And God blessed them: see comments on verse 22. The command Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth is the same as in verse 22, except that in verse 28 the earth replaces “the waters.”

And subdue it: subdue translates a verb meaning “to tread or trample on” and is used in Josh 18.1 with the sense of the land being “conquered, overcome, overpowered.” See also Num 32.22, 29; 2 Sam 8.11; 1 Chr 22.18. Good News Translation translates “bring it [the earth] under control”; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “Fill the earth and govern it.” Subdue and have dominion over are parallel expressions with reference to the plants and animals that God has put on the earth. This is not a command to go to war, but for the first people and their offspring to “take control, be in charge, have direction over.” Have dominion over … is translated by Bible en français courant “Be masters over…,” and by Good News Translation “I am putting you in charge of….” In some languages subdue is expressed idiomatically as “make everything in the world come underneath your hands,” and have dominion as “you will be boss….”

Over the birds … upon the earth is the same as in verse 26, except that over every living thing that moves upon the earth replaces “over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” Good News Translation renders this “and all the wild animals”; but this translation does not reflect the Hebrew text very well, since the wording here is the same as in verse 26, except as noted above. Therefore it is best to retain a similar expression; for example, “and all the animals that move on the ground.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .