Gen 1:26: na'aseh, "Let us make"

Says נַעֲשֶׂה (na'aseh) is a Qal imperfect, first person common plural (OSHB), of the verb "make." Its object אָדָם has no article; BDB gives the collective sense "man, mankind." The suffixes of בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ are first person plural too. Verse 27 returns to the singular: וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים and בְּצַלְמוֹ, "in His own image" (BSB). The BSB's capitals in "Let Us make" and "Our image" are English house style, not Hebrew morphology.

Uncertain Whom the plural includes. No lean is taken here. (1) A plural of majesty or of self-deliberation. (2) God addressing the heavenly court: compare 1 Kgs 22:19, וְכָל־צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם ("all the host of heaven," BSB); Isa 6:8, אֶת־מִי אֶשְׁלַח וּמִי יֵלֶךְ־לָנוּ; Gen 3:22, כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ; Gen 11:7, נֵרְדָה וְנָבְלָה. On this view 1:27 keeps the creating and the image with God alone. (3) A plurality within the one God, the classic Christian reading, with 1:27's singular verb (note.historical.Gen.1.1-Gen.1.31.early-christian-readings). (4) God addressing the earth or the creation already made, a minority reading.