the moon) to rule the night, as well as all the stars of heaven. These lights are “in the firmament of the heaven” for the purpose of lighting the earth and its inhabitants.

In other words, since the firmament is the body of heaven, and the lights are of the host of heaven, the lights dwell within (i.e. under) the expansion above them, whilst the lights themselves, like the fowl of the air (though higher than they), are positioned above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.¹² Thus, the firmament, as an enclosure, houses within it all the lights of heaven, as well as any other thing that is enclosed within it (e.g. the inhabitants of the earth and the seas).

Conclusion

According to the scriptures, we have gleaned the following of the firmament’s nature:

1. The purpose, function, and designation of the firmament is to divide or separate the waters above it from the waters beneath it¹³

2. The firmament or expansion¹⁴ is that which God stretched and spread out (or forth) “as a curtain, and… as a tent to dwell in.”¹⁵

3. The firmament is strong (hence, “firm-a-ment”) like a brasen looking glass¹⁶

4. The firmament is likened unto a “paved work of a sapphire stone”¹⁷

5. The brightness of the firmament¹⁸ is of the appearance or likeness of sapphire (in colour)¹⁹

6. The firmament is “the body of heaven”²⁰

7. The firmament is an enclosure that environs, or houses (within itself) the sun, moon, and stars,²¹ the fowl of heaven, and by extension, all other things that inhabit our world (all that is within them, i.e. the heaven, the earth, and the seas)

So long as we are sincere in faith, the scriptures alone are sufficient to teach us any subject that we should inquire of it. By comparing scripture with scripture, we have ascertained what the firmament is by simply allowing the Bible to tell us,—of its purpose, its qualities, and its appearance. For every doctrine we receive, let us ever demand a plain, “Thus saith JEHOVAH,” in order that we might know the certainty of the words of truth, and that we might answer the words of truth to them that send for us.²²

God bless,
Brandon

Scripture Index and Notes

1. Gen 1:8

2. Gen 1:6, 1:7, 1:8, 1:14, 1:15, 1:17, 1:20; Psa 19:1, 150:1; Eze 1:22, 1:23, 1:25, 1:26, 10:1; Dan 12:3

3. Gen 1:6–8

4. Gen 1:7

5. Comp. Exo 39:3; Num 16:39; 2Sa 22:43

6. Isa 40:22

7. Job 38:38

8. Job 41:23–24

9. Job 41:23

10. Exo 38:8, margin

11. Isa 3:23; 1Co 13:12; Jam 1:23

12. Gen 1:20

13. Gen 1:6–7

14. Gen 1:6, margin

15. Isa 40:22

16. Job 37:18

17. Exo 24:10

18. Dan 12:3

19. Exo 24:10

20. Exo 24:10

21. Gen 1:14–19

22. Pro 22:21