We started our close reading of the creation story with a thorough discussion of just the first two words of the first verse of the Bible. In the next post, we managed just one word, but that word was “God.” Now we’re going to take a deep breath and see whether we have enough stamina to take on four words at once and finish the verse.
1 When God began to create the sky and the earth —
בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
What is going to be created?
The sky and the land. These last four words are et ha-shamayim v’et ha-aretz אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ “The” is ha-, and et marks the object of the verb, telling us what was created. Believe it or not, I could actually write a couple of lengthy paragraphs about that word et – but for now I am going to stick with the bigger words.
We start with ha-shamayim, “the sky.” This word is sometimes translated “the heavens” or simply “Heaven,” as identifying the location from which God comes down, to which God goes up, and in which God “dwells.” But the most basic meaning of the word — and certainly when it is paired with eretz – is “sky.” Note that later in Genesis 1 shamayim is the location that is the home of the birds. God may dwell in heaven, but birds certainly don’t.
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