Hope of the sea

On Day 3, Yahweh gathers the sea and dry land appears. But the language of Genesis 1:9-10 concerning the “gathering” of seas is odd. IN verse 9, the verb most frequently means “wait” or “look for” (Genesis 49:18; Job 3:9; Psalm 25:3, 5, 21; 27:14; 37:9, 34; etc.).

The noun form “gathering together” in verse 10 sometimes means a “gathering” of material, whether water or yarn. But it is also used to mean “hope” or “expect” (Ezra 10:2; Jeremiah 14:8; 17:13; 50:7).

Clumping the water to make the sea expresses a hope, a hope that the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, a hope that the sea of nations will be gathered together before Yahweh, as a crystal sea before His throne.