Rolf, The two elements that make up the construct phrase רקיע השׁמים are two independent nouns. That they are in construct does not mean they are to be equated any more than the expression בית יהוה equates a house with YHWH. The two independent nouns have two distinct semantic values within distinct semantic domains.
The real question I think you're asking is what is the nature of the construct here. How exactly does רקיע relate to שׁמים? Are they being equated in a way that we have an appositional construct? Well, in the case of Gen 1, yes I think there is an appositional construct. The רקיע is obviously closely related to the שׁמים such that the רקיע is seen as that which divides waters above from waters below and which is given the name שׁמים in Gen 1.6–8. The רקיע is that which the birds fly across the surface of in Gen 1.20. If the רקיע referred purely to the space between the waters above and the waters below — what we could call the sky/atmosphere — there would be no need to talk about its surface. And yet, just as the תהום has a surface such that darkness and the wind/spirit can hover across it (Gen 1.2), so the birds fly across the surface of the רקיע. The רקיע is evidently a surface that can be touched, just like the תהום. GEORGE ATHAS Dean of Research, Moore Theological College (moore.edu.au) Sydney, Australia _______________________________________________ b-hebrew mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
