Was adam gender neutral in hebrew scripture

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bos
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Bos

Guest
Was adam (from adam and eve) a man or a gender neutral human?

My hebrew teach says adam just mean person and not man
 
Scripture uses the term “man” repeatedly and distinguishes Eve from him by calling her “woman.” And yeah…they had kids.
 
Well, if Adam had a child with Eve, wouldn’t Adam have had to have been a man?
 
The Bible calls the first human being “man” (’ adam ), but from the moment of the creation of the first woman, it begins to call him “man” (ish), in relation to ishshah (“woman,” because she was taken from the man - ish )
St John Paul II, general audience 19 Sep 1979
So close to the 40th anniversary, I thought I would let JP2’s words answer your question.
 
Did your teacher specify which telling? In the telling of Adam and Eve where Eve is made from Adam it is possible that before they were split, Adam contained both the masculine and feminine. Maybe? There’s not anything to say that’s the case, and even if it was, that state did not continue once they were man and woman.
 
Last edited:
Did your teacher specify which telling? In the telling of Adam and Eve where Eve is made from Adam it is possible that before they were split, Adam contained both the masculine and feminine. Maybe? There’s not anything to say that’s the case, and even if it was, that state did not continue once they were man and woman.
“not anything to say that’s the case“ except that Adam gave birth to Eve. As St Paul puts it:
For just as woman came from man, so man is born of woman; but all things are from God.
I Cor 11.12
(before anyone gets apopleptic, this is meant in a somewhat joking way)
 
I am not sure that is accurate. I don’t remember seeing anything in my Bible about that. Seems clear to me my name sake is a man.
 
The word adam is a generic term for mankind, and becomes the proper name for Adam. The Hebrew word for man or male is Ish, and for woman is Ishshah. This actually isn’t that uncommon in ancient languages. So in Greek, mankind is called Anthropos, but male or husband is aner. Woman or wife would be gyne.
 
Last edited:
In Hebrew the word for Adam also means Adam, man, mankind, humanity, human.
There is another word for man, mankind, as well as Adam.
 
Last edited:
Gender neutral is not a concept that existed before the 20th century. So it could have never applied to ancient Hebrew.
 
Adam means dirt/dust/ground. Whom ever taught you hebrew is mistaken.

Adam is a man. Always has, always will be. Don’t let worldly people inject their ideology into your faith.

Post script:
Also, welcome to CAF, new friend.
 
Last edited:
Adam means dirt/dust/ground.
In Biblical Hebrew it does not, There are a few words that encompass dirt, dust, ground. I can post them up later if interested.
For anyone wanting to learn a little vocabulary of Biblical Hebrew, there is a great course or two on Decks. Its a bit like Duolingo and is free. I will post links if people are interested.
 
Last edited:
Was adam (from adam and eve) a man or a gender neutral human?

My hebrew teach says adam just mean person and not man
Your “Hebrew teach” is in error:

1Co_15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
 
Last edited:
οὕτως καὶ γέγραπται· Ἐγένετο ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος Ἀδὰμ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν· ὁ ἔσχατος Ἀδὰμ εἰς πνεῦμα ζῳοποιοῦν.
This is the Greek of 1 Cor 15:45. I have highlighted ἄνθρωπος, anthropos, which is translated as “man.” There is no hint of masculine to it. “ human being], person (as opposed to gods); man, woman” is the definition from Wiktionary. If it was meant to be a male human, they would have used ἀνήρ, aner.

There are those who assure us that we always know when man means man or woman, and when man means male human. I hope they will all correct SetinMotion here, since he has read it incorrectly.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top