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
<[email protected]>:
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
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