Garden of Eden, Gen ch 2-3
A -"These are the generations"
-B -No field economy "no one to till the ground"
--C -Human beings given life, installed in Garden
---D -Man prefers human companionship over beasts
----E -Man calls his companion "Woman"
-----F -Etiological summary: "Therefore a man leaves.."
-------G -Human couple "naked ... and not ashamed"
---------H -Serpent promises "eyes will be opened"
----------X -Transgression
---------H' The couple's "eyes are opened"
------G' They experience shame
-----F' Etiological summary: "For .. you are dust .."
----E' Man calls his companion "Eve" (life bearer)
---D' Man and woman wear skins of beasts
--C' Humans expelled from Garden, denied immortality
-B' Field economy begins
A' Birth of a child completes one generation
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
[OT] Seven in Genesis 1
Occurrences of words in multiples of 7 in Genesis 1
Seven is an important number of perfection [Umberto Cassuto 12] in Hebrew thought. Seven (and other numbers such as 3, 12, 50, 70) figures prominently in other middle-eastern cultures (for example the Sumerians had seven "fate-decreeing" gods, and fifty "great" gods [http://www.ephemeris.com/history/mesopotamia.html]). Seven is used extensively in Genesis 1 and elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Seven is an important number of perfection [Umberto Cassuto 12] in Hebrew thought. Seven (and other numbers such as 3, 12, 50, 70) figures prominently in other middle-eastern cultures (for example the Sumerians had seven "fate-decreeing" gods, and fifty "great" gods [http://www.ephemeris.com/history/mesopotamia.html]). Seven is used extensively in Genesis 1 and elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Each of the three nouns in the introductory sentence (which express the basic concept of this chapter) are repeated in multiples of 7 [Umberto Cassuto 14-15]
"God" (Hebrew "Elohim"): 35 times (i.e. 7 X 5)
"Earth": 21 (7 X 3)
"Heavens" or "Firmament": 21
Seven "Let there" or "Let the" ...
Seven Days (of course)
"Light" and "Day": 7 times in 1st paragraph
-
"Light": 7 times in 4th paragraph. (Remember 1st & 4th paragraphs have a parallel relationship)
"Water": 7 times in 2nd & 3rd paragraph
"hayya" (rendered "living" or "beasts" in English): 7 times in 5th & 6th paragraph
"it was good": 7 times with the 7th occurrence "very good"
1st verse has 7 words (in Hebrew)
2nd verse has 14 words (in Hebrew)
7th paragraph has 35 words (in Hebrew, 5 X 7)
The 7th paragraph, dealing with the 7th day has these three (three was a common form of emphasis) consecutive sentences
And on the Seventh day, God finished His work which He had done
-
and He rested on the Seventh day from all His work which He had done
So God blessed the Seventh day and hallowed it.
There are many instances of the phenomena occurring beyond the 1st chapter, for example, there are 70 nations mentioned in chapter 10
Friday, March 12, 2010
[OT] Comparison of Ancient Middle Eastern Views of Creation
Each middle eastern culture essentially tells of an original uncreated water-universe. A firmament/sky/heaven/carcass holds back the waters for the earth. A god's wind/breath/air is an important component. A god (a child of the earth & sky) create man from clay to serve the gods.
Primordial State:
Actions of chief offspring or God.
* The Hebrew Poetic category is taken from Job, Psalms, Isaiah & Jeremiah -- and I'm sure could be expanded. The Egyptian elements are selections from various Egyptian cities. This timeline may help put these beliefs in chronological context.
Primordial State:
- Sumer: Primordial sea Nammu (mother of all) produces An and Ki
- Babylon: Apsu (Male, fresh water) and Tiamat (female, salt water -chaos)
- Canaan: Stationary creations exist in the egg Mot
- Egypt*: Nu & Naunet (snake) are the primal waters, (dark, mysterious and never-ending. The call of Amon broke the stillness of the primeval waters, causing the Ogdoad and ennead to form.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): The Waters are not created by God. His breath blows over the waters. Obscure reference to Tiamat ("the deep" - Tehom) may exist. Stationary creations are created first, followed by moving creations
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): No details given, however water is a topic in 5 of the 1st 10 verses.
- Hebrew (Poetic*):The great deep ruled over by the dragon Rahab and his helpers.
- Sumer: An (a hard, metallic disk) holds back the waters, filled with Lil (air)
- Babylon: Ribcage of Tiamat forms the heavens
- Canaan: Sky is formed, after which the waters are separated by the sky. Twin mountains hold up the firmament above the earth-circling ocean. Mt. Lel is the source of the two oceans and rivers -- and where the firmament meets the oceans.
- Egypt: Shu and Tefnut represent the emergence of an empty space amid the waters. The sky goddess is Nut. Amon (as the Sun) sails through the sky in his boat each day.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): A firmament ("heaven") is created to separate the waters
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J):
- Hebrew (Poetic):Heaven is like a curtain/ tent. Pillars hold up heaven.
- Sumer: Ki
- Babylon: Earth is the carcass of Tiamat - head is the mountains, clouds and rain from spittle
- Canaan:
- Egypt: Shu and Tefnut (air) produce the earth god Geb. A pyramid mount or city rises up from the waters.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): Dry land appears when the waters under the firmament are gathered together.
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Earth is originally dry, then watered by the fountains of the deep
- Hebrew (Poetic):Has a foundation with corner stones and strengthened fountains of the deep.
- Sumer: An and Ki produce Enlil, God of the air.
- Babylon: Apsu & Tiamat produce the gods who are noisy, and Apsu cannot sleep. Apsu suggests killing the gods, but they kill him.
- Canaan: Stationary creations are in the egg Mot, which gain motion when the egg is opened
- Egypt: Geb and Nut (earth and sky) produce four children, representing the forces of life: fertility and regeneration; motherhood; male & female sexuality.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P):
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): *Offspring of God implied when the Sons of God mate with the daughters of man (Gen 6)
- Hebrew (Poetic):*Offspring of God implied with multiple references to the Sons of God (Job)
Actions of chief offspring or God.
- Sumer: Enlil lifts An off Ki, creating a space of atmosphere ("lil") & creates life
- Babylon: Marduk god of light kills Tiamat
- Canaan: Baal (air/storm), Yam (sea) & Mot (death), part of the Elohim (gods) fight for kingship & favor from the supreme god El.
- Egypt:
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): God (Elohim) creates light, firmament, earth, plants, sun, moon & stars, birds, animals & man). The first three are stationary creations, the 2nd three moving. He does not create the Waters, which already existed. Multiple gods are implied.
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Causes it to rain, creates man, plants garden, creates animals, creates eve.
- Hebrew (Poetic):God cut Rahab and broke him into pieces. He measures the heavens and stretches them out like a tent / curtain. He laid a foundation with corner stones for the earth, dried the waters of the deep, strengthened the fountains of the deep & created a boundary preventing the deep from crossing onto the land.
- Sumer: Enlil is god of the air (lil), where life is created
- Babylon:
- Canaan: Baal is the god of Air (rider of the clouds)
- Egypt: Shu & Tefnut represent the empty space between the waters.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): The Ruah (wind / breath) of God blows / hovers over the primordial waters
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Yahweh blows the breath of life into man.
- Hebrew (Poetic):Yahweh is the rider of the clouds
- Sumer: Sun, moon and stars are bright parts of lil
- Babylon: Day created before the Sun, which acts as a marker for day.
- Canaan:
- Egypt: The sun is primary in Egyptian religion. The sun god Atum came from the primal waters by an act of will, independent of the other gods.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): Day & Light are created before sun and stars. The sun is to rule the day and give light to the earth.
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J):
- Hebrew (Poetic):
- Sumer: Enki, son of Enlil creates man in the image of the gods from clay (or blood mingled with clay from a slain god) .
- Babylon: Marduk slays Quingu while battling Tiamat, uses Quingu's blood mixed with clay to form man.
- Canaan:
- Egypt: Man is created from the tears of the sun-god Atum.
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): Male and female created by God(s) ("us") in His ("our") image.
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Yahweh creates man from the ground, who is lonely, so God creates animals, but they do not help him, so He creates Eve as a helper. The serpent tells them how to gain knowledge.
- Hebrew (Poetic):
- Sumer: Replace the igigi (lesser gods) as servants of the gods.
- Babylon: Man serves the gods.
- Canaan:
- Egypt:
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P): Given domain over the earth
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): Serves Yahweh by tending the garden
- Hebrew (Poetic):
- Sumer: Tigris and Euphrates come from the Abyss via Enki, the god of the abyss
- Babylon: Tigris and Euphrates flow form slain Tiamat's (the abyss) eyes
- Canaan: Rivers flow from Mt. Lil, home of the gods.
- Egypt: The Nile is central to Egyptian religion
- Hebrew ( Gen 1, P):
- Hebrew ( Gen 2, J): One river comes from Eden, splitting into four main rivers including the Euphrates
- Hebrew (Poetic):
* The Hebrew Poetic category is taken from Job, Psalms, Isaiah & Jeremiah -- and I'm sure could be expanded. The Egyptian elements are selections from various Egyptian cities. This timeline may help put these beliefs in chronological context.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
[OT] Webb, "Forgotten Women of God" (reviewed by Laura Compton)
Review
======
Title: Forgotten Women of God
Author: Diana Webb
Publisher: Bonneville Books (Cedar Fort)
Genre: Scriptural criticism, interpretation
Year Published: 2010
Number of Pages: xviii, 170, glossary, footnotes
Binding: Paper
ISBN10: n/a
ISBN13: 978-1-59955-384-9
Price: $13.99
Reviewed by Laura Compton
Anyone who's read the Old Testament is well aware that stories of women are few and far between. But there are places where these women's stories – as well as the stories of other inspiring women of that era and culture – may be found.
Diana Webb has compiled a number of these women's stories in "Forgotten Women of God." In pulling together the stories based on her master's thesis, Webb provides a readable and inspiring introduction to women of the Old Testament, The Apocrypha and the pseudepigrapha.
Lest modern readers unfamiliar with these extra-canonical books write them off as less-than-scriptural, Webb provides a brief history of the development of the Old Testament as we know it today. "The process of canonization is a long and complicated story," she writes in her introduction (xvii). "We don't know just when and why certain books became regarded as authoritative….Although these additions to the scriptures are not canonical, they often reflect the accepted theology and Jewish traditions of ancient times. I personally love gaining new insights into the lives of the 'forgotten' women found in these texts. I am blown away by the strength these amazing women possessed, and their examples have given me a new awareness of my role as a woman."
Webb introduces us to these women with the First Woman, Eve. She develops a theme that becomes the touchstone by which the rest of the women's stories are measured. Eve, Webb writes, has a legacy of being an "ezer". While modern readers often think of Eve's calling as being a helper to Adam, Webb describes a more accurate translation to be "power" or "strength." The ancient Hebrew roots of the word include rescuing, saving, succoring, strength and "to save from extremity, and to deliver from death." (3) Each of the women depicted in this book acts in some way with power or strength or rescues, saves, succors or delivers those around her – men, women, children and even countries.
In using this idea of "ezer" to bind these women together, Webb has turned her master's thesis into a layperson-friendly collection of stories of remarkable – and sometimes Biblically unnamed – heroines. Of course there are the stories of Hannah, Deborah, Jael, Miriam and Zipporah, but there are also stories of Sitis (Job's wife) and Naamah (Noah's wife), Susannah, Judith, Hagar, Asenath and Tamar. Some stories are expanded versions of familiar Old Testament women, but many will be unfamiliar to readers not well-versed in ancient writings.
Webb spends the majority of each chapter summarizing the women's stories as they are found in both Biblical and non-Biblical histories, adding explanations or commentary as needed to clarify confusing text or translations. After introducing the reader to each woman, Webb describes why she believes that woman followed in Eve's legacy – why that woman could be called an "ezer."
Footnote references are dotted throughout the text, providing support for Webb's interpretations of the women's stories, and a Glossary is included to help readers keep track of perhaps unfamiliar terms and compilations.
Anyone wanting to learn more about ancient near-Eastern women would find Webb's book intriguing and the women inspiring and captivating. It is definitely a book written with beginning students in mind – Webb takes great care to explain the sometimes intricate and puzzling web of ancient Jewish writing, lest one confuse Targum, Talmud, midrash, Septuagint, Torah, or any of a number Greek or Hebrew roots.
======
Title: Forgotten Women of God
Author: Diana Webb
Publisher: Bonneville Books (Cedar Fort)
Genre: Scriptural criticism, interpretation
Year Published: 2010
Number of Pages: xviii, 170, glossary, footnotes
Binding: Paper
ISBN10: n/a
ISBN13: 978-1-59955-384-9
Price: $13.99
Reviewed by Laura Compton
Anyone who's read the Old Testament is well aware that stories of women are few and far between. But there are places where these women's stories – as well as the stories of other inspiring women of that era and culture – may be found.
Diana Webb has compiled a number of these women's stories in "Forgotten Women of God." In pulling together the stories based on her master's thesis, Webb provides a readable and inspiring introduction to women of the Old Testament, The Apocrypha and the pseudepigrapha.
Lest modern readers unfamiliar with these extra-canonical books write them off as less-than-scriptural, Webb provides a brief history of the development of the Old Testament as we know it today. "The process of canonization is a long and complicated story," she writes in her introduction (xvii). "We don't know just when and why certain books became regarded as authoritative….Although these additions to the scriptures are not canonical, they often reflect the accepted theology and Jewish traditions of ancient times. I personally love gaining new insights into the lives of the 'forgotten' women found in these texts. I am blown away by the strength these amazing women possessed, and their examples have given me a new awareness of my role as a woman."
Webb introduces us to these women with the First Woman, Eve. She develops a theme that becomes the touchstone by which the rest of the women's stories are measured. Eve, Webb writes, has a legacy of being an "ezer". While modern readers often think of Eve's calling as being a helper to Adam, Webb describes a more accurate translation to be "power" or "strength." The ancient Hebrew roots of the word include rescuing, saving, succoring, strength and "to save from extremity, and to deliver from death." (3) Each of the women depicted in this book acts in some way with power or strength or rescues, saves, succors or delivers those around her – men, women, children and even countries.
In using this idea of "ezer" to bind these women together, Webb has turned her master's thesis into a layperson-friendly collection of stories of remarkable – and sometimes Biblically unnamed – heroines. Of course there are the stories of Hannah, Deborah, Jael, Miriam and Zipporah, but there are also stories of Sitis (Job's wife) and Naamah (Noah's wife), Susannah, Judith, Hagar, Asenath and Tamar. Some stories are expanded versions of familiar Old Testament women, but many will be unfamiliar to readers not well-versed in ancient writings.
Webb spends the majority of each chapter summarizing the women's stories as they are found in both Biblical and non-Biblical histories, adding explanations or commentary as needed to clarify confusing text or translations. After introducing the reader to each woman, Webb describes why she believes that woman followed in Eve's legacy – why that woman could be called an "ezer."
Footnote references are dotted throughout the text, providing support for Webb's interpretations of the women's stories, and a Glossary is included to help readers keep track of perhaps unfamiliar terms and compilations.
Anyone wanting to learn more about ancient near-Eastern women would find Webb's book intriguing and the women inspiring and captivating. It is definitely a book written with beginning students in mind – Webb takes great care to explain the sometimes intricate and puzzling web of ancient Jewish writing, lest one confuse Targum, Talmud, midrash, Septuagint, Torah, or any of a number Greek or Hebrew roots.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
[OT] Hebrew Priestly Tradition
Hebrew, Priestly tradition 550-400 BCE (Genesis 1) -- closely related to the Sumerian and Babylonian myths
- Yaweh's ruah (breath or wind, how "spirit" was defined at the time) moves over the primordial waters
- Day and night are created (before the sun)
- A firmament is created to separate the waters, and earth is created
- Vegetation is created, followed by the sun, Moon and stars.
- The 1st three creations are motionless, the 2nd three have motion (compare to the Canaanite egg Mot)
- Other life is created, followed by man & woman, who are told to multiply.
- They are given dominion over the earth (rather than being slaves to the gods as in other traditions)
- References to gods (plural)
[OT] Hebrew Jahwist cosmogony
Hebrews, The Jahwist tradition c 950 BC (Genesis 2:4-23)
- Yahweh creates the heavens and earth, no details provided
- Yahweh waters the earth and creates man from clay, followed by a garden.
- Man is assigned to tend the garden for Yahweh, but He realizes man is lonely and needs help and companionship, so creates animals
- Adam does not find a helper from the animals, so Yahweh creates woman
- They gain knowledge by heeding the advise of the serpent
- A river flows from Eden branching into four.
[OT] The story of Abraham
The story of Abraham is interesting. If you've read through it, you may have noticed some of the stories repeat themselves. For example, there are two incidents where a king want's Sarah to be his wive, so Abraham tells the king Sarah is his sister. (Gen 12:10-20; Gen 20:1-18)
These parallel stories are arranged in a chiastic format -- essentially like an elaborate sandwich with bread, mayo, mustard, lettus, cheeze and meat; followed by the same ingredients in reverse order. The meat lies at the center of the inverted parallel structure.
Understanding this can bring a seemingly random collection of stories to life. Comparing and contrasting the parallels often lead to further insight.
At the center of the Abraham chiasmus is the focal point -- Abraham's covenant with God. Below is the chiastic structure of Abraham. Note that C' and D' seem to be out of order.
Gen 11:21-22:19
These parallel stories are arranged in a chiastic format -- essentially like an elaborate sandwich with bread, mayo, mustard, lettus, cheeze and meat; followed by the same ingredients in reverse order. The meat lies at the center of the inverted parallel structure.
Understanding this can bring a seemingly random collection of stories to life. Comparing and contrasting the parallels often lead to further insight.
At the center of the Abraham chiasmus is the focal point -- Abraham's covenant with God. Below is the chiastic structure of Abraham. Note that C' and D' seem to be out of order.
Gen 11:21-22:19
A Display of faith: Abram leaves his homeland; the first promise 11:31–12:3
B Abram sojourns in Canaan 12:4-9
C The stay in Egypt; Abram passes Sarai off as his sister 12:10-20
D The separation of Abram, who has the promise, from Lot, who does not have the promise 13:1-18
E The rescue of Lot 14:1-24
F Abram's fears of infertility are allayed by the promise of a son; God makes a covenant 15:1-21
G Sarai's attempt to get a son: Ishmael 16:1-16
X THE COVENANT; Abram's new name, etc. 17:1-10
G´ Circumcision; the rejection of Ishmael and the promise of a son through Sarah 17:9-27
F´ Sarah is told of the promise of a son, despite her fears of infertility 18:1-15
E´ The rescue of Lot 18:16–19:38
C´ The stay in Gerar; Abraham passes Sarah off as his sister 20:1-18
D´ The birth of Isaac; the separation of Isaac, the child of the promise, from Ishmael, the child outside the promise 21:1-21
B´ Abraham sojourns among the Philistines 21:22-34
A´ Display of faith: Abraham is willing to sacrifice Isaac; the final promise 22:1-19
B Abram sojourns in Canaan 12:4-9
C The stay in Egypt; Abram passes Sarai off as his sister 12:10-20
D The separation of Abram, who has the promise, from Lot, who does not have the promise 13:1-18
E The rescue of Lot 14:1-24
F Abram's fears of infertility are allayed by the promise of a son; God makes a covenant 15:1-21
G Sarai's attempt to get a son: Ishmael 16:1-16
X THE COVENANT; Abram's new name, etc. 17:1-10
G´ Circumcision; the rejection of Ishmael and the promise of a son through Sarah 17:9-27
F´ Sarah is told of the promise of a son, despite her fears of infertility 18:1-15
E´ The rescue of Lot 18:16–19:38
C´ The stay in Gerar; Abraham passes Sarah off as his sister 20:1-18
D´ The birth of Isaac; the separation of Isaac, the child of the promise, from Ishmael, the child outside the promise 21:1-21
B´ Abraham sojourns among the Philistines 21:22-34
A´ Display of faith: Abraham is willing to sacrifice Isaac; the final promise 22:1-19
Saturday, March 6, 2010
[OT] Egyptian Cosmogonies
Egyptian cosmogonies are similar to those in the Middle East, but are dominated by the Sun and the Nile. Kings and some other noblemen could be gods, and regular people immortal. The Egyptian universe also emerged from primeval waters, with space hollowed out by Nun. The female Nut acted like the firmament holding back the waters (sometimes a cow or shell). The Sun (Ra) enters her mouth, passing through her star speckled body and emerging from her birth canal nine months later, from the spring equinox to the winter solstice (note Christian dating of the birth of Christ is based on conception on the spring equinox and birth at the winter solstice). Thus, Ra becomes a self-creating god, i.e. the Universe is self-creating and eternal. [http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~js/ast123/lectures/lec01.html]
The Egyptians realized the sun was the source of the day, who pushed back the darkness of the abyss. Major cities had their own unique theologies, often placing themselves at the focal point of creation.
Hermopolis (meaning "eight-town", after the Ogdoad)
Nu and Naunet are the primal waters with other god pairs (Ogdoad - Eight original gods) representing the never ending size of the waters, the darkness (Kuk and Kauket), & the mystery of the waters. The female gods are snakes, who merge with the male frogs causing a great upheaval and the pyramid mounds rises & the sun God rises from the pyramids to light the world.
Heliopolis
Atum, the sun god came from the waters of Nun through an act of will, creating everything else. Atum appeared on the mound and sneezed out the air gods Shu and Tefnutave., whose existence represented the emergence of an empty space amid the waters. Shu and Tefnut coupled to produce the earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut, who defined the limits of the world. Geb and Nut in turn gave rise to four children, who represented the forces of life: Osiris (fertility and regeneration); Isis (motherhood); Se (male sexuality); and Nephthys (female complement of Set). They are part of the Ennead, the nine original gods (apparently a variation of the Ogdoad in Hermopolis). The city Heliopolis was built to rise out of the waters. Mankind is formed from the tears of Atum after he weeps for joy on finding his lost children in the abyss.
Memphsis
Similar to Helopolis, but included Ptah, the patron of craftsmen. Atum was given form when he named him. By speaking their names, Ptah produced the gods and all other things (Compare "And God said, let there be ... and there was ...").
Thebes
Amon was the chief god, associated with the sun as Amon-Ra, who was self-created, and then created all else. He sailed through the sky in his boat each day. Amon was not merely a member of the Ogdoad (gods of the primordian waters), but the hidden force behind all things, existing separately from the created world as the first creator. One Theban myth likened Amon's act of creation to the call of a goose, which broke the stillness of the primeval waters and caused the Ogdoad and Ennead to form. Amon eventually became the supreme god of the Egyptian pantheon.
Greece had two traditions, one based on scientific observation and the other on myth. The mythical tradition begins with chaos. Gaia (mother earth) arose from chaos giving birth to Uraunus (the sky) who holds back the chaos. As in the middle east, a revolt among the gods leaves Zeus as the chief god.Tuesday, March 2, 2010
[OT] Hamblin on Genesis 1:1-2
Here are some useful videos by Dr. William J. Hamblin of Brigham Young University, combing through the Hebrew (and other) of the first two verses of Genesis [pointed out by the Mar 2010 FAIR newsletter].
Genesis 1:1a, "create"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lRGDeLlhho
Genisis 1:1b, "God/Gods"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66tWR9rZxU
Genesis 1:1c, "heavens"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ds0vFMVrSo
Genesis 1:2a, "chaotic wasteland"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v85N1jJzl8U
Genesis 1:2b, "the deep"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjzMeuM85LM
Genesis 1:2b(2), "the abyss"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duZQ-b7eLYY
Genesis 1:2c, "the Spirit"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRh5zfB60hU
Genesis 1:1a, "create"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lRGDeLlhho
Genisis 1:1b, "God/Gods"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66tWR9rZxU
Genesis 1:1c, "heavens"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ds0vFMVrSo
Genesis 1:2a, "chaotic wasteland"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v85N1jJzl8U
Genesis 1:2b, "the deep"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjzMeuM85LM
Genesis 1:2b(2), "the abyss"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duZQ-b7eLYY
Genesis 1:2c, "the Spirit"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRh5zfB60hU
Monday, March 1, 2010
[OT] Welcome
Thanks to those of you who just signed up for the Old-Testament group!
This list is an open forum for any sort of discussion regarding items related to the Old Testament (except proselyting or bashing).
Please feel free to post, ask questions, state your opinion, introduce topics, etc... Everyone is welcome!
Personally, I've been interested in understanding the early chapters of Genesis and the context of that book. I'm cleaning up some old notes and posting them. They're based on a nice commentary by Umberto Cassuto's on the early chapters of Genesis up through the flood, plus some other stuff I've run across on the Internet.
I'm fascinated with how the early Middle Eastern religions viewed the universe, and how it was created. Genesis seems to hint at, and challenge the conceptions of it's neighbors. There are both similarities and stark contrasts -- between the Hebrews and the Canaanites/ Babylonians/ Akkadians/ Sumerians/ Egyptians. I've been trying to understand each of their views of how the Universe was created (cosomgenies) and compare them.
Here is what has been posted recently (oldest at the bottom).
Thanks again for joining!
This list is an open forum for any sort of discussion regarding items related to the Old Testament (except proselyting or bashing).
Please feel free to post, ask questions, state your opinion, introduce topics, etc... Everyone is welcome!
Personally, I've been interested in understanding the early chapters of Genesis and the context of that book. I'm cleaning up some old notes and posting them. They're based on a nice commentary by Umberto Cassuto's on the early chapters of Genesis up through the flood, plus some other stuff I've run across on the Internet.
I'm fascinated with how the early Middle Eastern religions viewed the universe, and how it was created. Genesis seems to hint at, and challenge the conceptions of it's neighbors. There are both similarities and stark contrasts -- between the Hebrews and the Canaanites/ Babylonians/ Akkadians/ Sumerians/ Egyptians. I've been trying to understand each of their views of how the Universe was created (cosomgenies) and compare them.
Here is what has been posted recently (oldest at the bottom).
Thanks again for joining!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
