From: "Nir cohen - Prof. Mat." <nir AT ccet.ufrn.br>
To: "Philip Hardy" <technologist1 AT gmx.us>,b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] beginning or end?
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2012 09:59:03 -0200
philip, ...
in my recent remarks i suggested that gen 1:1, 2:4 and several other places
might be seen as a structural part ("title") in the text. these remarks are
of a
minor technical nature, as they refer to editing style only and should not be
seen as extending to text interpretation in any way.
as to the more substantial philosophical questions, i leave them out here;
but
i think that karl, you and myself (for example) have a similar reading of the
text.
nevertheless i still see gen 1:1 as a "title" of gen 1-2. one reason is the
practical reason of recitation
of oral tradition, which i assume existed prior to the written version and,
to some extent, in later periods.
once the reciter mnemonized the "title", he was able to reproduce the entire
scene and its details.
א וְשָׂרַי אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם, לֹא יָלְדָה לוֹ; וְלָהּ שִׁפְחָה מִצְרִית,
וּשְׁמָהּ הָגָר. 1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children; and she had
a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
although this is not officially a "title" for the ensuing chapter, it
encapsulates an initial situation from which the entire scene can be
reproduced. as i said in a previous remark, the "title" does not necessarily
provide a summary of the scene. but from the point
of view of information theory, it may be the most concise and informative
part of the text.
a "modern" approach for the same text may use a title such as "hagar in the
desert" or "ismael's youth" etc etc.
of course this artifact was not in use in the first millenium BC (and
earlier).
again, i undesrand and respect the opposite views which see these phrases as
linear part of the text, or as final summary.
nir cohen
On Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:59:59 -0400, Philip Hardy wrote
>
>
> I believe verse 1:1 of Genesis says "The mighty one made the
> matter(material) and the vast expanse(immaterial) between all matter."
>
> Then a period of time transpires. and in verse two we have continuance
> followed by narrative of processes.
>
> Philip Hardy
> From: Nir cohen - Prof. Mat.
> Sent: 08/29/12 11:25 AM
> To: steve AT voiceInWilderness.info, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] beginning or end?
>
>
steven,
quite a few chapters/paragraphs of genesis may be seen as an "initial
title", or a statement of intent, followed by a more detailed account.
the "title", though, does not always qualify as a true summary