Genesis Chapter 2, part 2

Tuesday, 01 July 2008

Translation Commentary:

As an initial note, if you have followed from my translation from Gen 1, you will notice that I have changed the format from a poetic/liturgical format to a simple paragraph/narrative format. From my perspective, this captures more accurately the differences in feel between the two chapters.

These are the generations of the Skies and the Land in their creation, in the day YHWH Elohim made Land and Skies...

It was before any bush of the field was in the Land and before any plant of the field had sprouted because YHWH Elohim had not caused rain upon the Land and there wasn't an Earthling to serve the earthen soil. A mist came up from the Land and gave drink to all the surface of the earthen soil. But YHWH Elohim formed like pottery the Earthling of dust from the earth. He breathed into his nose the breath of life, and the Earthling became a living soul

These are the generations - Hebrew elah toledot (אלה תולדות). Scholars have variously placed this phrase as either the close to the Gen 1:1-2:3 creation story or the beginning of the Gen 2:4ff creation story. While the focus on "Skies and Earth" does seem to connect it to the previous story, I believe "these are the generations" should be understood to connect with the Gen 2:4ff story This phrase is used nine other times to introduce segments in Genesis (Gen 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2), and is never used to close them. It could probably be accurately translated "this is the account of" or "this is the story of", but I used a more literal translation. It should be pointed out that some see in the reversal of "Skies and Land" with "Land and Skies" a switching of emphasis in the two stories, with the first being on the heaveny/divine aspect/focus of Creation and the second being the earthly/human aspect/focus.

YHWH Elohim - The name of God changes from the first creation account to the second. In the first God is referred to as Elohim ("God"), where in the second the actual name of God, YHWH, is used in conjunction with Elohim (YHWH God). This difference along with others have caused scholars to conjecture that Gen 1 and 2 actually represent two different creation traditions (or sources) within Israel that were edited together during the period of the Babylonian exile. Some of the differences include: in Genesis 1 the animals are created before the Adam, whereas in Gen. 2 the Adam is created before the animals; Adam is created male and female in Gen 1, whereas in Gen 2 the Adam is male and the isha, the woman, is created later...after the animals; in Gen 1 the Adam is/are created in God's image and in Gen 2 there is no mention of this, and it is not until after the disobedience in the Garden in Gen 3 (a continuation of Gen 2) that YHWH Elohim says that humanity has become like Elohim.

in the day - Singular day in contrast to 6/7 days of creation of Genesis 1-2:3.

to serve the earthen soil - See my note later on the use of "serve the earth".

formed like pottery -The Hebrew reads very visually and physically, and YHWH Elohim is depicted anthropomorphically, using human characteristics, in both Gen 2 and 3. YHWH Elohim forms like a potter the Adam and the animals, plants a garden, and builds a woman.

Earlthing from...the earth - By using Earthling I'm attempting to recreate the alliteration and tie-in to Adam from the Adammah (soil).

breathed into his nose . . . became a living soul - Again, a very physical desription of YHWH Elohim blowing the breath of life into the Adam's nostrils.

In the Hebrew concept, soul (nephesh) represents the whole being, not just an aspect of being. In the Hebraic approach a reference to "spirit, soul, and body" would represent the whole person. In a more Hellenized concept "spirit, soul, and body" are seen as being distinct, and seperable, components of being.

And YHWH Elohim planted a Garden in Eden from Ancient Times, and placed there the Earthling which he had formed. Then YHWH Elohim caused to sprout from the Land every tree desireable in appearance and good for food, the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad.

A river went out from Eden to give drink to the Garden, and from there it separated itself and became four heads. The name of the one Pishon. It went around all the Land of Chavilah, which has gold, and the gold of that land is good. There is also bdellium and onyx stone. The name of the second river is Gihon. It rounds all the land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hideqel, the Tigris. It goes east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

And YHWH Elohim took the Earthling and caused him to rest in the Garden of Eden to serve it and preserve it. YHWH Elohim commanded upon the Earthling, saying “From every tree of the Garden eating you may eat, but from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad you will not eat from it, for on a day you will eat from it dying you will die.”

planted a Garden in Eden from Ancient Times -The Hebrew could read (as is often translated) "in the East" rather than "Ancient Times". However, the Hebrew qedem could also indicate "before", "previously", or "ancient times". The rabbis also recognized this in their discussions of this passage. In my opinion, this makes for a better reading of this story which takes place in a time and a land that is beyond reach (see my note on the river below).

Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad -While it is tradtiional to translate the Hebrew, ra (רע) as "evil", the word itself is used more generally for "bad" or "badness"...something that is not good or has gone wrong. For example, a hail storm damagin your car could be referred to as ra in Hebrew. This is a "bad" occurance, not necessarily an "evil" occurance. Also, in light of the use of "good" for the Hebrew tov, from a simple English sense perspective "bad" seems to be a better choice. We generally

to give drink -Honestly,"watered" would be a better translation choice from a modern perspective and the general meaning. I just like the literal image conveyed of the mist "giving drink" to the land. It signifies something about the servant nature built into creation. This is one of those places where the axiom "Translation is interpretation" becomes real. Someone else said, "When you read a translation what you're really doing is reading a commentary." This is good for everyone to keep in mind, whether reading my translation or anyone else's.

it separated itself and became four heads. - The description of this one river becoming the four that are named does not represent a literal geographic reality. For some scholars this places Eden in a "nowhere land" of the past.

and caused him to rest in the Garden of Eden to serve it and preserve it - This is one of those verses that has multiple translation options, as well as far ranging implications in how God's initial purpose for humanity in the Scripture is viewed. The Hebrew word often translated "set" in English translation comes from the causitive of the Hebrew root meaning "to rest". It certainly can simply mean, "he rested [as in 'placed'] the man in the garden" but it can also be read (as I have translated it) that YHWH Elohim "caused the Adam to rest" in the garden. So again, here is a an example of interpretation unavoidably entering into the translation process: What are the views of God and humanity that this text is giving, and how much do are we using use our own views, when it comes to translation? Given the many references in the Scriptures to YHWH's desires for His people to have rest, the rabbis understood this to mean that God created humanity in and for such a state of rest. They found evidence for this in the conclusion of the first creation story, in that humanity's first full day of existence (the seventh day) was a "day of rest". Following this interpretation I have chosen to translate it literally as "God caused him to rest".

The two following purposes "to serve it and preserve it" are also difficult. The Hebrew root for "to serve, work" is abd, and in this case it can mean "serve, work". Used in conjunction with land translators most often, and perhaps most accurately, have used the "till" as a translation of abd. However, I do not think that this is necessary. The idea of "work, till" following the verb "caused to rest" doesn't flow well in my mind. I think that the nature of the Adam is to serve and protect creation as YHWH does. This also ties in well with the second verb, "preserve", which follows it. The Hebrew verb here is shmr (שׁמר) which means "guard, protect, preserve"...as in "guard your heart". I think the general idea is that the Adam, humanity, is meant to take care of the garden, serving it and protecting it. Later, when the Man and Woman are removed from the Garden (as its protectors) the Cherubim are placed their to guard it.

Having said all this, lest you think that I'm merely making choices that fit my own personal view of humanity or God, i want it to be clear that do not deny that I am reading my own viewpoints into my translation, but it is a truly valid translation of the Hebrew terms used. But i also want to make clear that worldviews of God and humanity also come into play when words like "set", "work,till" and "keep" are used as well. All translation is interpretation, and that should be really troubling for us. We place a lot of trust in those who translate Scripture. The Israeli poet Chaim Nachman Bialik once said that reading poetry in translation is like kissing through a veil...." In my opinion, reading in translation is really more like somone kissing a loved one for you and then telling you what it was like.

on a day you will eat from it dying you will die - The infinitive construct "dying you will die" could better be translated "you will surely die" or "certainly die". However, I've always felt like there is feel that is lost when doing so. "Dying you will die" seems so fitting to describe what happens after the expulsion from the garden in Gen 3.

Then YHWH Elohim said, “It is not good for the Earthling to be alone. I will make for him a help as his other side." So YHWH Elohim from the earthen soil formed like pottery every Animal of the Field and every Flyer of the Skies, and brought each to the Earthling to see what he will it. And whatever the Earthling called it, each living soul, that was it’s name. The Earthling called names to all the beasts and to all the Flyers in the Skies and to all the animals of the field, but for the Earthling there wasn't found a helper as his other side. So YHWH Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall upon the Earthling, and He took one from his ribs and filled it's place in with flesh. YHWH Elohim built the rib which he took from the Earthling into a Woman, and brought her to the Earthling. And the Earthling said, “This time it is bone from my bone and flesh from my flesh. I will call this one 'Woman' because from 'Man' this one was taken. Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother and cling to his woman, and they will be one flesh.

The two of them were naked, the Earthling and his Woman, and they were not ashamed.

help - The Hebrew term, ezer (עזר) here does not imply "servant" or any form of dominance as we might think in English (as in "hired help"). It is often used when refering to God (Gen 49:25; Exod 18:4; Deut 33:7, 26, 29; 1 Sam 7:12; Isa 41:10, 13-14; 44:2; 49:8; 50:7, 9; and many others), as well as someone who is a "rescuer" in dire situations. The name Eliezer means "My God is a help/helper".

as his other side - This is a very difficult term to translate without giving a description. The Hebrew is knegdo (כנגדו), "as his opposite". Sometimes this is translated "corresponding to him" or "fitting for him". None of these get at the meaning of knegdo. To understand neged you need to imagine that you are standing on one side of a river. On the other side is someone else. They are in front of you and on the other (opposite) side of the river. That's the meaning of neged. Ultimately, the Woman is the Adam's help that is his neged. "Parallel" may be a good translation...YHWH Elohim is looking for the Adam's helper that is parallel to him.

formed like pottery every Animal of the Field and every Flyer of the Skies - The animals are depicted as being created after the Adam, who until this point in the second creation story has been alone. They are formed in the same manner as the Adam.

built the rib - YHWH Elohim has now formed like a potter, planted like a gardener, and built like a builder. Very visual, active, and antrhopomorphic. Note that the Woman is built from the Adam instead of formed from the soil in the same manner as the Adam like the animals were.

'Woman' because from 'Man' this one was taken - The Hebrew has "this will be called ishah for from ish she was taken."

were naked, the Earthling and his Woman, and they were not ashamed - This sentence might actually belong to the narrative of Gen 3 which begins with the description of the serpent. The Earthling and the Woman are arumim, naked, and not ashamed. The serpent is arum, crafty or cunning and later is "cursed", arur. This could indicate a play on words arumim/arum/arur. Also, as the beginning of the Gen 3 narrative it provides a nice set up to the story...the Man and Woman were initally naked and unashamed and they end up ashamed and clothed. It is actually difficult to decide from a literary perspective whether Gen 2:4-3:24 is one narrative or more. Gen 2:4 begins with no one to serve/till the earth and ends with man being cursed to serve/till it.