Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Dear Arek,

You ask:

>I would like to ask if  Hebrew words: 'ki aphar hattah' from Genesis 3:19
>could be translated as "for dust you WERE".

It is possible, especially if Adam was not thought to be dust as God spoke
to him. But if there is reason to think that Adam was still dust when God
was speaking, then the verb should probably be "for dust you are."

See the following verses:

Gen. 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me
to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

Psa. 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

It is an interesting question.

                        Yours,
                        Harold Holmyard