Biblical Hebrew Forum

[peter_kirk AT sil.org]

I don't accept the "miraculously" here. If anyone plants trees in a 
well-watered place, they will grow. We can say that God caused them to 
grow, but we would not normally describe the process as miraculous. As 
for the initial planting, the text certainly doesn't make it clear 
that anything other than the natural processes (seeds carried by 
birds, the wind etc) was involved here. All over the world, where 
there is suitable climate, soil, water etc fruit and other trees grow 
abundantly, in God's providence, and that is what I see happening 
here.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: Re[7]: Genesis 1 & 2 (trying again)
Author:  <jonathan.bailey AT gmx.de> at Internet 
Date:    03/12/1999 17:14


---------- Original Message ----------
>>The animals and plants are specially created a second time.

>PK: Actually it's this which ain't in the text. "Plant" and "cause to 
>grow" (of the trees) does not mean "specially create a second time"!

Sorry about the laxness in terminology. They were miraculously caused to 
grow. I
think his point was that he is disturbed by the second creative/formative 
type o
f
miracle. I was trying to emphasize that I believe there were two miracles 
involving
plants. I should have said, specially formed, rather than specially created.





Jonathan Bailey
MA Kandidat
Hochschule für Jüdische Studien
Heidelberg