Origin of the 7-day week

[Neil_Anthony]

I’m reading the book “And God Said What?: An Introduction to Biblical Literary Forms” by Margaret Nutting Ralph and something she said about the first creation story surprised me a bit. She suggests that God was portrayed in the story as working 6 days and resting on the 7th day because the author came from a society that already had a 7-day work week, and the author wanted to show that the world was the “work” of God, and so the author had God make the earth in 7 days then rest.

I had always believed that we have a 7 day work week ***because ***of the creation story. So which way is it, is the creation story based on the hebrew week, or is the hebrew week based on the creation account?

 

[NotWorthy]

I’m reading the book “And God Said What?: An Introduction to Biblical Literary Forms” by Margaret Nutting Ralph and something she said about the first creation story surprised me a bit. She suggests that God was portrayed in the story as working 6 days and resting on the 7th day because the author came from a society that already had a 7-day work week, and the author wanted to show that the world was the “work” of God, and so the author had God make the earth in 7 days then rest.

I had always believed that we have a 7 day work week ***because ***of the creation story. So which way is it, is the creation story based on the hebrew week, or is the hebrew week based on the creation account?

I’d say the Hebrew week is based on the creation account. And reinforced at Mt. Sinai with the 10 commandments.

 

[juliamajor]

I’d say the Hebrew week is based on the creation account. And reinforced at Mt. Sinai with the 10 commandments.

I’d say that since the bible was oral tradition for centuries and since Genesis is a series of etiological stories that tradition ,when finally put in written form,was trying to explain why The Jewish people did what they did and why the sabbath(day of rest) is holy . julie

 

[NotWorthy]

I’d say that since the bible was oral tradition for centuries and since Genesis is a series of etiological stories that tradition ,when finally put in written form,was trying to explain why The Jewish people did what they did and why the sabbath(day of rest) is holy . julie

So, you’re saying it’s coming from the Oral Tradition that became known as Genesis?

 

[juliamajor]

So, you’re saying it’s coming from the Oral Tradition that became known as Genesis?

=Oh yes tradition is huge in Judaism.Without it scripture could not exist.Let’s face it those stories were passed down centuries before they existed in writing- like homer’s poetry.Written language came much later and there were few who were literate.That’s why scribes were held in such great esteem .Most scholars believe that around the time of Samuel the bible started to be written, with major redactions around the Babylonian exile:thumbsup:

 

[Neil_Anthony]

=Oh yes tradition is huge in Judaism.Without it scripture could not exist.Let’s face it those stories were passed down centuries before they existed in writing- like homer’s poetry.Written language came much later and there were few who were literate.That’s why scribes were held in such great esteem .Most scholars believe that around the time of Samuel the bible started to be written, with major redactions around the Babylonian exile:thumbsup:

If Moses could write the commandments on stone tablets why not write the entire Mosaic law on parchment?

 

[juliamajor]

If Moses could write the commandments on stone tablets why not write the entire Mosaic law on parchment?

God wrote the original ten(actually way more then ten)-then Moses made a copy !! That would still only small percentage of the OT.A lot of things are possible but a lot are not probable. If you get a Jewish study bible(Tanakh with notes) you will see how very precious and how much the Jews love respect and believe solidly in what tradition tells them. Just like we rely on tradition.Tradition is trustworthy-!! just because something is written doesn’t mean it’s automatically the truth-look at the NYT and anything Catholic!! are they reliable? Oy!