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  • From: "Bryan Rocine" <brocine AT earthlink.net>
  • To: "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Spiritual death or Physical death?
  • Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 13:11:32 -0400


Dear Jim,

You wrote:

> >
> >In Gen 2:17 the word "muth", does it refer to physical
death or spiritual
> >death? Does the language help clarify this or do we have
to derive the
> >meaning by hermeneutics?
>
> it refers to death. the word simply means death. the
construction here is
> "dying you shall certainly die". does this mean physical
death? certainly.
> then why didnt they die then? because there is nothing
said about the
> "when" of that certain death. Thus, it isnt a description
of "spiritual
> death". Instead it means simply that death is the penalty
for rebellion.
>

Actually, I believe the text reads ki beyom 'akolka mimenu
mot tamut. So the time of death is indeed specified as "in
the day of your eating" or "at the time of your eating."
Hermeneutics may then come into play after all. If, for
instance, we find it unlikely that the Lord was merely
putting forth a vain threat, we would be left with the
conclusion that Adam (and Eve) did indeed die that day as
the Lord said they would...spiritually, that is.

Shalom,
Bryan


B. M. Rocine
Associate Pastor
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13206

(office) 315.437.6744
(home) 315.479.8267





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