Genesis 1:26-28 explains that God made human beings in his own image and gave them a role of authority over the rest of creation. It also tells them to be fruitful, multiply, and care for the world God has made. The passage sits at the climax of the creation account, the point where the story moves from the making of the world to the making of people.
26 God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:26-28 (WEB)
Genesis 1:26-28 Summary
The passage opens with God speaking in a kind of deliberation, saying that he will make humankind in his image and likeness. He then describes their purpose: they are to exercise dominion over the fish, the birds, the livestock, and every creature that moves on the land. The narrator then confirms that God did exactly this, creating humanity as male and female.
The final verse shifts into blessing. God speaks to the new humans, commanding them to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it, and he repeats the charge to rule over the animals. The passage moves from God’s intention, to its fulfillment, to a blessing that sends humanity out into the world with a task.
Context of Genesis 1:26-28
Genesis is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, and it is traditionally attributed to Moses, though scholars generally treat its final form as the work of editors drawing on older traditions. Its earliest readers were ancient Israelites, who were learning who their God was and how their world came to be. The creation account in chapter 1 is structured as a week of days, with each day adding something to a world that God declares good.
The surrounding verses in Genesis 1:23-31 show that the creation of humanity is the crown of the sixth day. Earlier, God makes the land animals and creeping things “after their kind,” and God pronounces each stage good. Then, after humanity is created, God looks over everything he has made and calls it very good. Our passage is set apart by a different kind of language: God’s words about making a human being sound more personal and deliberate than anything said about the animals.
Genesis 1:26-28 Verse by Verse
Psalm 8:4-6
4 What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? 5 For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet…
(WEB)
This psalm marvels that God would care for human beings and give them glory and honor, echoing the dominion language of Genesis. It reminds us that our authority is a gift and a responsibility before God.
Colossians 3:10
And have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator…
(WEB)
Paul speaks of being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the Creator. This shows how the image of God, marred by sin, is being restored in those who belong to Christ.
A Prayer Based on Genesis 1:26-28
Lord, thank you for making me in your image and for giving my life a purpose that matters to you. When I look at my own weaknesses, remind me that my worth comes from you and not from how well I perform. Help me to see the people I meet each day as people you made and love. Teach me to care for the world you entrusted to us, with gentleness, wisdom, and hope. Make me faithful in the small work you have given me, so that my life reflects something of your goodness. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that humans are made in God’s image?
It means that human beings reflect God’s character in ways no other creature does, including our capacity for reason, moral choice, relationship, and creative work. This image gives every person inherent dignity. The Bible does not define it in a single sentence, but it is a central thread throughout Scripture.
Does “dominion” in Genesis 1:28 give people permission to exploit nature?
Most readers today understand dominion as a call to responsible stewardship rather than exploitation. The surrounding story presents humanity as caretakers of a world that belongs to God. Caring for creation is therefore part of obeying this passage.
Why does God use the plural “us” in Genesis 1:26?
Christians have offered several explanations, including the idea of a heavenly council and a early hint of the Trinity. Scholars also note that the plural can be read in different ways within ancient Near Eastern thought. The text does not give a definitive answer, so readers hold these views with humility.
