Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Gerry:

There are two areas where I think you have it wrong.

First of all, I agree with Yigal that you apply a different way of thinking
to the text than what the original author used, and as such you
misunderstand the text.

Secondly, the use of the word עפר is not limited to dry, loose dust. It is
used in Leviticus 14 to refer to the dried, hard mud that was (and in some
places still) used as mortar between stones in construction. In 1 Kings
18:38 for dirt that had just been soaked with water. Many times it is used
synonymous with “dirt” that could be either wet or dry, most likely damp.
Its use in Genesis 2 therefore can refer to damp soil that can be formed,
just not burned and made into pottery as can clay.

Karl W. Randolph.

On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 9:23 PM, Gerry Folbre <gfolbreiii AT gmail.com> wrote:

> In Gen. 2:7 the author could have used the feminine noun terminology
> מן־האדמה {from the ground}, as used in Gen. 2:19 and there would be no
> contextual anomaly.  But that terminology was not used in Gen. 2:7.  Or, in
> Gen. 2:7 the author could have used the masculine noun חמר {clay} and again
> there would be no contextual anomaly. In stead, however, the author
> specifically used the masculine noun עפר {dry, loose earth} thus creating
> the contextual anomaly.
>
>
>
> Did the author intend to create this anomaly?  And, if the author did
> intentionally create this anomaly; why?
>
>
>
> Gerry Folbre
>
>
>