Creation According to Sailhamer
Posted
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
by
Charlie Trimm
I just read a fascinating book by John Sailhamer about Creation. It is entitled Genesis Unbound: A Provocative Look at the Creation Account. Sailhamer is a great scholar who often goes against tradition, and this book is no exception. While I do not find myself convinced by many of his arguments, I thought I would pass along some of the highlights of his book to help us think about the options. It will challenge your view of Genesis 1-2!
1. Sailhamer sees aretz as not referring to the earth, but to the land of Israel. This conforms with the way the word is used elsewhere.
2. The sun and moon: God did not create them on the fourth day, but made them to be signs then.
3. In the Beginning can have a very long time frame. This way, he can have six literal days while also having an old earth.
4. The Garden of Eden is in Israel and is essentially the same as the Promised Land. Note how the land of Egypt and the Euphrates are mentioned in relation to the Garden.
5. What God was creating in Gen 1:2ff is not the world, but the land of Israel.
6. The command to work and till the land is poorly translated, it should be to serve and worship God. Note that the suffix on the verbs is feminine, while Garden is masculine.
7. Formless and void refers to the wasteland outside the Promised Land.
Food for thought!
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