Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Paul Zellmer <zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph>]

yochanan bitan wrote:

> Y"Y-elohim formed man (first mainline event) at a time when no plant
> existed. this is very elaborately spelled out. thus, in the immediate
> context of 2.4-7 the next trajectory of events in 2.8 has a natural
> sequential interpretation.
> {no plants} > {formed man} > {planted garden}.
>
> likewise 2.18-19
> {no partner} > {formed animals} > {no partner} > {formed woman}.

Jason Carter's original question had to do specifically with the wayyiqtol in 
2:19.
However, I feel that the focus of the question should not have been so much 
on the
grammatical form as it should be on the verbal root.  Randall's use of the 
English
word, "formed," points out this significance nicely.

There is no reason not to take the wayyiqtols in this "second creation 
narrative" as
simply describing a progression of a story, which is apparently the point 
being made
by the one with whom Jason is carrying on a discussion.  But to equate the 
activity in
verse 19 with the activity in chapter 1 may not be as correct an assumption.  
Take,
for example, Randall's three uses of "formed."  The first two he uses as the 
English
representation of one Hebrew word, the third is a completely different Hebrew 
word
which is a near synonym, but not an exact equivalent, to the first.  Yet one 
English
word covers both concepts.  (BTW, the "formed woman" is in 2:22.)

Similarly, just because YCR in verse 7 refers to YHWH God making something 
(man) which
context indicates was the first of its kind, this does not imply that the 
animals,
etc., which were YCR'd in verse 19 were things that were the first of their 
kind.
Besides, YCR in itself does not imply the causing something to come alive.  
Verse 7
had two actions take place before man lived.  Is it not completely reasonable 
to see
that verse 19 could describe God forming the *shapes* of all the animals, 
etc.?

I see the fallacy in the argument that Jason is counteracting to be reading 
too much
into the verbal root YCR.

HTH,

Paul

--
Paul and Dee Zellmer, Jimmy Guingab, Geoffrey Beltran
Ibanag Translation Project
Cabagan, Philippines

zellmer AT faith.edu.ph