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#23

Genesis 1:6

Fri, Mar 30, 2007 at 9:38 am Posted in Arabic, Bible, Genesis, Hebrew, Spanish

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם

וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם.

وَقَالَ اللهُ: «لِيَكُنْ جَلَدٌ فِي وَسَطِ الْمِيَاهِ.

وَلْيَكُنْ فَاصِلاً بَيْنَ مِيَاهٍ وَمِيَاهٍ».

Y dijo Dios: Haya expansión en medio de las aguas,

y separe las aguas de las aguas.

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,

and let it divide the waters from the waters.

Additional LDS scriptural sources:

Moses 2:6
And again, I, God, said: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and it was so, even as I spake; and I said: Let it divide the waters from the waters; and it was done;

Abraham 4:6
And the Gods also said: Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and it shall divide the waters from the waters.

Notes/Other Sources:Wikipedia entry for “firmament”

Google define function for “firmament”

6 Responses to “Genesis 1:6”

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  1. 1Broz on Mar 30, 2007 at 10:20 am:

    Is expanse and firmament just talking about the atmosphere?

  2. 2john f. on Mar 30, 2007 at 10:53 am:

    I wonder whether you have considered using the Latin instead of the Spanish in conjunction with the Hebrew and Arabic versions. That might make for a fascinating juxtaposition.

  3. 3danithew on Mar 30, 2007 at 11:46 am:

    I like comparing the Hebrew with the Arabic just to see how often similar semitic roots are used.

    I throw in the Spanish because it’s another language I’ve studied.

    This is a way for me to ponder a single verse each day plus to fit in a little language study.

    I was half hoping that some people would be interested in throwing in the translations from their mission languages. If you want to put the latin in the comments, that would be great.

  4. 4Kevin Barney on Mar 30, 2007 at 12:13 pm:

    Expanse and firmament are two alternate translations of Hebrew raqiya’, which in ancient Hebrew cosmology is the dome above the earth separating the atmosphere from heaven. There was a celestial ocean above the dome, and when God “opened the windows of heaven” it would rain.

    The English firmament derives from Latin firmamentum, and refers to the solidity of this barrier. The English expanse derives from Latin expandere and refers to the dome having been stretched out by beating it, as with a hammer.

    For more on the raqiya’, including cites to previous LDS studies, see my “The Facsimiles and Semitic Adaptation of Existing Sources,”.

    (this post was edited slightly to provide the link - I hope Kevin doesn’t mind - danithew)

  5. 5danithew on Mar 30, 2007 at 12:17 pm:

    Kevin, thanks for providing that explanation.

    There is a DMI post titled “Biblical Cosmology” that also has some interesting information or ideas.

    I’m seeing in some places that Jewish cosmology has an idea of “seven heavens” or “seven firmaments.”

  6. 6danithew on Mar 30, 2007 at 12:24 pm:

    I believe the following is the quote about rakia (the Hebrew or semitic word translated as firmament) from Kevin’s article (that Kevin is referring to):

    In Hebrew cosmology, the raqîa’ or “firmament” was believed to be a solid dome, supported by pillars.57 The raqîa’ in turn was closely associated with the celestial ocean, which it supported.58 In the lower half of Facsimile 1, we have the raqîa’ (1) connected with the waters, as with the celestial ocean, (2) appearing to be supported by pillars, and (3) being solid and therefore capable of serving itself as a support, in this case for the lion couch. The bottom half of Facsimile 1 would have looked to J-red very much like a microcosm of the universe (in much the same way that the divine throne chariot of Ezekiel 1–2, which associates the four four-faced fiery living creatures with the raqîa’ above their heads on which God sits enthroned, is a microcosm of the universe). The Egyptian artist’s perspective is not necessarily a limitation on J-red. The stacking effect of waters apparently both being supported and acting as a support would have suggested to J-red the Hebrew conception of the raqîa’.

    Joseph also took Facsimile 2, figure 4 (the mummiform hawk with outspread wings in a boat) as a representation of the raqîa’, the figure answering “to the Hebrew word Raukeeyang, signifying expanse, or the firmament of the heavens, also a numerical figure, in Egyptian signifying one thousand.” The Book of Abraham uses two alternative English words to translate raqîa’: firmament, which highlights its solidity, and expanse. English expanse derives from Latin expandere, “to spread out”; this translation highlights the verbal root from which raqîa’ derives, raqîa’ which means “to spread out (from beating),” and from there simply “to spread out.” I would suggest that to J-red, the outspread wings of the mummiform hawk made for a very natural representation of the rq’.59

    This quote refers to facsimile 2. (follow the link to see the picture and some corresponding explanations)

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