This verse deals with provision being made for the birds and animals. Some understand verse 30 to be in contrast to verse 29, while others take the two verses to be saying much the same. Revised Standard Version takes the second view: And to every beast of the earth. Bible en français courant is similar, with “In the same way I give the green plants….” Good News Translation, on the other hand, assumes a contrast: “But for all the wild animals.”

Beast of the earth is the same as in verses 24-25 and refers to the wild animals or all kind of animals that have not been domesticated.

Every bird of the air: see verse 26.

Everything that creeps: see comments on verses 24-26.

Good News Translation has included wild animals and small animals in “for all the wild animals.” However, most translations prefer to keep the three groups separate; for example, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, which understands the verse to be in contrast to verse 29, says “but for the wild animals, for all those that crawl along the ground and the birds….”

Everything that has the breath of life: breath of life translates the same expression rendered “living creature” in verses 21 and 24. This expression is a summation of all groups of animal life; Bible en français courant, in contrast with Good News Translation, retains it in full by translating “in brief, everything that lives.”

I have given every green plant for food: the words I have given are supplied by Revised Standard Version. New English Bible and others have “all green plants”; but Good News Translation and others focus on the green of the plant, meaning the leafy parts or the foliage, and so Good News Translation has “grass and leafy plants.” For comments on plant see verse 11.

And it was so: see verse 7.

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 .