Yada Yahweh
Book 1: Genesis
…Why Are We Here?
7
Noah – Trustworthy Guide
The First Ark…
The timeline of man commenced the moment Adam and Chawah were beguiled by Satan into rebelling against Yahweh. As a consequence, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden, and humankind began its 6,000 year countdown to Armageddon—the last rebellion.
The first increment of time we are given along the way is found in Genesis 5:3. It says: “When (wa) ‘Adam (‘adam – man) had existed (hayah) 130 (salosiym uma’at) years (sanah – changes and repeats of seasons), he fathered a child (yalad) in (ba) his (hu) likeness (damuwt – model and resemblance); similar to (ka – after and in the pattern of) his image (selem – semblance). And he called (qara’) his name (shem) Seth (sheth – six establishes the foundation).” (Genesis 5:3)
By calling Adam’s third son, and the sole heir to the covenant, “six,” and having that would be directly related to the Hebrew term for “provides” and “foundation,” Yahweh was calling attention to the fact that the history of man would be based upon His formula of six plus one. And while that’s clear, I’m not sure how to apply the “130 years.” Did Adam receive his nesamah 130 years previously, or was he expelled from Eden that long ago? By using hayah/existed, Yah seems to be implying the former, even though the measurement of time would have been meaningless to Adam in the garden.
We know that before Seth was born, Cain and Able had grown old enough to become a farmer and shepherd, and one had killed the other. So, it would be safe to say that at least 30, of the 130 years transpired post fall.
This interpretation seems consistent with the next two verses. “The days (yowm – time) Adam existed (hayah) after (‘achar) he fathered (yalad) Seth (sheth – the foundation is six) were 800 (samoneh me’ah) years (sanah – repeats of seasons). He fathered other sons (ben) and daughters (bat). All (kol) the days Adam existed (hayah) were (hayah) 930 years and he died (muwt).” (Genesis 5:4-5) On the surface one would assume that since freewill was on display and central to the Garden of Eden account, Yahweh would have had no control whatsoever regarding the timing of Adam and Chawah’s rebellion. But in actuality, He did. Yahweh not only consciously chose to let Satan slither into Eden, He chose the timing of the Adversary’s advance as well.
The reason Yahweh gave us this detailed information regarding the passage of time between successive heirs to the Covenant is so that we would understand His timeline and be able to establish important dates—past and future. So let’s review what He had to say. “When Seth had lived (hayah - existed) 105 years, he fathered ‘Enowsh (‘anowsh – humankind or mankind).” (Genesis 5:6)
While Seth would go on to live 912 years, it’s the duration between generations which is germane to the timeline. But a word of caution: there is no place in all of Scripture more prone to scribal error than numbers, especially large ones over two significant digits, and especially in the Torah. The reason is, the oldest Torah manuscripts relied on the Egyptian method of accounting which used a horizontal line above an alpha-numerical representation to convey what we write today in the ten-based numbering system replete Arabic numerals and decimal places. This is the system with which Moshe and the Yisra’elites were familiar. But the original format was problematic, because papyrus was woven such that the fibers formed horizontal ridges and indentations. With the ink and writing instruments of the day, and with constant unfurling of scrolls, horizontal lines quickly became difficult to read as the ink faded into the shadows and cracked off the papyrus fibers. So over time, they became virtually invisible in all but the best light and circumstances.
As evidence of this, Hebrew scribes, thousands of years distant from Seth’s time, left out the one hundreds place in six post-flood and pre-Abraham generations. And by implication, it appears that they added this quantity of time into six antediluvian generations to balance the ledger.
If the concept of Masorete copyediting, or at best, inadvertent errors, is new to you, be aware that the Masoretic was written in Babylonian Hebrew, not paleo Hebrew, the alphabet and language of revelation. Men, not God chose how to vocalize the consonant base of the text, and in many cases it’s obvious that they chose poorly, altering the message. Further, the rabbis who compiled Masoretic, considered the Aramaic Targum, also of Babylonian origin, to be their authorized version of Scripture. This was not unlike the Catholics with their Latin Vulgate. Hebrew was a dead language for 2,000 years before it was reconstituted in 1948 with the establishment of the modern state of Israel. Moreover, the Aramaic Targum is not a translation, but instead an interpretive paraphrase of the Old Covenant. This text was routinely altered by religious zealots, and all disagreements between Yahweh and the rabbis were settled in favor of religion. Heavy doses of midrashic interpretation are common in the Targum. Therefore, suspicion and skepticism are warranted in on a massive scale with regard to Masoretic interpretation in general, and specifically when evaluating numbers beyond two significant digits in the Torah.
From this perspective, I’d like you to consider the specific example I alluded to earlier. The Septuagint (prepared 300 to 200 BCE) adds exactly one hundred years to six generations between Shem and Abraham, and twenty years to a seventh—something confirmed by the Samarian Pentateuch (prepared 400 to 600 BCE) in each case.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the first five chapters of Genesis, the Dead Sea Scrolls are of nominal value in resolving this debate. The early chapters of the Torah are badly deteriorated, and so only fragmentary evidence is extant in the otherwise reliable Qumran collection. Fortunately, it doesn’t take a great deal of research to ascertain which source was right, the Masoretic or the unified position of the Septuagint and Samarian Pentateuch. Once we pass the flood, we enter the time of written history where people, nations, and dates are known independently of Scripture. In this regard, the duration of time itemized in the Masoretic between Nimrod, for example, and Abraham is many centuries deficient. But the accounting appears to be accurate with regard to the older aligned texts. (To some degree, this disparity helps us understand why the Rabbinical Calendar places us (living in 2007) in the year 5784, when it is really 5974, just 26 years shy of Yah’s return.)
Acknowledging this post-flood deficiency, to balance the ledger, and to square the Scriptural accounting with the dates which are known (the time of Abraham, the Exodus, and the construction of the Temple under Solomon), we must subtract some of the 620 years added by the Septuagint and Samarian sources from the antediluvian Masoretic accounting. How much, I cannot be certain, so we’ll consider all reasonable possibilities as we move through the Scriptural story.
Also, please understand, while my data and reasoning may be flawed, what I want to convey is that you shouldn’t blindly rely on English translations of the Bible (prepared 1384 CE through 1975), or on the Masoretic (drafted between 1100 CE through 1550), to date the flood to 2348 BCE, because that date is inconsistent with geology, archeology, and written history.
Beyond the issue of numbers, even if we could be certain of the value of values greater than two significant digits, which we can’t, on average we’d still need to add six months to each generation, since there is no indication that an heir was fathered on the predecessor’s birthday. Seth, for example, would have been 105 for 364 days and could have fathered Enowsh at any time during that period. This realization is especially important when it comes to the more numerous, albeit shorter, generations between the flood and Abraham and from Abraham to Moses. Lastly, there is the issue of yalad. It can mean “conceived as in fathered,” or “gave birth to,” the first of which would require the addition of nine months per generation.
Therefore, the bottom line is, there just isn’t enough dependable data to accurately determine the time which transpired from the fall to the flood. That said, there are some interesting insights provided along the way to make the journey worthwhile. And fortunately, by using the generational accounting in the Septuagint, we are able to work backwards from Moses to reestablish the record stolen from us by time. So we can date the flood, and account for this time, that is, so long as we are cognizant of Yah’s plan of six plus one.
“When ‘Enowsh had lived (hayah - existed) 90 years he fathered Qeynan (qeynan – sorrowful possession).” (Genesis 5:9) “Qeynan had lived (hayah - existed) 70 years and he fathered Mahalal’el (mahalal’el – ma, to question, halal, God’s light).” (Genesis 5:12) “Mahalal’el had existed (hayah - lived) 65 years and he fathered Yered (yered – to descend).” (Genesis 5:15)
From the perspective of the parade of names, we’ve gone downhill. “Enowsh (mortal mankind), Qeynan (in sorrowful possession), Mahalal’el (questioned God’s light), and Yered (descend).”
Along the way, the time from conception to conception has declined from 130 to 105 to 90 to 70 to 65 years, so it’s likely that the hundred place was erroneously added into the Masoretic text in the next generation. “When Yered had lived (hayah - existed) 162 years he fathered Hanowk (hanowk – to educate, dedicate, inaugurate, and consecrate, usually transliterated Enoch).” (Genesis 5:18) Finally, a name with a positive attribute. Let’s discover why.
“Hanowk had lived (hayah - existed) 65 years he fathered Matuwselah (mathuwshelach – male branch).” (Genesis 5:21) “Hanowk (better known as Enoch) walked (halak) with God (‘elohym) after (‘ahar) he fathered (yalad – conceived) Matuwselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. All (kol) the days (yowm – time) Enoch (Hanowk) lived (hayah - existed) were 365 years. “Hanowk (better known as Enoch) walked (halak) with God (‘elohym) and he vanished (‘ayin – was not), for indeed (kiy – because surely), God (‘elohym) grasp hold of and took (laqah – selected, accepted, laid hold of, snatched, received, obtained, carried away, acquired, and procured) him (hu’).” (Genesis 5:21-24) It was the first of seven raptures. And not so coincidently, Enoch was the seventh name on the list.
Beyond God wanting to be with Enoch, there were other reasons for this to have occurred. First, Yahweh wanted to impress upon us the importance of walking with Him. There is no better way to make this point than by telling us that the first man who did so was “grasp hold of, selected, accepted, snatched away by, received, and acquired by God.” That is why Hanowk’s name means “to educate (to instruct us), to dedicate (about the benefit being bestowed), to inaugurate (being the first of seven soul harvests), and to consecrate (of being set apart which is the purpose and result). “I’m going to educate my people by way of this man’s example, setting him apart from all others. He is the inaugural example of my seven harvests, demonstrating what it means to be set apart.”
To stress the importance of this point, after asking Abraham to leave Babylon, Yahweh asked the patriarch of the Covenant “to walk with Him.” Man walking with God is the essence Yah’s plan, our very reason for being—the purpose of the partnership. He’s seeking an engaged and active relationship where we stand upright in His presence.
Second, everything Yahweh does follows His six plus one plan. There are seven harvests of souls. The first was Enoch—symbolizing the harvest of the primarily Gentile ekklesia depicted here and also in Hebrews 11:5. Two: Lot from Sodom—symbolizing the removal of God’s family prior to the towns’ destruction in Genesis 18 and 19 and 2 Peter 2. Three: Eliyah (Yah is God)—symbolizing Yisra’el’s return from Ba’al’s Babylon, their restoration and harvest in 2 Kings 2. Four: Yahushua’s resurrection day—fulfilling the Miqra of FirstFruits in Matthew 27:52 and Leviticus 23. Five: The pre-tribulation harvest, or paralambano harpazo, of the ekklesia. This is the fulfillment of the Miqra of Taruw’ah, which is what makes it unique among the seven. Six: The harvest of tribulation martyrs—depicting those who have come to faith during the trial and have been killed for their belief. This event coincides with the transition between the Tribulation and Millennial Sabbath in Revelation 20:4. And Seven: The harvest of millennial mortals—something which is required as New Jerusalem begins in Revelation 21 and 22.
The third reason Yahweh snatched Hanowk/Enoch away from the polluted planet was because He had another job for him to do. Enoch will join ‘Eliyah/Elijah as one of the two Revelation witnesses during the Tribulation.
Before we leave the verse which depicts the harvest of the first human soul, let’s do a quick accounting. At face value, the years from Adam and his fall to Enoch and his ascension total 987. Adding an average of six months per generation we arrive at 990 years and could go as high as 995 depending upon how we deal with conception. This is very near a millennial marker—especially considering the questionable nature of the record keeping. There are very few things as important to Yah as taking His family members home.
The man named after the primary symbol for the source of eternal life, Matuwselah/Methuselah lived longer than anyone in human history, for 969 years. And while he could well have fathered Lemek at 187, based upon the previous pattern, my instinct tells me we should strongly consider 87. “Matuwselah (mathuwshelach – male branch, symbolic of the Messiyah) had lived (hayah - existed) 187 years when he fathered Lemek (lemek – discipled and informed).” (Genesis 5:25)
“When Lemek had existed (hayah - lived) 182 years he fathered a son (ben) and called (qara’) his name (shem) Noah (noah – to guide and lead to safety with a peaceful attitude, to be dependable, reliable, and trustworthy; from nuwach, meaning guide to the resting place), saying (‘amar), ‘This (zeh) is how He will change, console, and comfort us (naham – cause us to reconsider, to relent and repent, finding relief) from (min) our practices, customs and deeds (ma’aseh – work, labor, pursuits, habits, and conduct, even fate), from (min) the pain and suffering (‘issabown – aching toil) of our hands (yad – a metaphor for individual power, capacity, and strength), and from the earth (‘adamah – soil and ground) which relationally (‘asher) Yahuweh has cursed (‘arar).” (Genesis 5:28-9)
Noah’s name tells us that he is a metaphor for the Messiyah. He is being established as “a guide who leads mankind to safety.” His attitude and approach to life makes him a “dependable, reliable, and trustworthy leader.”
His moniker defines his purpose, which is to change mankind’s thinking, to get us to realize that our societal customs and religious practices, our pursuits, ambitions, habits, and deeds are bad and they need to be revised. It was time for man to relent and repent. It still is. But for those who elect to trust and rely upon this guide, there will be comfort and relief from pain and suffering. That is what paradise is all about.
Also be aware, this passage confirms that Yahweh did what he told Adam He would do. Remember…“To Adam, He said, ‘Because you have listened to (heeded and obeyed) the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree which I directed (instructed) you, saying not to eat from it, cursed (‘arar) is the ground (‘adamah – region, soil, and earth) because you shall labor (‘issabown – suffer exerting considerable energy) to eat from it all the days of your life (hayah – existence). Thorns and thistles shall sprout up as you consume the vegetation from the open environs (expansive fields outside the walled enclosure). By the sweat of your brow you shall feed yourself bread until you return to the ground from which you were taken because you are dirt (a collection of the minute elements or particles which comprise matter) and surely into the earth (onto dirt) you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19) Upholding consequences and fulfilling promises is Yah’s trademark. We, therefore, know what to expect from Him.
It’s time to total the numbers we have been given. The span from Adam to Seth is 130 years, 30 of which is a reasonable guesstimate of the duration post fall. To this we must add: 105, 90, 70, 65, and 65. Then there is a question as to whether the 162, 187, and 182 year periods should be made consistent with the other generational spans. Collectively, this yields a number which is at the very least 656 years to the day Noah was born. But 756, 856, 956, or 1,056 years may have passed from the fall to the emergence of the Ark’s captain.
To each of these totals we must add six months per generation on average and then consider an additional nine-month gestation period. This would add between 4 and 12 years to sum, giving us a minimum of 660 years and the intriguing possibility of 666. The other sums would total: 760 to 768, 860 to 868, and 960 to 968, with the largest possible number being 1,060 to 1,068 years between Adam’s fall and Noah’s accent.
Therefore, based upon the full stated value of the inflated Masoretic numbers, Noah’s birth becomes a candidate for the first millennial marker. The man who would come to symbolize the engaged and protective nature of the Covenant Yahweh would establish with Abraham, is indeed a worthy nominee.
But, the flood itself could mark the first millennia. After all, we still need to account for the 620 year disparity between the oldest sources and their newer rival. Therefore, the fallibility of Masoretic numbering may still be on display in what follows: “When Noah had existed (hayah – lived) 500 years, Noah fathered (yalad – conceived) the sons Shem (shem – personal name and proper designation), Ham (ham – sweltering hot and father-in-law), and Yepet (yepet – errantly transliterated Japheth).” (Genesis 5:32) It’s possible Moses wrote “50” rather than 500.
With this in mind, the highly flawed 15th century CE Masoretic literally reads: “And (wa) Noah (noah) son (ben) six (shesh) hundreds (me’ah) repetitions (sanah – years, repeats, and changes) and (wa) the (ha) flood (mabbuwl) existed (hayah – was, is, will be, happened, and occurred) waters (mayim) on (‘al) the (ha) land (‘erets).” (Genesis 7:6) Fortunately, we know that me’ah/hundred was a product of Babylonian Rabbinical interpretation. They may have been right, but it’s hard to explain the inclusion of ben/son in the passage unless it is indicative of Shem, Ham, and Yepet being married and childless at say, sixty, not six hundred, at the time of the flood.
If we were to remove ben/son from the text and replace it with hayah, “existed or lived,” in that this is the term used in every other account of this type, the inference would be that Noah was 600 years old when the flood began.
That means we have two ways to look at the numbers. If Noah had been 50 when his sons were born, and if they had been no more than 60 years old when the flood began, we would be able to add 110 years to the previous totals, rather than a full 600 years. Using the 868 sum we surmised earlier as our base, by adding 110, we come within 22 years of 1,000 for the inception of the flood after the fall.
The second way to look at the numbers is to add 600 years to the previous totals. That being the case, the Masoretic suggests that the flood occurred 1,656 years after Adam’s inception, or perhaps 1,556 years after his fall from grace. But keep in mind that we need to make a 600 to 620 year adjustment to this side of the ledger to square the Masoretic with the much older Scriptural sources, history, and archeology. And from this perspective, no matter which value you select, you come within shouting distance of a millennial marker.
That said, keep in mind that one thousand year intervals, or 20 Yowbel periods ((20)(7x7+1=50)), don’t appear particularly meaningful to God. They serve as confirmation dates, not fulfillment dates. The flood is a confirmation of Yahweh’s plan of salvation, not an enactment of it. Forty, not twenty, is the Scriptural number of completion. This theme is repeated throughout the Word, starting with it raining for forty days and forty nights during the flood.
Forty Yowbel (better known as Jubilee) periods, or 2,000-year increments, underscore Scripture’s three most important events: the confirmation of the Covenant with Abraham on Mowriyah, Yahushua’s Sacrifice fulfilling the Covenant on Mowriyah, and the Messiyah’s return to Mowriyah to save those who embraced the Covenant. The first two events occurred on 1968 BCE and in 33 CE, and the last will occur in 2033.
I would have preferred clear and irrefutable Scriptural evidence that the flood served as the first millennial marker for many reasons. And while it very well might be, we may have to consider the “rapture” of Enoch and the birth of Noah as potential candidates. And so that you know, the other confirming events which marked the odd numbered millennia included laying the foundation of the first Temple in 968 BCE on Mount Mowriyah and the poisoning of the water under Mowriyah in 1033 CE in accordance with the Numbers 5 divorce decree.
* * *
As we open the sixth chapter, bible translators ignore hayah, render kiy “when” rather than indeed, and then pass over halal as if it were not there to get: “When man began to multiply…” While that may be what happened, the text actually says: “Indeed (kiy), it came to pass (hayah) that mankind (‘adam) defiled and profaned (halal – treated with contempt and desecrated, dishonored, polluted, wounded, and invalidated) the face (paneh) of the earth (‘adamah – land, ground, and soil). And increasingly (rabab – a great quantity of) daughters (bat – female offspring) were born (yalad) to them.” (Genesis 6:1)
Halal is important because it reveals who was responsible for this fallen state. Halal is Satan’s first name. Chawah wasn’t the only person he beguiled.
To better appreciate Satan’s influence on man and the earth, let’s strip halal’s English synonyms of their religiosity. That way we will better understand who Satan is and what he wants to accomplish. To defile is “to trample down and make unclean and impure.” It is “to corrupt that which was good, sullying, dishonoring, and contaminating it.” Since this is what Satan did to Adam and Chawah, it suggests that the Adversary has a limited arsenal of tricks.
To profane is “to abuse something sacred, to treat something good with irreverence and contempt.” It is to “debase, make unworthy, and vulgar.” And to desecrate is “to violate the sanctity of something which was once good.” It means “to treat disrespectfully and irreverently.” There is nothing more sacred to God than a loving relationship. Jealous of the attention man was receiving from Yah in this regard, Halal sought to debase it, making that which was beautiful, vulgar.
To treat with contempt is “to despise and distain.” Contempt stems from “a lack of respect or reverence.” Contempt is “willful disobedience.” Knowing Yah, trusting Yah, relying upon and loving Yah are predicated upon respect and reverence. It is why Satan despised these things. It is what led to his willful act of disobedience. It is what caused Yahweh to treat Halal with contempt, and curse him. It is why Halal’s little helpers altered Scripture’s meaning to infer that we are to “fear,” not “revere,” God.
At this point Yah makes a distinction between two types of humans. And while He doesn’t say so here, His conclusion of the flood story makes it obvious that there were people with and without a nesamah/conscience. Some people were simply animals. Perhaps some still are…
“The sons (ben – male descendants and children) of the Mighty One (‘elohym – God) saw (ra’ah – viewed and found) that the daughters (bat – female children) of men (‘adam) were really (kiy) beautiful (towb – attractive and good, pleasurable and fun, even productive). So now they (henah) took (laqah – grasp hold of, received, and obtained) any (kol) of them they chose and desired (bahar – preferred and selected) as their women and wives (nasiym – plural of ‘issah).” (Genesis 6:2)
In that Yahweh created Adam in His image, blowing His nesamah/conscience into him, it is reasonable to consider his descendants as “sons of God.” The daughters of men would represent the other Homo sapiens who were roaming around east of Eden. And the reason that the nesamah-equipped humans were able to have any woman they wanted was because of the overwhelming advantage judgment, discernment, and reason gave them over lesser-equipped people.
Profaning His creation, treating it with contempt, multiple wives, and living outside His family model, was not the course Yah had plotted. As such: “Yahuweh said (‘amar – promised), ‘My Spirit (ruwach – a feminine noun depicting the power, influence, and life-giving nature of God) will not (lo’) remain in, or contend and plead with (duwn ba – abide, dwell, and live in, direct or vindicate) mankind (‘adam) for an unlimited duration of time (‘olam – forever). Also as a result of (sa gam) him being flesh (basar – existing as a human), his days shall be 120 years.” (Genesis 6:3)
Prior to the flood, the water vapor shield which Yah spoke about in Genesis 2:6, would have precluded the sun’s most damaging rays from eroding the elasticity of our cells. This would have enabled them to renew themselves at a faster rate for a much longer period of time. This combined with a less disease ridden and corrupted gene pool, would have enabled the perfectly designed humans who emerged from the garden to live a very long time. But that was all about to end. True to his word, from this time forward, 120 years has become the maximum extent of a human life.
That number is also important prophetically. Yahweh will go on to say that the generation which experiences the holocaust (Psalm 102) will be the last generation. And in Matthew 24, He says that those who experience the return of Israel to the land will also witness His return. So the most you can add to 1932 through 1948 is 120 years, and even then that’s stretching it. Reason tells us that we are looking at the millennial marker of 2033, which is exactly 40 Yowbel from Yahushua’s sacrifice.
The next verse in Genesis is almost always translated to infer that “giants were living on the earth.” I can only assume that the Latin scholars who did so, missed the religious connotations and assumed that physical prowess would be the only reason to mention such people. “The Napylym (naphylym – plural of naphal, meaning those who prostrate themselves, who have fallen away, who are oppressed, cast down, and die) existed (hayah) in the (ba ha) land (‘erets – region) in that day (yowm – time), and also (gam) afterward (‘ahar – at a later time).” (Genesis 6:4)
From the beginning, Satan’s religions have all had three things in common. His victims bow down, prostrating themselves to a false god. As a result of having fallen away from Yahweh, they become victimized by religion and are oppressed in this life and cast down in the next.
Today (read ‘ahar/at a later time), the people best known for their repetitive prostrates are Muslims. That’s significant because Naphysh was also the second to last son of Ishmael, Islam’s patriarch. And as you might suspect, the Naphysh were an “Arabian tribe.” That is to say that Islam, the Arabic word for “submission,” isn’t new. Satan has been corrupting men for a long time. His favorite strategy remains to present himself as God. It is the essence of the terrorist chant of “Allahu Akbar!” Allah is the Greatest!—or so he wants fallen man to believe.
“And indeed, relationally (‘asher) the sons of God came to and pursued (bow’ – were included in association with) the daughters of man, and they bore children to them. These men (‘ish – male individuals) were renown for (shem – named and famous for, earned a reputation for) magnifying themselves, going off to war, and behaving like arrogant tyrants (gibowr – acting like audacious and aggressive fighters as well as powerful despots) from the very beginning (‘olam – and for a very long time).” (Genesis 6:4) In this passage, Yahweh has transitioned from calling men ‘adam to ‘ish because He is now viewing them differently.
In Genesis 10:8, we are told that the father of politicized religion, of human self aggrandizement, Nimrod, was a gibowr, so it’s not a compliment. Arrogant, self aggrandizing men have used a caustic blend of religion and politics to start wars and set themselves up as tyrannical despots for a very, very, long time. It is the hallmark of human behavior—the thing we are best known for. If I were asked to consolidate human history into a single word, it would be gibowr—the story of men magnifying themselves, going off to war, and behaving like arrogant tyrants.
“Yahuweh saw (ra’ah – viewed, recognized, and considered) that indeed (kiy – truly), the evil intent, wickedness, and depravity (ra’at – deprivation, distress, and misfortune) of mankind (‘adam) in the (ba ha) land (‘erets) was great in magnitude and quantity (rab – prolific and abundant). And his every (kol) inclination (yeser – motivation, desire, ambition, and creative idea) of his heart (leb) and thought (mahasabah – plan, plot, purpose, and scheme) were bad (ra’ – evil, wicked, immoral, repugnant, miserable, sad, troubled, and fiercely harmful) all (kol) the time (yowm – every day).” (Genesis 6:5) It only takes a spark to get a fire raging, and all too suddenly, every good thing is consumed in it. By this time, man had used his nesamah so poorly, creation had been for naught.
Naham, in the following verse, is one of those words which the context of the sentence is required to properly convey the meaning. It can depict “being consoled and encouraged after finding relief from sorrow and distress.” But, it can also infer “to reconsider, changing one’s opinion, leading to sorrow, to being sorry, to suffering grief and experiencing regret.” Based upon the situation which has developed, and upon the subsequent use of ‘atsab in the text, conveying, “pain and distress,” the meaning is clear. “Then Yahuweh truly (kiy) grieved, regretting (naham) that He had made (‘asah – fashioned and created) Adam (‘adam – mankind) along with the earth (‘erets). His heart (leb – inner person, source of life, and spirit) was emotionally distressed, filled with grief and sorrow (‘atsab – was hurt, pained, vexed, displeased, and tormented).” (Genesis 6:6)
God can and does experience regret. That’s important because it demonstrates that we are not victimized by predestination. The future is not predetermined. We choose our fate, and that means we can and do choose poorly.
The fact God experiences grief tells us that for Him, love and relationships are very real. Life is not a game. But more than anything, this passage reveals that Yahweh is engaged, that He cares deeply and personally about the souls He has created. He wants us to know Him, to choose to be with Him, and to love Him.
There are two, vastly different ways to render Genesis 6:7 because min means “from and because,” and the Hebrew word ‘al can be translated “mighty one,” “on,” “continuously,” “prey upon, or “forever.” Most English translations render it as “to” and then suggest that “the Lord” wants “to blot out…animals, creeping things, and birds” in addition to “man.” Since that doesn’t make sense, I’ve chosen “because” for min and “continuously preyed upon” as the most rational rendering of ‘al in this context.
None of this means that I’m smarter, more scholastic, or a better linguist than other translators, because I’m not. But given the choice between rational and irrational, between consistent and inconsistent, I have elected to render the Word in the manner which makes the most sense in context, being true to the terms God...
Edited by user Thursday, September 13, 2007 2:49:26 PM(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified