Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ishnian" <ishinan AT comcast.net>]

Dear Ishinan,

Please send the attached post to the list.

Rolf



Dear George,

Where do the birds fly? I understand the mythological viewpoint of Genesis 1 
and 2 in the following way: There is a solid "dome of the sky" (firmament) on 
whose surface the Sun and the stars are fastened. Above the firmament there 
is water, and the firmament has windows from which water can come down on 
tjhe earth.

Now, where do the birds fly? Genesis 1:20 says that the birds fly "over ((L) 
the earth" and across the RQY( of the heavens" (L-pny RQy( H$MYM. The last 
phrase is a construct where RQY( is the focus and not H$MYM. The text speaks 
of "the  RQY( of the heavens". Because this is a construct, how can you part 
its two elements and say that $MYM is one thing and RQY( is another? In a 
construct construction both elements are bound together. In other words, what 
is the linguistic basis for your claim that the birds "fly through the sky, 
but the sky is under the RQY(? 

If we treat the construct as other constructs and say that (L PNY means 
"over" (In a previous post you gave the literal translation: "over the 
surface of the firmament of the sky), then I see only one possible 
conclusion, namely, that the birds fly over the RQYA (of the heavens). In 
that case they ougth to be wet, because of all the water.


Best regards,

Rolf Furuli
Stavern
Norway



Tirsdag 4. September 2012 09:22 CEST skrev George Athas 
<George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>:


  Karl,

  In your examples, the noun פנים in the expression על פני refers to the face 
of people. As such, it has a personal usage ('against' or 'opposite'). This 
is certainly not the case in Gen 1.20, unless you want to propose the רקיע is 
a being, which I don't think you do. This is a common distinction: the 'face' 
of people and the 'surface' of things. Same word in Hebrew (פנים), but 
different connotations and different words in English.


  Ishinan,

  The birds fly through the sky, but the sky that is under the רקיע, which 
stands as a dome-like roof above everything. The birds flying through the 
שׁמים are thus seen to be flying 'across the surface' of the רקיע above them. 
You are confusing שׁמים with רקיע, but they are distinct.


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