# let there be light

idiom · CEFR B2

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/let-there-be-light
Updated: 2026-07-29

## Meaning

A phrase marking the start of something new, or a moment of sudden clarity.

## Examples

- He flipped the switch and said, "Let there be light."
- After months of planning, the founder cut the ribbon as if to say, let there be light, and the shop finally opened.
- When the engineers restored power to the whole district at once, someone in the control room laughed and muttered, "Let there be light," and for a moment it felt like exactly that.

## Origin

These are the first words spoken in the Bible. In Genesis 1:3, on the first day of creation, God says "Let there be light" — and there is light. The phrase is the very beginning of everything, the moment order first breaks in on the void. Its enduring power in English owes a great deal to the 1611 King James translation, whose plain, weighted rhythm made the line quotable in its own right, quite apart from its theology. Today the phrase marks any fresh start or first spark — the switching-on of a new venture, the flick of a light in a dark room, or the moment an idea suddenly becomes clear. It is often said with a touch of grandeur or self-mockery, as when someone finally fixes the wiring and the room lights up.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.