Biblical Hebrew Forum

["JAMES CHRISTIAN READ" <JCR128 AT student.apu.ac.uk>]

 ג ויברך אלהים את יום השביעי ויקדש אתו  כי בו שבת מכל מלאכתו אשר ברא אלהים 
לעשות  {פ}
ד אלה תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם  ביום עשות יהוה אלהים--ארץ ושמים

The above is Genesis 2:3,4. It appears that whoever
started the tradition of open paragraphs felt that
Genesis 2:4 was the start of 2:4 - 4:26.

Unless we have any manuscripts without the open paragraph
system there would be no concrete reason to not believe
that the system is as old as the first copies themselves.
With lack of any references to this ANE practice we
have heard of it would seem that the evidence is
pointing towards Genesis 2:4 being an beginning rather
than an ending.

James C. Read
UK