Biblical Hebrew Forum

[George Athas <George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>]

Karl,

Some of the Greeks believed the earth was a sphere, yes. However, there is a 
big leap from the Ptolemaic concept of the universe to the biblical texts. 
Considering that 40.21 talks about מוסדות הארץ, I don't see how you can get 
'sphere' as a possible understanding of חוג in the next verse. Spheres 
hanging in an ether do not need foundations. I'm very happy to be convinced 
that the Ptolemaic understanding was there in Israel centuries beforehand, 
but I'd need evidence to determine its plausibility, rather than just talk 
about possibilities. Anything is possible but not everything is plausible. 
The context, as far as a I can see, demands 'circle', rather than 'sphere'.


GEORGE ATHAS
Dean of Research,
Moore Theological College (moore.edu.au)
Sydney, Australia