BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Raqia — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
Raqia (רָקִיעַ, H7549) denotes the expanse or firmament of the sky that God created on the second day to separate the waters.
Meaning of the word
Raqia (רָקִיעַ, rāqiyᵃʿ) is a masculine noun rendered in English as 'firmament' or 'expanse.' Its primary sense is an extended, beaten-out surface — literally something spread flat or hammered out — applied to the visible arch of the sky above the earth.
In the Hebrew Bible the word consistently refers to the sky as a broad overhead expanse. It is used of the structure God placed in the middle of the waters to divide those above from those below (Genesis 1:6–7), and of the same expanse named 'Heaven' in Genesis 1:8.
Beyond the creation account, the term carries the idea of an open vault or canopy. Birds are said to fly 'in the open firmament of heaven,' and the sun, moon, and stars are set 'in the firmament of heaven' to give light upon the earth.
Usage in Scripture
All seven occurrences of raqia appear in the second and later days of the Genesis 1 creation account. On day two God commands a firmament to come into being 'in the midst of the waters,' and the term is used twice in Genesis 1:7 to describe both the firmament made and the waters above and below it.
On day four the word shifts to identify the location of the lights: 'the firmament of heaven' is the appointed sphere for the sun, moon, and stars (Genesis 1:14–17). Genesis 1:20 then describes birds flying 'in the open firmament of heaven,' reinforcing that raqia denotes the overhead space where the lights dwell and where the birds move.
The word in detail
- H7549 Hebrew noun raqia (רָקִיעַ): properly an expanse — the firmament or visible arch of the sky. Used 9 times in 7 verses, all within the Genesis 1 creation narrative, where it denotes the overhead structure that separates waters, receives the naming 'Heaven,' and serves as the sphere of the luminaries and of bird flight.
Example verses
- Genesis 1:7 The noun appears twice in this single verse: God 'made the firmament' and then 'divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament,' establishing raqia as the dividing structure of day two.
- Genesis 1:8 God 'called the firmament Heaven,' giving raqia the divine name שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) and linking the material expanse with the theological designation of the upper realm.
- Genesis 1:14 The phrase 'lights in the firmament of heaven' introduces the construct form, designating the firmament as the sphere or container in which the luminaries are placed.
- Genesis 1:20 The addition of the noun פְּנֵי (pənê, 'face of') yields 'open firmament of heaven,' emphasizing the exposed, outward-facing surface of the sky where birds fly.
Common questions
What does raqia mean literally?
It means an expanse, a surface spread or hammered out — applied to the visible arch of the sky over the earth.
Does raqia refer to a solid dome?
The Hebrew noun denotes the expanse of the sky itself. The biblical text presents it simply as the overhead firmament or sky-vault that divides waters and houses the lights; whether one pictures a solid dome or an open expanse, the scriptural point is that God set a named boundary between heaven's waters and earth's waters.
Where does raqia appear in the Bible?
All occurrences are in Genesis 1:6, 7 (twice), 8, 14, 15, 17, and 20 — the seven verses in the Genesis 1 account that deal with the second day and the placement of the lights and birds.