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Scripture Topic Guide

Bible Verses About The Firmament And The Waters Above

Early Christian writers often treated the firmament as a real feature of God’s ordered creation, and several also said there is water above it. Theophilus of Antioch, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Novatian, Victorinus, and the Apostolic Constitutions all repeat Genesis language about God dividing the waters and calling the firmament heaven.

Origen and Hippolytus also connect Psalm 148:4 to waters above the heavens, while Theophilus says the visible heaven was called firmament and half the water was taken up for rain, showers, and dew. The evidence is broad across the 2nd and 3rd centuries, though some texts are mainly biblical repetition, some are theological explanation, and a few use symbolic or speculative language about heavenly regions.

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Key Passages

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How to Study The Firmament And The Waters Above

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Start with the clearest command or anchor text Read the primary passage in context before building doctrine from supporting references.
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Scripture Map

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19 references

Supporting Passages

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

Core Genesis passage behind the firmament discussion

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

Main Bible verse for the topic

And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.