Verses 14-19 describe events of the fourth day with the creation of the sun, moon, and stars; however, the words “sun” and “moon” are avoided.

And God said: see Gen 1.3 and Gen 1.6.

Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens: lights translates a word meaning “lamps,” and so refers to objects that produce or give off light. Firmament is as in verses 6-7, and so the expression firmament of the heavens refers to the dome or vault in those verses, which holds back the waters above it.

In some languages the word for lights as objects that produce light will be different from the term “light” as it is used in Gen 1.3. If a word for lights meaning sources of light is lacking, it may be necessary to say, for example, “things that make light,” “objects that give off light,” or “things that shine.” In some languages the word for “lamps” may be used, as it is in Hebrew.

The first command to the lights is to separate the day from the night. Separate is as in 1.4, where light was created and, as a result of the separation of light from darkness, gave rise to day and night.

In some languages it will be necessary to adjust the expression separate the day from the night, since lights may not be used in this way. However, you may find it possible to say, for example, “to make daytime brighter than nighttime,” “some to shine during the day, and some to shine during the night,” or “to mark off day and night.”

The second command is let them be for signs and for seasons …. Signs is the noun form of a verb meaning “to mark, sign, describe.” It is used in Gen 9.12-13 referring to the rainbow as a sign of the covenant. Seasons translates a word derived from a term meaning “to fix, appoint times.” The reference is not mainly to the seasons of the year but rather to fixed times for carrying out a human activity such as the stages of the agricultural cycle or festive celebrations. According to Anchor Bible signs and seasons should not be understood as two separate nouns but rather as a clause in which signs explains what follows; for example, “they will serve as signs for fixed times.” Anchor Bible translates “Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years.” This will be a good model for many languages; in fact for some languages the same expression may also be used in the first part of the verse to translate “separate the day from the night.” One translation, for example, says “Lights must appear in the sky, to mark off day and night, and to mark days and years and all the special times of the year.”

Good News Translation takes seasons to refer to “religious festivals” so that the purpose of the lights in the sky is to “show the time when days, years, and religious festivals begin.” Good News Translation has placed the more general days and years before “religious festivals.” Moffatt says “sacred seasons,” and Bible en français courant translates “that they serve to determine festival [days], as well as the days and the years of the calendar.” In place of “religious festivals” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy is more general with “special dates.”

Let them may require repeating lights, that is, “The lights must serve as a means…” or “The lights are to be the way to tell when….” For seasons it is advisable to translate in terms of “festival occasions,” “fixed celebrations,” or “fixed dates and times.” In some languages these may be referred to as “eating and remembering times,” “days for joining people together,” or “days everyone celebrates together.” “Sacred festivals” may sometimes be translated “special worship days” or “special times for worshiping God.”

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 .