On the second day of creation, according to the Genesis narrative, God created the firmament (also called the expanse or sky) to separate the waters. Specifically, God divided the waters that were above the firmament from the waters that were below it, effectively creating a division between the waters in the atmosphere and the waters on the earth's surface, such as oceans and seas. This firmament was called Heaven or sky
. This act established the atmosphere, which regulates the waters above (such as clouds and rain) and the waters below (oceans and seas), setting up the water cycle. The firmament was understood in ancient cosmology as a solid dome separating waters above from waters below, with the sun, moon, and stars placed beneath it on later days
. In summary:
- God created the firmament (sky/atmosphere).
- The firmament separated the waters above (in the sky) from the waters below (oceans).
- This separation prepared the earth to support life and established the water cycle
