In general, “Very good” is relative, i.e. better than “good” but not as good as “very, very good.” Certainly not absolute, i.e. “perfect.” Even if “very good” did mean “perfect” that could mean that creation including Adam was "fit for purpose".
What specifically does "very good" mean in Genesis 1:31:
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. ESV
“Very good” (טוֹב מְאֹד) seems to suggest that everything was made fit for its purpose, as you say. In Jer. 24;3, when Jeremiah describes some figs, he says “the good figs are very good” (הַתְּאֵנִים הַטֹּבוֹת טֹבוֹת), “and the “bad [figs] are very bad” (וְהָרָעוֹת רָעוֹת מְאֹד). More importantly, those “very bad” figs, he says, “you shall not eat of the evil” (לֹא תֵאָכַלְנָה מֵרֹעַ), but figs were among those trees God created “good to eat” (טוֹב לְמַאֲכָל).1 In other words, what is “very evil” is no longer fit for its purpose.
Footnotes
1 Gen. 2:9
The word “good” is “tov” which means to be in harmony with God. So throughout Gen 1, Elohim sees His creation as Tov; harmonizing with Him. But after creating man, we read in “Genesis 2:18: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." In Hebrew Ezer k'negdo. Note, when he created the seas, He said that it was “good” in harmony with him, the animals, He saw were good, the sun and stars were good, but he does not see that man was good when He created him.The only time the word “tov” is used in relationship to man is in Gen 2:18 saying he was not good or in harmony with God !! It doesn’t mean he was sinful, just not in a state of perfect harmony with God. God pointed out all that he created and explained to man that it was good. Having a free will separated man from perfect harmony with God but so long as he, by act of his free will partook of all that was in harmony with God he would then be in harmony with God (1:31). A man would look to a woman to guide him in spiritual things. This is why the enemy tempted Eve and not Adam because he knew Adam would follow Eve’s guidance.
The word for a female is “yaldah.” The sages point out the word begins with a “yod’ and ends with a “he” which spells the word ‘Yah” the short form for the name of God. The “yod” represents a messenger from heaven; the lamed, prayer; the daleth, a gateway; and the he, the presence of God. A female is a messenger from heaven who through prayer will be a doorway to the presence of God. And then Elohim says creation is Tov Me'od - Very good!!
The Hebrew word 'towb' is translated as 'good', but it's often also translated as 'best', so it seems unlikely that 'meod' would be applied here to mean 'very' good, in a relative sense.
In each of the previous occasions in Genesis, when God saw that it was good, 'it' refers specifically to the next stage in Creation. This last one, however, refers to 'everything that God had made'. So the addition of meod would more likely have a meaning of 'abundance', when you consider just how much it's referring to all at once.
Here, God sees that everything he made is all good in its abundance. Therefore no 'evil' exists, from His comprehensive perspective of Creation.
2896 towb טוב pleasant, agreeable, good
While 2896 could refer to "fit for purpose" (in the sense of "agreeable"), it seems to be a stretch. More likely, it simply means that Elohim was satisfied with his accomplishments. There isn't anyone else around to say "good job", so he says it himself. Notably, 2896 is the same word used in Genesis 3:6 to describe the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil as "good for food" – agreeable for eating – not poisonous.
3966 meod מאד muchness, force, abundance
Genesis 1 is poetry with a lot of repetition and alliteration. The "very" comes near the end. Each of the preceding elements was "good", so in aggregate, they're "very good" – or abundantly/exceedingly good – the sum is greater than its parts?
It's not prudent to place too much theological emphasis on specific readings of particular words and phrases. Otherwise, it would mean that Elohim literally pounded out a solid, physical barrier between earth and heavens to keep the waters above and below separate (Gen 1:7). Although modern translations tend to hide this view, there have been, and still are, major disagreements between astronomy and religious cosmologies.
7549. raqia: an extended surface, expanse
7554. raqa: to beat, stamp, beat out, spread out
A primitive root; to pound the earth (as a sign of passion); by analogy to expand (by hammering); by implication, to overlay (with thin sheets of metal) -- beat, make broad, spread abroad (forth, over, out, into plates), stamp, stretch.
The word used in Genesis 1:31 Hennah Tov is usually translated as either 'very good' which is the most common translation throughout the bible, or rarely 'excellent'.
Each thing created individually, except the firmament was considered good. The firmament being a barrier of separation on day 2 is never referred to as something that is good. Although God calls the firmament Heaven, this is eluded to as a medium that separates the High Heaven where God dwells from the lowest heaven where man and earth are positioned.
In verse 31, the 'very good' does look like it is said in response to how the collection of good creations are operating together.
The idea that good creations are collectively operating together serve a specific goal and function. So the question arises, "What is the goal and why are they functioning like this?"
The word study on "very good" can give a small list of translations, but none of which that can be synonymous with perfection. Perfection is something that is incorruptible, unchangeable, infallible, unmovable, and is so eternally. All creations, including the angels are never created as perfect, being that everything has fallen including some of the angelic beings. This would be a good argument against the Son of God being a product of creation.
The problem is that if we were to say that perfection can be made imperfect, then God is fallible and can be made corrupt over time, which cannot be the case. Perfection cannot fall, cannot be moved, cannot be tempted, cannot sin. Perfection is a state of eternal being that is not subject to corruption.
If the earth was created good, man was created good, and everything functioning together as very good, then what is the function for? What is its intended purpose?
John 1 - All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Hebrews 1:2 - His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds
This, contrary to popular belief, states that the Son actually made everything according to the will of the Father.
The plan is to make something that was good become perfect over the process of time through love by Him, using the corruption that attached itself to the good imperfect creation to be the tool that would allow the creation to be elevated from imperfect to perfect.
1 Cor 15:53 - For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The Son creating everything good in the beginning so that through Him, the good creation can experience life, death and possibly eternal life through Him and become a perfected finished product that is worthy to be presented to the Father as the perfect bride for the Son.
The theme of imperfect to perfect, corruptible to incorruptible, old to new is an ongoing theme throughout both the OT and the NT
Rev 21:5 - And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
The making of all things new does not seem to imply a totally new creation, but rather something that was previously existing being made better or 'renewal'.
The idea of renewal is everywhere and is the process from the beginning to make perfect what was originally imperfect.
Rom 12:2 - be transformed by the renewing of your mind
2 Cor 4:16 - our inner man is being renewed day by day.
Col 3:10 - put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him (The Son)
Col - 3:11 - a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew
Ps 51:10 - renew a steadfast spirit within me
Ps 104:30 - You renew the face of the ground.
Tit - 3:5 - He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit
Mt 19:28 - “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things
Ez 47:8 - When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. 9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live.
The earth and people were created to go through a process of renewal that goes from imperfect to perfect.
Gen 1:31 - Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good
Rev - 22:13 - I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
