Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] watered ground & forming dust

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] watered ground & forming dust
  • Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:45:47 +0200

Gerry,

I think that the problem is that you insist on using Aristotelian logic on an
Ancient Near Eastern text. When the Bible says that God caused water to
irrigate "all" of the land, the ancient readers understood that "all" means
"all of the land that it would be appropriate to irrigate". The fact that the
very next verse implies that there was still "dry dust" around is proof of
this.
The Bible is a work of literature, written (whether by God or man - it
doesn't matter) according to the literary conventions that were expected by
its intended audience. The Bible is NOT a scientific text in which you would
expect precise wording.

Yigal Levin

-----Original Message-----
From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Gerry Folbre
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 3:00 AM
To: B-Hebrew
Subject: [b-hebrew] watered ground & forming dust

I would like to discuss what I perceive as incongruent anomalies composed
within Gen. 2:6b & 2:7a.

Gen. 2:6b והשׁקה את־כל־פני־האדמה׃ ... {and irrigated [watered/made wet] the
whole face of the ground).

Gen. 2:7a ... וייצר יהוה אלהים את־האדם עפר מן־האדמה {and it formed the
human archetype of dust from the ground ...)



Gen. 2:6b states that the entire face (surface) of the ground is irrigated.
But then Gen. 2:7a not only describes “dry, loose earth (or dust)” being
found upon the newly irrigated surface of the ground, Gen. 2:7a also
apparently stats that somehow this “dry, loose earth (dust)” can somehow be
“formed”. However, “dust (dry, loose earth) from the ground” is not an
earthly substance that lends itself to being “formed {like a potter forms a
vessel)”.



If there is anyone who may have some constructive insight into these
contextual anomalies, I look forward to discussing these subjects with you.



Gerry Folbre
_______________________________________________
b-hebrew mailing list
b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 9.0.698 / Virus Database: 270.14.57/2492 - Release Date: 11/09/09
14:11:00





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page