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Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 1:2

From: "Joel Stucki" <joel AT stucki.ws>
To: "Don Grothe" <grothe AT uniontel.net>
Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 1:2
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2006 11:01:25 -0700

On 7/2/06, Don Grothe <grothe AT uniontel.net> wrote:

What is the proper translation of the word "was" in Genesis 1:2 - "Now the earth
was unformed and void"? How do you arrive at the correct translation?

The verb HYTH is a qal perfect 3rd Feminine Singular of the HYH verb.
"She was." The subject is the earth. While I'm sure people can debate
endlessly on tense of Hebrew verbs, this one seems very straight
forward and past tense seems appropriate since the sentence seems to
describe a starting point for the creation story. The sentence is
describing the earth as existing in a state of total chaos before
Elohim start turning it to something useful.

Joel Stucki

[b-hebrew] Genesis 1:2, Don Grothe, 07/02/2006
- Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 1:2, Joel Stucki, 07/02/2006