Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Fred Day" <fred.a.day AT intel.com>]

I'm trying to understand the correct translation of the Hebrew word
shabath in Gen. 2:3.  In most translations, it is rendered to say that on
the seventh day of creation week God "rested" or "ceased."  In one
translation (the New World Translation), however, it is rendered to say
that God "has been resting," in support of the belief that the seventh day
is a long period of time that is still in progress.  I know there is a
least one scholar on this eboard who is a Jehovah's Witness, so I'm hoping
to get some help here.  I tried the jehovahbible egroup, and those there
said this was a viable translation of the Hebrew word shabath, and that
the translation came down to how a person interpreted the text (i.e. on
the translator's theological beliefs).  However, when I studied what they
provided to show that this word could be translated as saying that on the
seventh day God "has been resting," I felt that what they shared wasn't
proof at all.

I have had no formal education in Hebrew, so I've been learning as I've
been researching this and am too painfully aware that there are advanced
details I probably don't understand.  I'm hoping those in this eboard have
the knowledge to help me get closure with this.  Here is what I found so
far:

- This word is a Qal perfect
- The perfect aspect designates completed action
- The completed action may be in the past, presence or future

In a footnote provided by the NWT, it says of shabath in this verse that,
"It shows the characteristic of an individual, namely, God, on the seventh
day of his creative week."  For a long time I was unable to understand how
this statement helped to explain why Hebrew grammar supported their
translation.  Recently, I discovered that verbs can also be "stative," and
that seemed to fit their explanation.

My question for anyone who can help is, can this word be stative, or even
beyond that, is there any way the Hebrew allows for this word to be
translated as it has been in the NWT?  I appreciate any help provided.

Blessings,
Fred