Notes on the Book of Genesis, Part I

(Chapters 1-7)

Introduction

Like the other series of Notes on the Lectio Divina Home Page, the scope of this document is quite specific. I do not examine the Book of Genesis from the scholarly point of view nor offer personal reflections under the guise of spiritual exhortations. Plenty of both exist, especially with such a foundational text as Genesis. In the other series of Notes–the Song of Songs, the Psalter, the Book of Revelation and the Book of Hebrews–I have adopted a stance in accord with lectio divina. This special prayerful way of reading Scripture is outlined in the Introductions to these other Notes. Thus there is no need to repeat the method here since I adopt the same approach with regard to Genesis. The practice of lectio allows the meditative reader to assemble scriptural references around a given Genesis verse not with the purpose of gaining knowledge but as a means of being in touch with divine reality. For this reason, the observations are given in a matter-of-fact way. They are just listed in the common sense of being put out there to assist the reader in making his or her own associations with various scriptural passages. Usually such passages have in common a particular Hebrew verbal root. These verbs can be used in different senses which allows for a more subtle appreciation of the texts.

The Hebrew language is especially well suited for lectio divina, a fact not fully appreciated from the Christian point of view. Its fundamental strength is that a single word can have multiple meanings allowing for a much wider scope of interpretation...but interpretation at the service of lectio divina which finds fulfillment in contemplation. The Hebrew language is largely built upon the verbal root system; nouns are more or less secondary–in the sense of being subordinate–and are best understood in light of the verbs from which they are derived. Thus you cannot get as good a grasp on a Hebrew text as with a Greek one, the New Testament being the chief example. Because of this fluidity, Hebrew excels for speaking about divine reality and the human response to it. The Hebrew language simply refuses to be pinned down, simple as that. Since authors of the Greek New Testament make frequent reference to the Old, it is interesting to situate those verse they quote in light of the Hebrew original because it helps shed new light on the person of Jesus Christ. Attention will be made to those Genesis verses employed by the New Testament.

One side note with regard to the value of Hebrew’s verbal root system. Within this Home Page are two sets Notes dealing with the book of Hebrews and Revelation, two New Testament texts, and therefore written in Greek. The approach taken there is different because prepositions in Greek are vital both in themselves and as prefixed to nouns and verbs. These prepositions impart a physical, almost geographical, feel to the written text, one very different from a book written in the Hebrew language.

Each and every verse of Genesis is not examined, only those which I have considered as having a direct bearing upon the practice lectio divina as an aide to contemplation. As with the non-historical books already posted on this Home Page, it was much easier to do a line-by-line commentary. Much of Genesis is historical, so from time to time only key elements of several verses will be examined. Take, for example, numerous genealogies. Some Church Fathers tended toward an overly allegorical approach in an attempt to drawn more from them than actually present or needed for their audiences. They have value in their own right, but such is not the intent in this document.

The English version used here is the Revised Standard Version taken from The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha (New York, 1973). For the most part, transliterated Hebrew words are given in the singular (nouns) and present tense (verbs).

A Supplement is attached to this document which consists of those (transliterated) Hebrew words commented upon. The reader may wish to consult the other supplements to the Song of Songs and the Psalter. That is to say, these lists of Hebrew words has may be of value to cross reference with the Genesis supplement. In this way a given word may be examined in all three books. (NB: the Supplement will be posted only once the entire Book of Genesis has been completed).

This document is divided into three Parts for easier viewing. Part I covers Chapters One through Seven. Part II covers Chapters Eight through Twenty-Two. Part III covers Chapters Twenty-Three through Fifty or the end of Genesis.

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Chapter One

Vs. 1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

In the beginning (bere’sheyth): the preposition b- (in) prefixed to the noun re’shyth which also means “first fruits, chief” in the sense of that which is most excellent; it is related to ro’sh (head) and is akin to the Greek arche which is used in the LXX. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” [Jn 1.1]. Also cf. Is 46.10: “declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done.” Here the notion of re’shyth is bound up with the end (‘acharyth) in the sense of that which is after; note that Isaiah inverts the sequence, that is, starting from the “end.”

The preposition b- suggests full presence of re’shyth within, that is the creative action of God with regards to his activity; the verb bara’ is used for to create; it is as though everything which follows has its roots within re’shyth. The verb bara’ means “to cut,” “to carve out:” the notion is that created things are carved from an intemporal commencement yet participating within it. “Behold, I create...carve out...Jerusalem a rejoicing” [Is 65.18].

Two objects of this bara’: heavens (shamyaym) and earth (‘eretz). Note the particle ‘eth which signifies the object of action by a verb and is untranslatable. It is as though this word–composed of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph and tahv)–represented the beginning and completion of creation at God’s first creative act. Compare this insight with: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” [Rev 1.8].

In the verse at hand, heavens and earth are two extremes of creation, one above and the other below. The particle ‘eth is situated before each; the same applies to subsequent stages of creation.

Vs. 2: The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.

Earth is mentioned first; no word of heaven (i.e., the sky or the firmament) until vs. 8. Two characteristics of ‘eretz at this stage: without form (tohu) and void (bohu), two words which rhyme in Hebrew. The Greek LXX has aoratos and akataskeuastos respectively: invisible and (literally) unstable. The former Hebrew word refers to what is wasted as well as suggesting water: “Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts” [Ps 42.7]. The latter means something void and empty; the only two other references: 1) “and the plummet of chaos over its nobles” [Is 34.11]. 2) “I looked on the earth and lo, it was waste (tohu) and void” [Jer 4.23].

Both tohu and bohu connote lack of life which is re-enforced by the term choshek or darkness. “Stretch out your hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt” [Ex 10.21]. In the verse at hand, choshek has a specific location: upon (hal) not just the deep or tehom but upon its face or surface. Compare with Gen 7.11: “All the fountains of the great deep burst forth” in reference to the flood and Noah.

The divine Spirit or Ruach is next presented as being on this same face (penay), only “waters” is inserted. Compare with the “face” of tehom just noted. More specifically, the Spirit was moving (rachaph), a verb also meaning “to brood over” in the sense of cherishing. “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions” [Dt 32.11].

Vs. 3: And God said, “Let there be light;” and there was light.

Note the frequent use of “and” which continues throughout the discourse of creation; it is intended to link all the pieces together into a unity as well as an aide to make for easier recollection by hearers in a predominantly oral society.

The first utterance by God which associates him with light (‘or). The words “let there be” which occur throughout the creation narrative lend a certain majesty and intimate involvement in the process. Furthermore, this process is implied as continuous, not static. “And there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; they did not see one another...but all the people of Israel had light where they dwelt” [Ex 10.22-3]. For the association of light (phos) with Jesus Christ, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” [Jn 1.5].

In the verse at hand, light is coupled with the divine saying (“Let there be”), another way to express the coming into being. This and the verse at hand which pertains to creation may be read in light of Ps 33.6: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.” Here the word for breath is the same for Spirit in vs. 2, ruach.

Here at the beginning of God’s creative action, keep in mind that the author of Genesis speaks only of physical creation. Col 1.16 intimates a spiritual order: “for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities.”

Vs. 4: And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

After having “spoken” light and bringing it into existence, God “sees” (the common verb ra’ah is used) that light was good (tov). This is the first mention of tov with respect to creation and follows with regard to subsequent days.

Immediately after the four-fold gesture of speaking, bringing into existence, seeing and calling light good, God separates (badal)...in the sense of distinguishing...light from darkness; the preposition beyn (from) is used which better translates as “between.” Beyn connotes less a sharp differentiation of two opposites as an alteration between the two. For another used of the verb at hand, cf. Lev 10.10: “You are to distinguish between the holy and the common and between the unclean and the clean.”

Vs. 5: God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

A further refinement of the most basic creative force, light, in terms of Day (capitalized in the RSV) or yom. Both day/light God calls (qara’) in the sense of summoning or crying out, that is, as distinct from the act of imparting a name. Compare this verb used with regard to the first man: “The man gave names (‘called names’) to all the cattle” (etc., 2.20).

The second sentence of vs. 5 differentiates light/darkness into a familiar circadian cycle or evening (herev) and morning (boqer). “You make the outgoings of the morning and the evening to shout for joy” [Ps 65.8]. The word outgoings or motsa’ (singular), pertains to two extremes of the day; the fundamental meaning is that of a source: “I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water” [Is 41.18].

The division between (again, keeping in mind beyn noted in the previous verse) light (day)/darkness (night) results in “one day” which better reads “day one.” The presence of the adjective after the noun is more significant; it reads like a chapter of a book as well as imparting a greater formality to the first of seven days of creation. ‘Echad (one) is the numeral as well as implying a unity.

Vs. 6: And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”

The second utterance or “saying” by God, here with respect to a firmament or raqeyah; from the verbal root raqah meaning to spread or to beat out as by a hammer. “And gold leaf was hammered out and cut into threads to work into the blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design” [Ex 30.3]. Here the action of raqah applies to an overlay of thin material. Also, cf. Job 37.18: “Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a molten mirror?”

In the verse at hand, the firmament is a separation (beyn again, for the English verb) between two waters. Such waters are akin to the divine activity of distinguishing between light/day, darkness/night. The firmament is “in the midst (betok) of the waters” or in their very center, making an equal division between the two which are composed of the same material.

The firmament is present almost as an animate being in that it has the capacity of making this separation. Note the Hebrew wording: “from (min) the waters to (l-) the waters.”

Vs. 7: And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so.

This verse contains the first use in God’s creative action through the common verb hasah (to make) which occurs after his “letting it be;” it suggests a coming into concrete existence as opposed to something more or less intentional. The firmament is again presented as separating (badal); it is used with the preposition beyn or “in between” with respect to the waters: “under” and “above.”

The simple sentence “And it was so” is added to affirm, as it were, the physical gesture of hasah. Refer to Noah in Gen 7.11 as noted in vs. 2. While Noah was riding the flood waters, he was, in a sense, beyn the two waters, under and above.

Vs. 8: And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

An identification of firmament introduced in vs. 6 and here termed Heaven (shamaym); also note the verb qara’ (to call) first used in vs. 5. Shamaym is also used for air in vs. 26: “over the birds of the air.” This identification perhaps ties in with the measurement of the sun’s course throughout a given year as well as astronomical observations, both of which were used for calendar purposes.

Also the bounds of day and night are mentioned (first used in vs. 5 with the RSV capitalizing Day and Night). Here we have the “second day” or better, “day two.” Note that God does not call “day one” and “day two” tov (good), a term which applies to the other five days of creation.

Vs. 9: And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.”

As with the other creative forces released by God in the Genesis account, this one brings the waters and dry land into existence, letting them develop on their own, as it were, while retaining their rootedness in God.

The waters of which Genesis now speaks are located under the heavens as opposed to those above (cf. vs. 7); presumably the latter do not need to be so gathered. The verb to gather together is qawah; it also means “to be strong,” “to await.” For another reference paralleling the Genesis use, cf. Jer 3.17: “At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it.” For a verse with the other meaning, cf. Ps 25.3: “Yes, let none who wait for you be put to shame.” Qawah suggests that anything subject to its action once enjoyed a unity which had been fractured.

One place (maqom ‘echad): keeping in line with the more meaningful “day one” (etc.), this phrase can read “place one.” Maqom (the LXX has sunagoge) suggests an abode or habitation. “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will let you dwell in this place” [Jer 7.3].

“Place one” is the locus for the appearance (ra’ah, the verb to see; here it reads in Hebrew “to be seen”) of dry land or yabashah, a fundamental differentiation parallel to that between day and night already recounted. This noun is derived from the verbal root yavash, to be dry; another use of the noun is Ex 14.22: “And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.” This piling up of the Red Sea bears a certain correspondence with the primal waters above and below the firmament.

Vs. 10: God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called seas. And God saw that it was good.

An equivalent of yabashah with earth or ‘ertz which also can mean “country:” “scattered them among the countries” [Ezk 11.16]. Note that yabashah is prefixed by the preposition l- (to); i.e., God called “to the dry land earth.” The verse intimates a sense that ‘ertz as “country” foretells human inhabitation.

Gathered (qawah): a second use of this verb first noted in the previous verse with regard to waters under the heavens which in the verse at hand are called (note second use in the same verse of qara’, to call) seas, hamayim. The waters which had been indistinct up to this point assume the form of oceanic bodies to which the earth gives delineation or shape.

As with the five uses of tov (good) or day three onwards, there exists a direct correspondence between divine seeing and goodness which flows from it.

Vs. 11: And God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth.” And it was so.

Here ‘ertz is the basis or platform, as it were, for the earth-bound forms of life that will follow. The verse at hand enumerates three types which the earth puts forth (dasha’; the only other use is Jl 2.22: “Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green.”):

1) vegetation (deshe’): in the sense of “fresh sprouts” or herbage which animals eat. Note that it is derived from dasha’ (put forth) noted just above. “You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass” [Is 66.14].

2) plants (hesev): alternately “herb:” “When no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up” [2.5]. In the verse at hand, such plants yield seed (zerah) which can also mean descendant: “I will establish your descendants forever and build your throne for all generations” [Ps 89.4].

3) fruit trees (hetz pery): these yield fruit or pery and contain seed, the same term noted in #2.

Verse twelve fills out the one under discussion and concludes with God seeing that it was good.

Verse thirteen sums up the previous two verses dealing with the theme of vegetation, i.e., “day three.”

Vs. 14: And God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years,

The theme of lights (ma’or) continues through vs. 19; ma’or is related to the common noun of similar meaning (‘or), and the former seems to be a particular instance of the latter. For an example of ma’or, cf. Num 4.9: “And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover the lamp stand for the light.” With this verse in mind, the Genesis image bears a certain parallel with God lighting the temple lights. Their function is to separate (badal) day from night, this verse having been encountered in vss. 4 & 7.

Not only do lights (in the firmament and temple) embody a separating role (note further use of beyn, between), they have a four-fold task related to measurement of space and time:

1) signs (‘oth): this term can refer to anything which cannot itself be seen, as pointing to something else. “You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you” [Gen 17.11].

2) seasons (mohed): also connotes a (religious) festival as well as a place in which an assembly is held. For the latter, cf. Ps 74.8: “They burned all the meeting places of God in the land.”

3) days: not as specific as the first two but perhaps referring to the division between light and darkness.

4) years: in the sense of the calendar year.

All four can be summed up by Jer 31.34-6: “Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night...If this fixed order departs from before me, says the Lord, then shall the descendants of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.”

Vs. 15 completes the sentence begun in the previous verse; here the lights in the firmament are intended to “give light upon the earth” as opposed to being markers, as it were, for various occasions and as means to delineate the passage of time.

Vs. 16: And God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also.

Another use of ma’or for lights referring to the sun and moon respectively. Both are created to rule (mashal); the verbal root means “to make like, resemble.” With this in mind, mashal connotes a making-like by the power in charge over its subjects. “Yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you” [Gen 3.16].

The addition of stars are almost an afterthought; perhaps the author of Genesis was wary of astrology which is opposed to the Hebraic religion. For a positive sense, cf. Bar 3.34: “The stars shone in their watches and were glad; he called them, and they said, ‘Here we are!’ They shone with gladness for him who made them.”

Vss. 17-9 continue the theme of these two lights and concludes their creation with “day four.” Vs. 18 again uses the verb badal (to separate) with reference to day and night.

Vs. 20: And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens.”

Bring forth (sharats): this verb conveys a somewhat uneasy feeling and connotes multiplication as well as creeping on the ground even though the context pertains to fish, etc.; from it is derived the noun “swarms.” “But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong so that the land was filled with them” [Ex 1.7].

Here firmament means the sky proper, whereas earlier references as vs. 6 suggest a larger sphere. The Hebrew text literally reads, “on the face of the firmament of heaven;” it is almost as though birds were a permanent feature of this realm.

Vs. 21: So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves with which the waters swarm according to their kinds and every winged bird according to its kind.

This verse fleshes out the previous one as in earlier examples by saying that God created these beings after his initial “let” or exercise of divine volition.

In addition to “living creatures,” vs. 21 says that God created “great sea monsters” (tanyn) which could mean a whale or crocodile. “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lies in the midst of his streams” [Ezk 29.3].

This same verse mentions “every living creature” (nephesh), this word commonly translated as “soul” in the sense as having the breath of life. “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity” [1 Kg 1.29]. Vs. 21 specifies such a nephesh as one which moves or ramas; this verb means “to creep,” “to crawl,” and is akin to sharats (to swarm) and is often used referring to smaller forms of animal life: “...of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind” [Gen 6.20]. Also note the play on words (nephesh/ramash)...as though these “souls” were “creeping” on the ground.

Kinds (myn): as in vs. 11 with regard to fruit trees.

Vs. 22: And God blessed them saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

This is the first occasion when God blessed (barak) his created beings, namely, those in the water and the birds. The verb has the fundamental meaning of “to kneel;” it can be used by God or by persons with respect to God. For a verse similar to this one, cf. Gen 9.1: “And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.”

The divine blessing has three aspects: be fruitful (para’), multiply (ravah)–the latter in the sense of being great–and fill (mala’) the waters. All three verbs correspond respectively to waters (i.e., filling them) and birds (i.e., multiplying, second use of ravah). Note that birds were mentioned in vs. 20 as situated in the firmament, their proper environment.

Vs. 23 says that the blessing to be fruitful and multiply constitute “day five.”

Vs. 24 speaks of “living creatures” (nephesh) along with cattle, creeping things and beasts of the earth followed in vs. 25 by God actually making them. That is, following the sequence of “letting” them come into existence by an act of divine volition.

Vs. 26: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

The creation of man is the first instance where God uses the first person plural (“let us”); this “day six” (cf. vs. 31) is the final day of creation before God takes his rest (cf. 2.2).

Man (‘adam): from a verbal root meaning “to be red” and as pertaining to the color of earth. The noun is often used to describe the human race as opposed to a member of the male sex. The New Testament adapts this term as a title pertaining to Jesus Christ, that is, in his human nature: “...eternal life which the Son of man will give to you” [Jn 6.27].

“Man” is endowed with two important characteristics:

1) image (tselem): also connotes a shadow as well as an idol. For the former, cf. Ps 73.20: “They are like a dream when one awakes, on awaking you despise their phantoms.” The LXX has eikon, a central insight developed by the Greek Fathers of the Church.

2) likeness (demuth): in the sense of an appearance, connoting a “lesser” reality than image. “As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction” [Ezk 1.16]. The LXX has homoiosis, an equally important term in the Greek patristic tradition.

Note that the verse at hand has the first person plural pronoun (“our”) attached to both terms. Two observations here: 1) that man as being made in the divine image and likeness is set apart and elevated about the rest of creation described thus far and 2) the words “let us make” combined with “our” can signify a spontaneous exclamation by God, as though he hit upon an extraordinary, fine idea and decided to proceed with its execution.

A distinction is made between the two terms: “in our image” and “after our likeness.” The former suggests a presence/fitting-in of man with regard to image. The latter, that likeness imitates or follows after this “in-ness” and becomes similar to it.

The attribute which flows immediately from man being made in the divine image and likeness is that of domination over the rest of creation. The verb used is radah which has the somewhat negative connotation of treading something. “The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning” [Ps 49.14] for which the RSV has “Straight to the grave they descend.”

Radah is exercised over five categories: fish of sea, birds of air, cattle, all the earth, creeping thing. Note that “all the earth” does not contain a specific kind of animal but the place where land animals live. The preposition over (b-) is prefaced to each of the five categories; it signifies presence-in as opposed to exercising a type of lordship commonly understood. Also note that b- is prefaced to image and likeness (“in” and “after”). Thus the over/in sense of b- suggests a transference of sorts of a human being made in the divine image and likeness into the five categories under which fall the command of radah.

The theme of domination is recounted in Ps 8.6: “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet.” Here the verb mashal is used instead of radah; mashal connotes the exercise of rule and is a fuller sense than radah.

Vs. 27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

The previous verse had God making (hasah) whereas the one at hand has creating (bara’). The former is a common verb used for the fabrication of any type of object whereas the latter involves the application of artistic skill. You might say that hasah with regard to image and likeness is a first draft from which the second or final form is derived. Here again the preposition b- is prefaced to image and likeness, full presence of divinity in man.

The second part of vs. 27 more or less restates the first part, reversing the terms. The first part has God creating man “in his own image” whereas the second, “in the image of God.” It is as though God wanted to get it right this time after having made (hasah) man as first draft which was noted in the previous section.

The second part concerns man (‘adam) or a human being apart from any sexual distinction who is consequently divided into the genders of male (zakar) and female (neqevah) which are similarly created (bara’). Compare this with Gal 3.18: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Vs. 28: And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

First a blessing (bara’) followed by a five-fold injunction which may be outlined as follows:

1) be fruitful (parah): applies both to fruit-bearing trees as well as to animals and humans. This command bears a parallel to the one after the flood: “And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth’” [Gen 9.1].

2) multiply (ravah): cf. vs. 22 with respect to “day five” of creation as well as the Noah/flood verse just mentioned.

3) fill (mala’): cf. vs. 22 and the Noah/flood verse. These first three injunctions refer to the earth.

4) subdue (kavas): from this verbal root is derived keves or lamb; implied is that such subduing is a kind of softening as opposed to forceful compliance.

5) have dominion (radah): as in vs. 26 after God made man in his image and likeness. In the verse at hand, radah pertains to fish, birds and living things on the earth. Again, the preposition b- (over in the sense of “in”) is used for all three. The verb ramas (to move) more specifically means “to creep” and can apply to small animals as well as to reptiles; cf. vs. 21.

Vs. 29: And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.

These words uttered by God continue into the next verse.

Behold (hineh): used as a means of getting attention, that is, the man and woman. The verse at hand concerns plants for food as opposed to “every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants” [Gen 9.3]. Perhaps the word seed (zerah; cf. its verbal root) as in vs. 11 implies propagation or continued existence which here at the beginning of creation is important to keep in mind. “You caused the grass to grow for the cattle and plants for man to cultivate” [Ps 104.14].

Vs. 30: And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

The three major divisions of living beings (beasts of earth, bird, creeping thing) receive as their food “every green plant” (yereq hesev). “For the land which you are entering to take possession of is not like the land of Egypt...like a garden of vegetables” [Dt 11.10]. The first word means anything green and has the alternate meaning “to spit.” The second is found in vs. 11 (plants). Each category of beings has the preposition l- (to, for) prefaced to it.

“Breath of life” (nephesh): cf. vs. 11, “living creature.”

“And it was so:” found in vss. 7 & 11.

Vs. 31: And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

Saw (ra’ah): only noted in vss. 4 & 10, “day one” and “day three.”

Use of behold (hineh as in vs. 29) and very good (tov me’od) go hand-in-hand with the divine seeing which effected the similarly divine making. “Day six” is the only day with the adverb me’od which connects anything excessive.

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Chapter Two

Vs. 1: Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them.

Finished (kalah): with reference to two extremes of physical creation, heavens and earth, as well as their host. This verb involves a completion, a development of Genesis’ opening words, “In the beginning” where, as noted, re’shyth pertains to that divine initiative which set creation in motion. The LXX has sunteleo for kalah; the noun telos derives from this verb which signifies something having come to perfection as well as an end. “In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished” [Ezra 1.1].

Host (tsava’): often used in the plural and connotes an army. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” [Is 6.3]. In the verse at hand, tsava’ can mean those animate and/or inanimate beings which populate the two regions...protecting them as an army, as it were.

Vs. 2: 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.

Finished (kalah): as in vs. 1 which has this verb in the passive (“were finished”); here kalah is active or directly associated with God (“God finished”). Also a day is assigned in accord with the reckoning of Genesis: “day seven.” This day is traditionally held as the Sabbath in Jewish and Christian traditions when no work is to be done. However, note that God seemed to have been still working on “day seven;” i.e., he finished it on that day.

Seventh or seven: (shevah): a number signifying perfection; cf. kalah/sunteleo already noted in vss. 1 & 2. It is derived from the verbal root “to swear” (an oath). “...out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” [Ex 33.1]. The number seven plays an important role in the fall of Jericho (cf. Jos 6): seven priests, seven trumpets, seventh day. Implied in vs. 2 is that “day seven” is a “day of oath.”

Work (mela’kah): associated with “finished” and “done;” from the verbal root mala’ as in 1.22: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas.” Thus God’s “work” involves a completion as with the verb kalah. “Twenty-four thousand of these shall have charge of the work in the house of the Lord” [1 Chron 23.4].

Rested (shavath): note the similar sound with shevah, seven(th). From this word comes the Sabbath, the Day of Rest. The primary idea is a kind of sitting still, of sitting down after having been in a standing position. “You have founded a bulwark because of your foes to still the enemy and the avenger” [Ps 8.2].

In the verse at hand, the divine rest occurs on “day seven (oath).” God rests from (m-or min) his work, that is, he separates himself from creative activity characterized by day one through day six. These six days are marked by divine work or mela’kah, the second use of this word in vs. 2.

Vs. 3: So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.

Blessed (barak): as in vss. 22 & 8 of Chapter One, that is, with respect to sea monsters, water creatures and birds as well as man and woman. “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works:” the same verse more or less cited in Heb 4.4 which develops the concept of rest (cf. Notes on the Letter to the Hebrews on this Home Page).

Hallowed (qadash): in the sense of dedicating “day seven” as distinct from the six days of creation. “...and shall anoint it (altar), to consecrate it” [Ex 29.6].

“On it:” as in vs. 2; both instances use the preposition b- (in) prefixed to the noun which intimates a presence in.

Vs. 4: These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

Chapter Two 4b-3.24 belongs to another tradition from 1.1-2.4a. As a footnote in the RSV points out, man is created before vegetation, animals and woman.

Generations (toldoth): from the verbal root yalad, to give birth. This term applies to a genealogical account or history pertaining to families. “These are the generations of Noah” [Gen 6.9]. It corresponds to the genealogy of Jesus Christ which opens Matthew’s Gospel: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Here an account of the human race’s origins gradually narrows down to the birth of Christ, that is, the rise of each generation is a self-perpetuating process compared with the toldoth of heavens and earth of vs. 4 which were created (bara’).

The second sentence in vs. 4 continues through the next few verses and comes to a conclusion in vs. 7. Note the preposition b- (in) prefixed to “day,” another indication that God is fully present within it. Here the phrase Lord God (YHWH ‘Eloheym) is introduced as opposed to the simple use of ‘Eloheym in the earlier creation account. Vs. 4 brings us to “day one” (not explicitly mentioned) and unravels it, so to speak, with man’s creation in vs. 7 onwards.

Vs. 5: when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up–for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground;

The author speaks of plants, herbs and rain which suggest that he is living in an arid land. The two types are as follows:

1) plant (syach): from a verbal root “to produce,” “to speak,” “to sing.” The noun refers more to a bush in the sense of a shrub. “When the water in the skin was gone, she (Hagar) cast the child under one of the bushes” [Gen 21.15].

2) herb (hesev): as in vss. 11 & 30.

Rain (matar): note the verbal form or the hiphil: “caused it to rain” or indirect action by the Lord God almost as though there were an intermediate between him and the rain. Use of the hiphil can indicate that the noun performing the action does so on its own accord yet influenced by another (divine) action.

This verse shows a close connection between plants, herbs, rain and man (‘adam). Note the association of ‘adam with ground (‘adamah). “Until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken” [Gen 3.19]. Compare ‘adamah with ‘eretz (earth), the latter suggesting the planet as a whole or a particular country.

The verb havad (to till) is used; it commonly means “to labor,” “to work,” and may be taken to anticipate the banishment of man from the Garden of Eden noted just above.

Vs. 6: but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground–

Mist (‘ed): the only other reference is Job 36.27: “For he draws up the drops of water, he distills his mist in rain.” Note the difference between ‘ed and the primeval waters upon which the Spirit was moving (1.2): the former has its source from the ‘ertz, vapor-like.

The purpose of this mist is to give water (shaqah): “From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work” [Ps 104.13]. A noun derived from this verbal root is butler: “Some time after this, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt” [Ex 40.1]. With this verse in mind, the mist acts as a kind of servant to provide nourishment.

Mention of “face” with respect to ground (‘adamah) suggests the earth’s surface, that it is not threatening like the primeval waters at the beginning of Genesis nor like the destructive floods of Noah.

Vs. 7: then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

The completion and fulfillment of the lengthy sentence begun in vs. 4.

Formed (yatsar): compare with the earlier verbs “to create,” “to make.” Yatsar has the sense of making a vessel of earthenware: “You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” [Ps 2.9]. This verb also connotes destiny: “I formed you, you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me” [Is 44.21].

The object of divine yatsar is man or ‘adam, that is, from dust (haphar) of the ground (‘adamah). Compare with Prov 8.26: “Before he had made the earth with its fields or the first of the dust of the world.” This verse speaks of Wisdom, the first of God’s creation, who “was beside him like a master workman” [vs. 30]. The dryness of this dust may be situated in the context of the watering of earth in the previous verse.

Breathed (yaphach): intimates a sighing or panting: “For false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence” [Ps 27.12]. The purpose of this verb is to animate man; God effects this through his nostrils, that is, he exhales or sighs into them.

Breath (neshamah): from a verbal root meaning “to pant” and akin to yaphach. “At your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils” [Ps 18.15]. In the verse at hand, this breath is associated with life resulting in ‘adam becoming a living being (lenephesh chayah). The use of this noun (nephesh or being) was encountered in 1.21: “So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves.” Note the preposition l- prefixed to this noun, as though God’s breath were imparted towards ‘adam as this “living being.”

Compare this second account of creation in Genesis with Ps 104.29: “When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.” Here the word is ruach (alternately, spirit). Note the use of dust or haphar in the verse under discussion.

Vs. 8: And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Creation of this garden in Eden is the first mention in Genesis of a particular place as opposed to general terms such as sea, earth and so forth. The text presupposes that Eden had already existed, almost that it was in existence before physical creation.

Planted (natah): in the sense of setting something firm or fixed. For an alternate use, cf. Is 51.16: “stretching out the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”

A garden (gan) intimates cultivation, of divine or human intervention with respect to the “uncultivated” elements of creation mentioned thus far. “A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a garden locked, a fountain sealed” [Sg 4.12]. The Song verse speaks of what is typically associated with a garden, an area enclosed by walls to set it apart from that which lies outside. However, the garden in Genesis does not require such protection for nothing hostile to it exists. Perhaps the author has in mind that tohu and bohu of 1.2 which is the furthest reality from a garden.

Note the three-fold description: garden, Eden (Heden) and east (qedem), the last two terms having a similar sound but have different verbal roots. The former suggests delight or pleasure: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering” [Ezk 28.13]. An alternate use of the latter is a preposition (before), perhaps suggesting being before the sunrise.

God’s placing man in the three-fold location of garden-Eden-east suggests that this man was in another place, so to speak, after having been fashioned “from the ground” [vs. 7]. Such a transferal from a non-spacial/temporal realm to a concrete place is, in a sense, reminiscent of the transferal of some Old Testament prophets as well as John the Evangelist: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” [Rev 1.10]. In this instance as with some others, there is a movement from a specified location to one transcending it.

Vs. 9: And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Ground (‘adamah): the source of the first man or ‘adam; that is, both he, trees providing nourishment as well as the tree containing knowledge with respect to good and evil, have one and the same source.

Grow (tsamach): another instance of hiphil as in vs. 6 (“caused to rain”). This verb pertains to anything which sprouts: “Let the earth open that salvation may sprout forth, and let it cause righteousness to spring up also” [Is 45.8].

The first tree is both pleasant (chamad) to the eyes and good (tov) for eating. The first adjective pertains to anything which is coveted. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house” [Ex 20.17]. Although the text does not explicitly state it, these trees seem to be located in the very midst (betok) of the garden, an axis, so to speak, around which the rest of this garden revolves.

The second tree occupies the same betok or central position and is the one of life (chayym). Note that in vs. 7 God breathes into the man’s nostrils the breath of life. Association of life with a tree is rich in Jewish and Christian symbolism, the latter seeing it an image of Christ’s cross. “Through the middle (i.e., betok) of the street of of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month” [Rev 22.2].

This tree of life which apparently occupies the same location as the others differs from them in that it is singular (as opposed to the plurality of the others). Another way of viewing this is that the tree of life is central whereas the others cluster around it. The singular tree contains knowledge or dahath which connotes an intimate relationship both of good (tov) and of evil (rah). “She (the personification of wisdom) is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy” [Prov 3.18].

Vs. 10: A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.

River (nahar): reminiscent of Rev 22.1-2; note that one river occurs at the beginning of creation and the other at the end or fulfillment of history: “Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city.” In the verse at hand, the river has its source within Eden or from a subterranean source (cf. vs. 6, “a mist...watered the whole face of the ground”). Note the use of the verb shaqah in that verse as well as vs. 10.

Divided (parad): this verb connotes scattering or dispersal which in the verse at hand can apply to the river overflowing, as it were. “From there the coastland peoples spread” [Gen 10.5].

Rivers (ro’sh): a different term from the singular nahar just noted. This noun derives from the same verbal root as beginning (re’shyth) which commences the Book of Genesis. The term ro’sh suggests a head or source which is four-fold derived from a more fundamental source within Eden. Use of ro’sh with the number four implies a reality akin to the traditional four elements which make up creation. Also, these four rivers give form the physical world outside Eden. Compare this image with that of the four-sided heavenly Jerusalem from which the river of life flows.

Verses 11 through 14 name the four rivers which may be outlined as follows:

1) Pishon: as in Sirach 24.25: “It (book of the covenant) fills men with wisdom like the Pishon.” In Genesis this rivers “flows around the whole land of Havilah” which is mentioned historically in

Vs. 15: The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

Compare this taking (laqach, the common verb) of man with vs. 8: “and there he put the man whom he had formed.” In other words, such taking presupposes man having been made prior to God putting him in Eden. Nuach is the verb for to place; another meaning is to rest: “for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth...and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it” [Ex 20.11].

Along with the notion of rest implied in this divine “putting,” note that two verbs of action are used: 1) to till (havad, the common verb to do, to make). 2) to keep (shamar) in the sense of close observation. “My soul has kept your testimonies” [Ps 119.167]. Shamar is frequently used in Ps 119 concerning various aspects of the divine Torah. With respect to the garden in Eden, shamar refers to something which had already been made and requires constant vigilance to maintain its current (divine) condition.

Vs. 16: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;

Commanded (tsawah): in the sense of God appointing man. “And the Lord has appointed him (David) to be prince over his people” [1 Sam 13.14]. The preposition hal (on, upon) is prefixed to ‘adam, implying that this command is almost physically placed on him.

“Freely” is absent in the Hebrew text; the repetition of ‘akal (to eat) conveys this sense.

Vs. 17: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

Here knowledge (dahath) is presented in terms of good and evil as in vs. 9. Such knowledge is associated with the human act of eating, of taking it in through the mouth and passing into the digestive system. The verb muth (to die) is repeated as with “to eat” in vs. 16 to re-enforce the divine command. “Day” may be taken as a type of kairos event, a special occasion signified by this classic New Testament Greek term.

Vs. 18: Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

These words of God are a kind of self-reflection, of uttering to himself a deed he wishes to accomplish in the future.

Alone (levad): connotes separation as well isolation. The need for created beings to have mates is stated in Gen 6.19: “And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.”

Helper (hezer): this noun and its verbal root pertain to the performance of a task, of carrying out an assignment or chore as distinct to a designation of a member of the opposite (female) sex. “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield” [Ps 33.20].

God intends to make fit (keneged) such a (female) helper; this word is a preposition in the Hebrew, actually two: k- (as) and neged (before).

Vs. 19: So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

Not only is the man (‘adam) formed from the ground (‘adamah) but land animals and birds. Yatsar is the verb for to form used exclusively for man in vs. 7, there with reference to ‘adamah. The verse at hand suggests a connaturality of ‘adam/’adamah with other created beings; it is often used in reference to forming an object, a piece of pottery by a potter.

God brought (the common word bua’) every beast and every bird to the ‘adam so that he could name them. The text gives the impression that every animal was brought, a considerable number by any standard, but God’s action may be taken as a way of bringing different species to the man. The purpose of such bringing is for God to see what the ‘adam would call (qara’) them, this verb being first used in 1.5 with reference to “day” and “night.” Thus the human qara’ parallels the creative, divine qara’. There is a sense of curiosity and expectation on God’s part conveyed by the common verb “to see;” i.e., waiting for the names given by man to see if they parallel those given by God. Although the text does not mention this, it can be suggested by the text.

The bestowal of a name (shem) is of great importance in ancient societies, especially those which are pre-literate or not fully literate. Also, naming animals is akin to the divine command in 1.28: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” The verse at hand strongly intimates that once man bestowed a name, it was permanent.

Vs. 20: The man gave names to all cattle and to the birds of the air and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him.

Here ‘adam fulfills the divine “bringing” of creatures, that is, he gives them names. The first part of this verse, however, seems intended to accent the second, that the man was alone despite the multitude of creatures.

Found (matsa’): used to convey that watching by God “to see” what the man will name the creatures; i.e., it conveys God as an observer and that he is disappointed in no suitable helper (hezer) for him. Cf. vs. 18 for this noun where God intends to make a hezer; the subsequent creation of beasts and birds are almost a trial-run as well as their naming by man.

Vs. 21: So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh;

The frequent use of “so,” “then” and “but” are often translations of wa- (more commonly, and) which shows a continuity of thought helpful for non-literate audiences to retain in memory what they have heard.

Deep sleep (tardemah): used in conjunction with naphal (to fall). It is close to the English expression but conveys a more forceful sense here, almost of blacking out. The verbal root (radam) means to sleep (snore) heavily. “For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep and has closed your eyes, the prophets, and covered your heads, the seers” [Is 29.10]. This complete passing-out may be compared with the taking of ‘adam from ‘adamah, a kind of passing from oblivion into consciousness.

Slept (yashan): the more common verb as opposed to the root of tardemah; perhaps this “secondary” sleep is meant to re-enforce the “primary” one.

Ribs (tselah): prefaced by the preposition min (from) to show full separation of this bone from the man, that is, as completely outside him. As a construction term, cf. 1 Kg 6.15: “He (King Solomon) lined the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar.”

Closed (sagar): here pertaining to flesh in order to close the open wound in man’s side. “For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man” [1 Cor 11.8-9]. Sagar can apply to the shutting of a gate: “To open doors before him (King Cyrus) that gates may not be closed” [Is 45.1].

Vs. 22: and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

Made (banah): more properly, “to build,” which conveys the idea that the Lord God functioned as a carpenter or mason. Also recall that rib (tselah) can mean a “board” as the verse from 1 Kg 6.15 just above notes. With this in mind, the man is a kind of quarry or source from which to take building materials.

Brought (bua): the same verb used in vs. 19 where God brings creatures to the man; he does the same in this verse with regard to the woman. The verb is in the hiphil which better reads, “caused to bring.” That is, God acts indirectly but within the woman, so to speak; he doesn’t lead the woman by the hand to the man. Bua as used in vs. 19 is not in the hiphil; there God acts directly.

Note a play on words: yiven (built, that is by God) and brought her (yevi’eha).

Vs. 23: Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man.”

The first utterance of man in the Bible which refers to his missing half or the woman. Better, it is a cry of recognition or a realization that someone has been fashioned from his own body as opposed to the creatures which brought to God and were unsuitable for a mate. Note the transition of woman as “helper” to wife.

This at last (zo’th hapaham): a vivid expression indicating suddenness. Hapaham comes from the verbal root paham, to shrike, to beat and can suggest a state of turmoil. “You hold my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak” [Ps 78.4]. Paham is also the root for bell, an object associated with striking: “They also made bells of pure gold” [Ex 39.25].

Two features which the man or ‘adam recognizes in the woman: bone (hetsem) and flesh (basar). Perhaps the man had in mind that rib (“bone”) from which the woman was fashioned by God.

The two-fold nature of woman as well as man leads ‘adam to call her Woman (capitalized in the RSV) or ‘ishah; the Hebrew text has a play on words, ‘ish being the noun for man. Note the other use of man or ‘adam in this same verse; the former is used to distinguish the two sexes. Most likely “woman” can be termed an ‘adam but indirectly since she was taken not from ‘adamah but from the ‘adam.

“Was taken:” the passive indicates that the man did not take her from his side, but it was accomplished by God although the divine agent is not directly mentioned.

Vs. 24: Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Leaves (hazav): note the contrast between such leaving and the divine bringing of animals and the woman to man already discussed. This abandonment pertains to one’s parents which here is lacking because God created ‘adam directly minus human intercourse. Jesus quotes this verse in Mt 19.5 in response to a Pharisee asking him about divorce. “What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder” [vs. 6]. The Genesis text does not explicitly say that God has causes this joining which occurs through that zo’th hapaham of vs. 23.

Cleaves (davaq): the opposite of leaving one’s father and mother in favor of a wife. This verse can apply to something like glue: “When the dust runs into a mass and the clods cleave fast together” [Job 38.38]? Cf. Ps 63.8 as pertaining to God: “My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” For the opposite sense of davaq, cf. 1 Cor 6.16: “Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, ‘The two shall become one flesh.’”

The result of such cleaving is “one flesh” or in Hebrew, “flesh one” which is akin to the days of creation already noted, that is, the adjective following the noun gives the phrase a greater sense of unity.

Vs. 25: And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Wife is the same noun as woman, that is, ‘ishah. This concluding verse of Chapter Two sets the stage for the “fall” by identifying physical nakedness (harom) with the lack of shame (bush). “A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully” [Prov 14.35]. The verbal root of harom means “to be crafty:” “They lay crafty plans against your people” [Ps 83.3]. Perhaps the cunning bound up with being naked presages the serpent’s deceit in the next chapter.

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Chapter Three

Vs. 1: Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”

Serpent (nachash): the first mention in Genesis. Since a serpent falls under the category of a reptile, it may be one of the “creeping things” of 1.26. This noun derives from the verbal root which means “to hiss, whisper” as well as “to augur, divine.” As enchantment, cf. Num 23.23: “For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divinization against Israel.” Another derivative from the same verbal root is brass (nachsheth): “So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit an man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live” [Num 21.9]. In this verse is a play on the words, “serpent” and “brass.” For the New Testament context: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” [Mt 10.16].

Subtle (harum): in the sense of being crafty, cunning; from the verbal root haram, to make (as opposed to being) naked as well as to be heaped up. For a positive use, cf. Prov 15.5: “A fool despises his father’s instruction, but he who heeds admonition is prudent.” Cf. 1 Sam 23.22 which has a parallel with the verse at hand: “For it told me that he (David) is very cunning.”

“Wild (sadeh) creature:” the noun for “field” is used, that is, “of the field.” Despite the untamed nature of the serpent, it is nevertheless made by God.

The text has this nachash addressing the woman...“enchanting” her...not the man, perhaps making a not so delicate allusion between it and the female. The serpent reminds her of God’s prohibition about the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” The woman correctly responds in 3.2-3 that the prohibition pertained to the that “tree which is in the midst of the garden.” She also adds the ban about touching (nagah) it which the Genesis text omits. This verb more specifically pertains to approaching something or someone; in the verse at hand, it would result in death. The serpent acknowledges awareness of death and reassures the woman that she will not die. Thus far there is no mention of death, so presumably the woman did not have a clear idea about its reality.

Vs. 5: For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Here the serpent presumes divine thoughts and intents with respect to the woman and man. The common verb yadah (to know; also pertains to intimate knowledge) is used here with a certain foreknowledge in mind, almost in anticipation that the woman and man will eat the fruit.

Opened (paqach): with respect to eyes, of vision, the opposite of which is blindness but here we have a kind of beneficial blindness. Paqach is used mostly concerning the eyes: “Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, I pray you, open his eyes that he may see’” [2 Kg 6.17]. Perhaps the use in Genesis parallels not so much physical blindness but perception as in Gen 21.19: “Then God opened her (Hagar) eyes, and she saw a well of water.” In the verse at hand paqah is in the niphil: the eyes are opened passively or indirectly, as it were, suggesting that another agent may be at work.

The immediate consequence of paqach (from the serpent’s perspective) is that “you” or the woman (as opposed to the man) “will be like (ke-) God” in the sense of being “as” him, another meaning of ke- prefixed to a noun.

Knowing (yadah): the second use of this verb in the same verse, the first one with respect to God and this one with respect to the woman or more specifically, concerning good and evil. This “knowing” did occur as 3.22 recounts.

Vs. 6: So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate.

This lengthy verse is divided into five sections:

1) The tree had an attractive appearance, that is, for eating: the “tree was good for (l- or to, in the sense of direction-towards-which) food.” This phrasing makes the tree all the more attractive, that it had a compelling reason to attract the woman.

2) The tree was a delight (ta’awah): used in a positive sense but with a negative outcome. “And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved” [Ps 78.29]. Here the Hebrew text reads literally, “and desire came to them.” This verse bears parallel with that of the Genesis one; it is almost as though desire were something alive with independent existence which “came” to those who lusted after food.

3) The tree was to be desired (chamad): a different word from the noun ta’awah; the former often connotes both a positive and negative sense whereas the latter contains a broader sense as pertaining to anything delightful. “With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste” [Sg 2.3]. In the verse at hand, chamad is related to being wise (sakal), a verb suggesting prudence. “David, a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely” [Jer 23.5]. For another sense, cf. Neh 8.13: “The heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the law.”

4) The woman takes the tree’s fruit and eats it.

5) The woman then gave some of this fruit to her husband who ate it. Note the play on words: woman (‘ishah) and husband (‘ysh).

Vs. 7: Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

The previous has the woman seeing the tree as good, whereas vs. 7 says that her eyes, as well as her husband’s, were opened. Presumably this earlier seeing was a type of blindness with regard to the distinction between good and evil.

Opened (paqach): noted in vs. 5 when the serpent knows that God foresees this event. The previous verse says that the woman had eaten the tree’s fruit; perhaps her eyes were not yet opened which resulted from giving the fruit to her husband.

Naked (harum): from the same verbal root as “subtle” which describes the serpent in 3.1.

At first glance, being naked seems the opposite of subtle which implies hiding or adorning clothes. Here such nakedness is a realization, a knowing or yadah, which signifies self-awareness and alienation from God.

Sewed (taphar): the only other two references: 1) “A time to rend, and a time to sew” [Eccl 3.7]. 2) “Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists” [Ezk 13.18]! The object of taphar in vs. 7: “fig leaves” or te’enah which are large as Zech 3.10 implies: “In that day, says the Lord of hosts, everyone of you will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.” Note that vs. 8 calls God’s servant the “Branch” which may be taken as belonging to a fig tree. For a reference to leaf: “For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers and like a garden without water” [Is 1.30].

Aprons (chagorah): the only other reference being 2 Sam 18.11: “I (Joab) would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a girdle.” A closely related word is chagor: “And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David...and his bow and his girdle” [1 Sam 18.4]. These two verses have a military connotation. Positively taken, refer to Lk 12.35: “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning.”

Vs. 8: And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Sound (qol): also, “voice.” “They (birds) sing among the branches” [Ps 104.12] or literally, “they give their voice.” In the verse at hand, qol may represent that which is most characteristic of God not unlike the singing or “voice” of birds. The divine voice brings into existence the various parts of creation in Chapter One.

This qol–from which qahal<