To: "Jonathan D. Safren" <yonsaf AT beitberl.beitberl.ac.il>, Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: Enuma Elish
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1999 14:34:05 +0200
"Jonathan D. Safren" wrote:
> John Ronning wrote:
>
> >
> > I agree that Genesis 1 does not explictly teach ex nihilo (even if Gen
> > 1:1 is an independent clause, or "title" of the account). On the other
> > hand, it does not express a creation from eternally pre-existent matter.
>
> Then how do you explain the wording of Gen. 1:2, "And the EARTH (land) was
> tohu wabohu
> and the spirit of God was hovering over the WATER"?
>
Your point is valid that Gen 1:2 seems to presume pre-existent matter,
but my point is
that this matter is not said to be eternal - was it previously created
or not? I don't
think Genesis 1 addresses the issue, and I would rather say "Genesis 1
doesn't address the question of ex-nihilo" than "Genesis 1 doesn't teach
creation ex-nihlo." After all, one could say, "Genesis 1 doesn't say
that God is eternal," but what would be the point?