Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 1:5

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Peter Kirk <peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com>
  • To: B Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 1:5
  • Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 14:24:58 -0700

On 24/07/2003 12:07, CS Bartholomew wrote:

On 7/24/03 11:16 AM, "waldo slusher" <waldoslusher AT yahoo.com> wrote:


A recent article I read indicates that the phrase at
the end of this verse, "day one", by virtue of the
fact that "one" lacks the definite article, makes it a
Cardinal number.


Bruce Waltke & M. O'Connor page 274:

"The indefinite noun plus )xd has a definite sense in the opening chapter of
Genesis: ywm )xd 'the first day' (Gen. 1:5); this pattern is found nowhere
else-- even the rest of the account uses indefinite nouns with ordinal
numbers (Gen 1:8,13, etc.)."



greetings,
Clay Bartholomew


Much as I respect Waltke and O'Connor, I am highly suspicious of interpretations which ascribe to a very common word a unique sense in just one occurrence. So, having seen your later posting, I am inclined to agree more with George Bush (the 19th century one, I would rarely be inclined to agree with the more recent two) though not entirely. "One day" means "one day". Well, in English we can start a list with "one day", then "the next day", then perhaps "the third day". But in 1:5 the focus is not that this day is the first of a sequence but rather that the evening and the morning make up a complete day. Perhaps the translation should be something like "one whole day", or just "one day". Then in 1:8 etc, where the Hebrew remains indefinite, "a second day". Then change to "the sixth day" at the end of the chapter as this wraps the whole thing up nicely. A very literal translation, I know, but I think it works.

--
Peter Kirk
peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~peterkirk/






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page