Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lewis Reich" <lewreich AT javanet.com>]

On 3 Feb 00, at 17:11, Jeffery R. Condit wrote:

> Most English versions I have render _ruach_ as "cool" in Genesis 3:8 (KJV,
> NAS, NJB, NKJ, NIV).  NRS has "at the time of the evening breeze."  NAB has
> "at the breezy time of day."
> 
> I don't see where "cool" is coming from, and the "breezes" seem to me to be
> trying to "help" the Hebrew.  (Is it an English word play on "breath? :)

Perhaps what's happening here is interpretation rather than 
translation. The traditional Jewish commentaries interpret the phrase 
l'ruakh ha'yom as referring to the evening.  (Rashi interprets ruakh 
ha'yom as meaning the ruakh (direction) from which the sun sets.) 

Lewis Reich
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