Dear George,
I agree of course that RQY( and $MYM are two independent nouns. When two such
nouns are in a construct construction, they form a unity. In many, or perhaps
most cases, the second noun modifies the first i some way. Which RQY(? The RQY(
of the heavens. You yourself has given the literal translation "over the
surface of the firmament of the sky," which confirms this modification.
In rare cases we find an appositional contruct, but there should be something
in the context that would justify this rare interpretation—that the the second
noun does not modify the first, but that both nouns are put on an equal
footing. If we have an appositional construct here, you still have problems
with your arguments of distinction between RQY( and $MYM. An appositional
construct would have the meaning: "the RQY(, that is, the heavens." In other
words, the heavens would be identical with the RQY(. You wrote to Ishnian:
"The birds fly through the sky, but the sky that is under the רקיע, which
stands as a dome-like roof above everything." These words are contradicted by
an appositional genitive, where the two words are identical and not distinct.
Where does the preposition "under" come from? What you need is an ablativic
genitive. But would you argue for the existence of such a genitive in this case?
Best regards,
Rolf Furuli
Stavern
Norway.
Tirsdag 4. September 2012 12:06 CEST skrev George Athas
<[email protected]>:
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
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