TP 10

I was translating Genesis 3 from Hebrew (BHS) today when something struck me hard. I must have read the passage dozens - if not hundreds - of times, but have never noticed what is there - perhaps because the translations always smooth it out. I am not blaming the translations, but being hyped because of the possibility we still have to learn and be able to read ancient texts in a language that was basically dead!

Now I am teasing my readers, but the point is that even though many translations are really great they cannot possibly convey the original idea fully. My finding today?

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate (Gen 3:6, ESV).

No matter how many times I would read this text I probably would not be able to draw the connection the narrator wants to make. My observation is just few simple words in the text: "...she saw that the tree was good..." In Hebrew it goes:

תֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩

Now a portion of text just a chapter and few verses before:

וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב

In English 3:6 should go "and woman looked at the tree and she saw that it was good" to make the same connection to the phrase that reoccurs again and again in the Creation story. Thus the narrator draws our attention to God's judgment, and contrasts it with our judgment that is lacking. When God saw and said that something was good, it was good. When woman saw the tree and its fruit were good and beautiful, she was dead wrong.

My purpose is not to ridicule women but to point out to the fact that human beings were lacking in their discernment even before the Fall. This was one of the hooks the serpent used: you will be like God, knowing good and evil. Even they realized that their understanding was not on par with God, and they envied.

This brings us to the modern day application. How often we have heard: I know what is best for me? How often have we said something along those lines ourselves? How can we know whether we are right? Perhaps we are not right. Perhaps we are so lost that we do not have a clue what would be best for us. Look around and think. Ask yourself a question: does this place seem perfect?