K
KJW
Guest
I shall identify the most common inconsistency that certain scholars provide in their supposing that the creation stories contradict.
Genesis 1: 25 states “And God made the beasts of the earth…” and verse 26 states “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image…’.” The author of this first creation story is clearly showing that the animals were created and then man. This leads to some difficulty because the second Creation story, states in Genesis 2:18-19, that “It is not good that man should be alone…Out of the ground the YHWH formed every beast of the field and birds of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them.”
To some, it seems as if one of the stories is in error, for they stories do appear to be contradicting each other. In the Genesis 1 creation story, birds are created on the fifth day, and animals come before humans, but here in the second creation story, both appear after man.
Some translators have changed Genesis 2: 19 to read, “Out of the ground YHWH had formed every…” In adding the word ‘had’ they make it clear that YHWH created such things before humankind. I believe they are correct in their assessment that the creation stories favor the animals being created before the humans, however I disagree with the way they go about it. I feel that they have no right to change the message of what they feel are Sacred Texts, just because of their own presuppositions. Such a tactic is underhanded and does not promote honest dialogue.
Objectivity is my goal. One does not need to change the message of the text, just to strengthen their own position. The Jews never bothered to change such a verse, because they never saw the contradiction that many see today. The statement that the second creation story uses is ‘beasts of the fields,’ and this is very different from ‘beasts’ or another common phrase ‘beasts of the earth.’ “Beasts of the fields,’ is a phrase which is the direct opposite of cattle. If God created all beasts and birds after humankind, then why neglect to mention of cattle? According to Genesis they certainly existed for they are interestingly mentioned one verse later, when we are told that all the cattle was named by Adam. The simple truth is that creation story number two is not a chronological account, but just a topical account of certain events. The focus of the verse that is seemingly contradictory, is not that certain beasts and birds are created after Adam, but that because such creatures that were not geographically located nearby they had to be brought to him. If the focus of the verse was that creatures were created after Adam, then certainly this would have included all, including the cattle that were very specifically neglected. What other purpose could there be in using the direct antonym for cattle in describing certain animals?
Also, the Jewish people always believed that the two accounts were complimentary and that no contradictions existed. In fact the Sanhedrin used to state, “When asked why man was created on the sixth day, after the creation of all the other animals, we would respond: ‘So that just in case you become overbearing we may remind you that the gnats were created before you.’ "
Kelly J. Wilson
Genesis 1: 25 states “And God made the beasts of the earth…” and verse 26 states “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image…’.” The author of this first creation story is clearly showing that the animals were created and then man. This leads to some difficulty because the second Creation story, states in Genesis 2:18-19, that “It is not good that man should be alone…Out of the ground the YHWH formed every beast of the field and birds of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them.”
To some, it seems as if one of the stories is in error, for they stories do appear to be contradicting each other. In the Genesis 1 creation story, birds are created on the fifth day, and animals come before humans, but here in the second creation story, both appear after man.
Some translators have changed Genesis 2: 19 to read, “Out of the ground YHWH had formed every…” In adding the word ‘had’ they make it clear that YHWH created such things before humankind. I believe they are correct in their assessment that the creation stories favor the animals being created before the humans, however I disagree with the way they go about it. I feel that they have no right to change the message of what they feel are Sacred Texts, just because of their own presuppositions. Such a tactic is underhanded and does not promote honest dialogue.
Objectivity is my goal. One does not need to change the message of the text, just to strengthen their own position. The Jews never bothered to change such a verse, because they never saw the contradiction that many see today. The statement that the second creation story uses is ‘beasts of the fields,’ and this is very different from ‘beasts’ or another common phrase ‘beasts of the earth.’ “Beasts of the fields,’ is a phrase which is the direct opposite of cattle. If God created all beasts and birds after humankind, then why neglect to mention of cattle? According to Genesis they certainly existed for they are interestingly mentioned one verse later, when we are told that all the cattle was named by Adam. The simple truth is that creation story number two is not a chronological account, but just a topical account of certain events. The focus of the verse that is seemingly contradictory, is not that certain beasts and birds are created after Adam, but that because such creatures that were not geographically located nearby they had to be brought to him. If the focus of the verse was that creatures were created after Adam, then certainly this would have included all, including the cattle that were very specifically neglected. What other purpose could there be in using the direct antonym for cattle in describing certain animals?
Also, the Jewish people always believed that the two accounts were complimentary and that no contradictions existed. In fact the Sanhedrin used to state, “When asked why man was created on the sixth day, after the creation of all the other animals, we would respond: ‘So that just in case you become overbearing we may remind you that the gnats were created before you.’ "
Kelly J. Wilson