The firmament? Uh oh, I hope Mel doesn’t go flat earth on us.
🙄
What does “firmament” mean?
The Hebrew word translated firmament is raqiaʿ (רָקִיעַ). It conveys the idea of something spread out, stretched out, or an expanse.
In Genesis 1, God separates:
Waters below the firmament — the seas and waters on Earth
Waters above the firmament
The firmament itself, in which the heavenly lights are placed
Genesis 1:14–17 says that God placed the sun, moon, and stars “in the firmament of heaven.”
So when the Bible speaks of the firmament, it is describing the heavens/sky above the earth, rather than necessarily teaching that there is a literal solid dome over us.
But doesn’t “firmament” sound like a solid structure?
Yes—and this is where there is an important distinction.
The KJV’s word “firmament” comes from the Latin firmamentum, which can give the impression of something firm or solid. The Hebrew raqiaĘż, however, can also mean an expanse or something that has been spread out.
Consequently, modern translations often translate Genesis 1:6 as:
“Let there be an expanse between the waters…”
rather than “firmament.”
The firmament and a “Flat earth” are not the same thing.
The wrongheaded belief in a flat earth is also usually associated with a wrongheaded belief in WHAT the firmament is - like it’s a firm sold dome (what a bothering of the original translation of hebrew raqia - which means to stamp or hammer flat) - which was translated into another word for the septuagint, and yet another word in Latin “firmamentum”. Then some modern
It’s in the bible. What it is, is the question. Deal with it, or stop believing the bible. BTW, the espression “four corners of the earth” is the sort of turn of phrase low IQ people take to mean therefor the earth must be a square - flat earth.
But Jesus said - “I am the door”. Nobody thinks he’s a physical door.
BTW IMHO, the firmament is the expanse of creation, except that is NOT the earth and its waters. So the sky, space, heaven - stars and planets are in the firmament, and birds can fly in it near our ground. IMHO the waters above the firmament must be elemental H and O beyond our physical galaxies. Hydrogen is the most abundant element we know. If O exists at the outer reaches of space as well, then we have “the waters above”.
It is to the Glory of God to conceal a matter, it is to the honor of kings to search out a matter. Pr 25:2