(1)Fill, multiply, swarm
20 God said, “Let the water swarm with swarms of living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
swarm with swarms (NET)=The idea of the verb is one of swift movement back and forth, literally swarming. This verb is used in Exod 1:7 to describe the rapid growth of the Israelite population in bondage.
fly=(NET) The Hebrew text uses the Polel form of the verb instead of the simple Qal; it stresses a swarming flight again to underscore the abundant fruitfulness.
22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
blessed=(NET) “God endowed them with fruitfulness” or something similar, for here it refers to God’s giving the animals the capacity to reproduce...The divine blessing occurs after works of creation and is intended to continue that work—the word of blessing guarantees success. The word means “to enrich; to endow,” and the most visible evidence of that enrichment is productivity or fruitfulness.
(2) According to their kinds
Summary: Not only when God created the flying and swimming creatures in vast numbers to fill the spaces, He blessed them with the capacity to reproduce and continue the multiplication. The space or the earth He created is supposed to fill with these living creatures.
Although they are many, but they are not disorganized. Every creatures were created according to its kind. Every creature has different roles.
The pattern of the creation of light and the creation of living creatures are different. In v.20-25, "Let the water swarm...let birds fly...God created the great sea creatures...according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind...God saw that it was good. God blessed them..."
The phrase, "God blessed them," appears the first time. He did not just take care of the world for a one time creation moment, but forever.
Reflection: Our Creator has a design of the world and He takes care of how the world grows. Why do I not trusting Him? Why do I not follow His design?
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