Biblical Hebrew Forum

[peter_kirk AT SIL.ORG]

But now you are importing cosmology from the 20th century, or at least 
from after Copernicus.

Don't forget that the dictionaries are working only from the data you 
have: the usage in the Hebrew Bible in context; ancient and not so 
ancient translations which may have imported alien cosmologies; and 
the apparent derivation from the root RQ( "beat, stamp, beat out, 
spread out" (BDB). And they have some parallels of dubious value in 
other Semitic languages e.g. Arabic raqa`a "patch, repair". So you may 
do as well to decide for yourself from reading the texts and comparing 
the usage of the verb RQ(.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: Re: The meaning of raqia
Author:  anku AT CelsiusTech.com.au at internet
Date:    19/04/1999 20:48


<snip>

Therefore, it seems to me that the "expanse of the heavens" in Genesis 1 
which was created on day 2, was in fact interstellar space.

Comments?

cheers,
Andrew
<snip>