Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

Dear Doug,

While it's difficult to prove that the Bible specifically refers to "we
all", the context does seem to imply that all humans living after the flood
are descended from Noah and his sons. The following chapter, Gen. 10, often
referred to as "The Table of Nations" depicts the 70 nations of the world
(in the writer's conception) as a family group with a common ancestor -
Noah. In later Judaism, by-the-way, "sons of Noah" came to refer to
Gentiles, who, while not bound by the Mosaic Covenant/Law (the Torah), are
bound by the "Noahide Covenant" of Gen. 9, which includes both blessings and
basic laws. This was understood by the rabbis as meaning that a Gentile who
wants to be "right" with God does not have to convert to Judaism, but rather
just accept these basic laws. The same concept seems to be behind the
decisions of the so-called "Council of Jerusalem" at which the Apostles
decided that a Gentile convert to Christianity need not accept the entire
Torah.
Today the title "Noahide" or "Bnai Noah" is used by groups that have
abandoned non-Jewish religions (such as Christianity) but have chosen not to
convert to Judaism, preferring to live as "Righteous sons of Noah" according
to Jewish Law. 

A to the second part of your question, whether or not Moses wrote this or
any other part of the Torah, is a matter of faith and will NOT be discussed
here.

Yigal Levin

Co-Moderator, B-Hebrew  

-----Original Message-----
From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Doug Belot
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:14 AM
To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [b-hebrew] Noah

Could you give an opinion on what is being stated here in Gen 9:19, is it in
the Hebrew a positive statement that we all came from Noah .


NIV  Gen 9:19    These were the three sons of Noah and from them came the
people who were scattered  over the earth.
NKJ  Gen 9:19   These were the three sons of Noah  and from these the whole
earth was populated.

And can we know if Moses  wrote this passage.
 
doug belot