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Re: raqia, Genesis 1
At 08:10 PM 1/30/97 +0200, you wrote:
>
>Do the Dead Sea Scrolls contain any portions from Genesis 1 (chapter 1)? If
>so, has any study been published describing these fragments? Would any such
>study be available here in the United States (Arizona). Of particular
>interest to me is the ORIGINAL meaning of the Hebrew word transliterated
>"raqia", which is often translated as firmament or expanse.
>
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Walt Brown
I don't know that seeing a DSS with the word "raqia" on it will help you
with the definition. If it were preserved it seems that you would still
need to look at something like Claus Westermann's "Theologisches Worterbuch
zum Alten Testament".
If, however, you suspect that there was another word in the text which was
later substituted by "raqia", you would still not be much closer to a
definition; for if the word were replaced by "raqia" it would only mean that
the scribe of Leningrad (or Aleppo, depending on who you are using)
understood the original word to mean what he meant by "raqia".
Jim
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West
Adjunct Professor of Bible
Quartz Hill School of Theology
jwest@sunbelt.net