Astronomy

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1). Most of the Bible’s sky-watching sounds like that verse. The sun, moon and stars are made things, set in their places: “the sun to rule by day” and “the moon and stars to rule by night” (Psalm 136:8-9). Isaiah tells people to “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things” (Isaiah 40:26). Stargazers who claim to foretell the future are mocked in Isaiah 47, and Job 38 asks questions about the constellations that no one can answer. Revelation uses falling stars as signs of judgment. Psalm 8 is a gentle place to begin.

339 verses

Genesis

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis 1:14

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

Genesis 1:15

And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

Genesis 1:16

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

Genesis 1:17

And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

Genesis 1:18

And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 2:1

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Exodus

Exodus 10:21

And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

Exodus 10:22

And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

Exodus 10:23

They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Numbers

Numbers 10:10

Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.

Numbers 28:11

And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot;

Numbers 28:12

And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram;

Numbers 28:13

And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

Numbers 28:14

And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.

Numbers 28:15

And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 4:19

And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

Deuteronomy 26:15

Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 33:14

And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,

Joshua

Joshua 10:12

Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

Joshua 10:13

And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

Joshua 10:14

And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

Judges

Judges 5:31

So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

1 Kings

1 Kings 8:30

And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.

1 Kings 8:39

Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest;(for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)

1 Kings 8:43

Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.

1 Kings 8:49

Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,

2 Kings

2 Kings 2:11

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

2 Kings 17:16

And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

2 Kings 20:11

And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

2 Kings 21:3

For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

2 Kings 23:5

And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 16:26

For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

1 Chronicles 16:31

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.

1 Chronicles 21:26

And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

1 Chronicles 23:31

And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 2:6

But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

2 Chronicles 2:12

Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.

2 Chronicles 6:18

But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

2 Chronicles 6:21

Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

2 Chronicles 6:27

Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

2 Chronicles 6:30

Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest;(for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)

2 Chronicles 6:33

Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.

2 Chronicles 6:35

Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

2 Chronicles 6:39

Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.

2 Chronicles 30:27

Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

2 Chronicles 31:3

He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 9:6

Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

Nehemiah 9:27

Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

Job

Job 3:17

There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

Job 9:6

Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

Job 9:7

Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

Job 9:8

Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

Job 9:9

Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

Job 14:12

So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

Job 22:12

Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

Job 22:14

Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

Job 25:5

Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.

Job 26:7

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

Job 26:13

By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

Job 31:26

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

Job 31:27

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

Job 31:28

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

Job 37:18

Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?

Job 38:7

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 38:31

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

Job 38:32

Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

Job 38:33

Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

Psalms

Psalms 2:4

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Psalms 8:3

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

Psalms 11:4

The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Psalms 16:11

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalms 17:15

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Psalms 19:1

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psalms 19:2

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

Psalms 19:3

There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

Psalms 19:4

Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Psalms 19:5

Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

Psalms 19:6

His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Psalms 20:6

Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.

Psalms 23:6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalms 24:3

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

Psalms 24:7

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Psalms 33:6

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Psalms 33:9

For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

Psalms 33:13

The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

Psalms 50:6

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

Psalms 68:33

To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.

Psalms 73:24

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Psalms 74:16

The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

Psalms 84:11

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Psalms 89:29

His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

Psalms 97:6

The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

Psalms 102:19

For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

Psalms 102:25

Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

Psalms 102:26

They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

Psalms 103:11

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

Psalms 103:19

The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Psalms 113:4

The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

Psalms 113:5

Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of the starry firmanent (Amos 5:8; Ps. 19). In the Book of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible in all probability, the constellations are distinguished and named. Mention is made of the “morning star” (Rev. 2:28; comp. Isa. 14:12), the “seven stars” and “Pleiades,” “Orion,” “Arcturus,” the “Great Bear” (Amos 5:8; Job 9:9; 38:31), “the crooked serpent,” Draco (Job 26:13), the Dioscuri, or Gemini, “Castor and Pollux” (Acts 28:11). The stars were called “the host of heaven” (Isa. 40:26; Jer. 33:22).

The oldest divisions of time were mainly based on the observation of the movements of the heavenly bodies, the “ordinances of heaven” (Gen. 1:14-18; Job 38:33; Jer. 31:35; 33:25). Such observations led to the division of the year into months and the mapping out of the appearances of the stars into twelve portions, which received from the Greeks the name of the “zodiac.” The word “Mazzaroth” (Job 38:32) means, as the margin notes, “the twelve signs” of the zodiac. Astronomical observations were also necessary among the Jews in order to the fixing of the proper time for sacred ceremonies, the “new moons,” the “passover,” etc. Many allusions are found to the display of God’s wisdom and power as seen in the starry heavens (Ps. 8; 19:1-6; Isa. 51:6, etc.)

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Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.