Genesis 1:6-8 Translation Work

6

 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יְהִ֥י רָקִ֖יעַ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַמָּ֑יִם וִיהִ֣י מַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין מַ֖יִם לָמָֽיִם׃

"And Elohim said, 'Let there be a firmament between the waters, to separate water from water.'"



- רָקִ֖יעַ (n. masculine singular - רָקִיעַ) = firmament
- בְּת֣וֹךְ (n. masculine singular - בְּ + תָּוֶךְ ) = between, in the midst of
- מַבְדִּ֔יל (v. hiphil participle - masculine singular - בָּדל) = divide
- בֵּ֥ין (prep.) = an interval, a space between.



Ancient Hebrew Cosmology - like many other pre-modern cultures - believed the sky to be a solid dome like structure. This is reflected in my choice of the term "firmament" over the modern concept like "expanse" which attempts to reconcile the Biblical narrative with a modern scientific worldview.

7

 וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־הָרָקִיעַ֒ וַיַּבְדֵּ֗ל בֵּ֤ין הַמַּ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ מִתַּ֣חַת לָרָקִ֔יעַ וּבֵ֣ין הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעַ֣ל לָרָקִ֑יעַ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

"So Elohim made the firmament and he divided the water that was below the firmament form the water above it, and it was so."

- וַיַּ֣עַשׂ (v. qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular  - עָשָׂה) = made
- אֲשֶׁר֙  (pronoun) = that, which, who

8

 וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ שָׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שֵׁנִֽי׃ פ

"Elohim called the Firmament 'sky.' and there was an evening and a morning. Day two."

- שָׁמָ֑יִם ( n. masculine plural - שָׁמַיִם) = sky, heavens

This verse repeats the word שָׁמַיִם, raising from verse one.  Following convention, the word is translated here as sky, while it is translated "heavens" in verse one.  I assume this is because the immediate context these verses is refering to the separation of elements within creation, whereas verse 1 is referring to the whole of creation.

I would be interested in hearing if anyone thinks it should be translated the same as in verse 1.