Genesis 1:28
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
KJV
Read in Genesis 1Meaning
The verse presents human vocation as a blessing before it is a burden: humanity is empowered to flourish, inhabit the earth, and exercise delegated rule.
Read carefully
Dominion should be read together with image-bearing and with God's repeated affirmation that creation is good. The command does not by itself justify reckless exploitation or cruelty.
Reflection
Human influence over the world is framed as accountable stewardship under God's prior ownership. Power is meaningful precisely because it is received rather than absolute.