Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter_Kirk AT sil.org]

This raises a question: does the X-HYH clause provide the setting or 
background for what precedes it, or only for what follows it? In other 
words, should be understand something like 1, or something like 2?

1.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
[Then, at some later time] The earth was formless and empty... and 
then God said...

2.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
[Before that] The earth had been formless and empty... and then [as 
the next step] God said...

This is a question of Hebrew grammar testable by looking at 
occurrences of X-HYH - and it can help distinguish 1 = "gap theory" 
from 2 = creation from pre-existent matter.

And I always thought that what went on in the "gap", according to some 
who try to take the account literally, was not just the creation and 
fall of Satan but also the "big bang", the expansion of the universe 
(galaxies, quasars etc) and the entire geological history of the earth 
(fossils, dinosaurs etc) until a few days before the appearance of 
man! ;-^)

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: Re: Gen 1.1-2, hyh
Author:  ButhFam at CompuServe
Date:    06/01/1999 09:40


>X-HYH  is used for beginning states or situations when providing setting 
or background
>for a narrative, e.g. Gen. 3:1 .

exactly.
good to see this knowledge circulating. 
randall buth