Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Rolf Furuli" <furuli AT online.no>]

Dear Karl,

Colophons in ancient times is found at the ends of the tablets or documents, 
as is the case in the cuneiform tablets.  So you have a good case for your 
view that this is the case of Genesis as well.

Best regards

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>
To: "b-hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2005 4:48 PM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] When God began to create...


> Bryan:
>
> )LH TWLDWT at the ends or beginnings of the sections?
> I have heard from different sources (unfortunately in
> lectures, not on paper) that it was a literary style that went
> out of practice mid second millennium BC whereby the
> author and title were added onto the end of literary works.
> Thus the sequential time frame of creation, which only
> God would know, was given the title "These are the
> bringing forths (This is the narration ...) of the heavens and
> the earth, in the day YHWH God made earth and heaven."
>
> Thus Genesis 2:4 reflects a different document than 2:5,
> and therefore cannot fit the pattern that you claim (unless
> those lecturers I heard were wrong).
>
> That they are today at the beginnings of following sections
> is the result of the relatively modern division of chapters
> and verses, made by people who did not know that
> ancient practice.
>
> Karl W. Randolph.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>
> To: "b-hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] When God began to create...
> Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 09:07:43 -0500
>
> > Karl Randolph wrote:
> >
> > > Genesis 2:4 is one of the poetic verses, with a mirror image
> > > poetry loosely built into it. Therefore, the second part doesn't
> > > split off to make a dependent clause.
> > >
> > > Further, Genesis 2:4 is the summing up verse that closes the
> > > first chapter, it is not part of the second chapter at all.
> > >
> >
> > Hi Karl,
> >
> > I think you will find that the _'elleh toledot_ statements are at the
> > beiginnings of their respective sections of Gen, not the ends.
> >
> > It doesn't matter to me if you want to keep 2:4a together with 2:4b.
> > 2:4b still grammatically depends on what follows, not what precedes.
> >
> > IOW, the _'elleh toledot_ statement is more like a heading than an
> > integral part of the narrative.  The story really begins with 2:4b, and
> > the plotline begins with 2:7.
> >
> > Shalom,
> > Bryan
> >
> > --
> > B. M. Rocine
> > Living Word Church
> > 6101 Court St. Rd.
> > Syracuse, NY 13026
> > (W): 315.437.6744