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Asking Questions about Biblical Origins…Together

Have you ever read the opening chapters of the Bible and ended up with more questions than answers? How would you like to talk about those questions together with other curious-minded readers?

In this reading group, Joel D. Ruark ("Dr J") invites participants into a patient sentence-by-sentence reading of the Primeval History of Genesis (i.e., Gen 1:1–11:26). This ancient document is a foundational text for us as human persons within the cosmos, addressing some of the most fundamental questions of the human condition. The objective of this group is to intentionally carve out the necessary space and time to complete a detailed and communal reading/study of the Primeval History, exploring fully the questions about the text that arise from reading the text. Along the way, Dr J will engage with both the original Hebrew text as well as the old Greek translation, but a working knowledge of those languages is certainly NOT necessary to participate and enjoy the ongoing conversation.

Threads
Joel D. R.
We had a lengthy discussion about the relationship between the three objects of the verb "to sprout" in v.11.  At first reading, it appears to be three different kinds of vegetation: grass, herbs, and trees.  However the LXX, NIV, and NRSV do not translate it that way, but rather as only two different kinds of vegetation.  In the LXX the first two words are combined ("herb of grass") and in the NIV/NRSV the first term is translated as "vegetation" (rather than grass) and then followed by a colon rather than a comma.  A key issue here regards the possible range of meanings for the first Hebrew term in the sequence (דֶּשֶׁא).  There is also a textual issue, regarding whether the third term in the series should be preceded by a conjunction or not.  The outcome of the discussion was that we are waiting for more information from Day 6.
This discussion is closed.