King James Bible
"And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good."
God's creative power extends to marine life, from massive sea creatures to the smallest swimming organisms. The phrase emphasizes both the diversity and abundance of aquatic life, highlighting God's sovereignty over the mysterious depths that ancient peoples often associated with chaos. The repetition of 'after their kind' establishes God's ordering of creation into distinct categories and species. This phrase appears throughout Genesis 1, emphasizing that God creates with intention and design, establishing natural boundaries and reproductive continuity. God evaluates his creation and pronounces approval, indicating that sea and sky creatures fulfill their intended purpose. This divine assessment appears after each creative act, building a rhythm that emphasizes creation's inherent value and perfection before the fall.