A scientific Translation of Genesis

[vonbach]

A little something I found once. A scientist that translated Genesis from the original poetic language. This is from Sargon the magnificent .

APPENDIX A
THE TESTIMONY OF SCIENCE
The agreement of scientific discoveries with the sequence of events of the Creation of the World, described in the Bible as occurring during the seven periods (so-called days), is denied. We read: "that the records of the pre-historic ages in Genesis are at complete variance with modern science and archaeological research is unquestionable." (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Ed. II. Genesis) Yet the agreement of the Bible statements with modern science was attested to by scientists in the last century, and as far as I can ascertain no later discoveries have discredited
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their judgment. Dr. Kinns, Ph.D. (University of Jena), who published a list of the scientists who had approved his work, points out that the events of the Creation of the Bible narrative are fifteen in number, and the evolution of the world as admitted by those scientists can also be divided into fifteen stages. Since a mathematical calculation shows that the chance of accidentally reproduc- ing the exact relative sequence of any fifteen units is about a million the most skeptical must allow the improbability, to say the least of it, of the exact reproduction of either of these sequences being accidental... Yet their agreement is proved by science. The following is Dr. Kinn's comparison of the events of the Creation as attested to by the Bible on one side and on the other by modern science:
Primarily: Science says that matter existed first in a highly attenuated gaseous condition, called aether, without any form, and non-luminous.
Moses says: "And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep."
I. Science: The condensation of this aether formed luminous nebulae, which afterwards still further condensed into suns and worlds. Moses: "And God said, Let there be light."
II. Science: In this condensation of nebulae astronomical facts go to prove that other worlds were formed before the Solar System. Moses: "God created the Heaven and the Earth."
III. Science: On the cooling of the earth some of the gases which surrounded it, combined mechanically and chemically to form air and water. Moses: "And God said, Let there be a firmament."
IV. Science: On further cooling great convulsions took place, which heaved up the rocks and raised them above the universal sea, forming mountains, islands and continents. Moses: "And God said, Let the dry land appear."
V. Science: The earliest forms of vegetable life were cryptograms, such as the algae lichens, fungi and ferns, on the land, these are propagated by spores and not be seeds. Dr. Hicks has found fern in the lower silurian of Wales. Moses: "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass." Literal translation: Let the earth sprout forth sproutage, which might be rendered tender herbage.
VI. Science: Next succeeded the lower class of phonograms, or flowering plants called gymnosperms, from having naked seeds, such as the conifers. Dana mentions coniferous wood found in the lower Devonian.Moses: "The herb yielding seed." VII. Science: These were followed by a higher class of Phenogams, or flowering plants, bearing a low order of fruit, found in the Middle Devonian and Carbonifer- ous strata. Moses: "And the fruit tree yielding fruit." The higher order of fruit trees appeared when "God planted a garden" later on.
VIII. Science: The earth until after the Carboniferous period was evidently surround- ed with much vapour, and an equable climate prevailed all over its surface; afterwards these mists subsided, and then the direct rays of the sun caused the seasons. Moses: "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, and let them be for signs and for seasons.
IX. Science: After the Carboniferous period many fresh species of marine animals appeared, and the seas swarmed with life. Moses: "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly."
X. Science: In the New Red Sandstone footprints of birds are found for the first time. Moses: "And fowl that may fly above the earth."
XI. Science: In the after strata of the Lias, monster Saurians such as the Ichthyosau- rus and Plesiosaurus are found.
Moses: "And God created great whales." Should have been translated "sea mon- sters."
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XII. Science: Enormous beasts, such as the Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, and Dinoth- erium, preceded the advent of cattle.
Moses: "And God made the beast of the earth after his kind."
XIII. Science: Cattle, such as oxen and deer, appeared before man; some of them in the Post-Pliocene period.
Moses: "And cattle after their kind."
XIV. Science: According to Agassiz, the principal flowers, fruit trees, and cereals appeared only a short time previous to the human race.
Moses: "The Lord God planted a garden... and out of the ground made the Lord God to grow everything that is pleasant to the sight and good for food."
XV. Science: The highest and last created form of animal life was man. Moses: "And God created man in His own image."
Finally:
Science: As far as our present knowledge goes, no fresh species of plants or animals were created after man. Moses: "God ended His work which He had made."
In these ways, as Dr. Kinns points out, the book of nature supports the Bible. Sir John Herschel once wrote: "All human discoveries seem to be made only for the purpose of confirming more strongly the truths that come from on high and are contained in the sacred writings."

[Yitzi]

While much good work has been done on this subject, there is a minor error in the article you quote.  It says:

"XII. Science: Enormous beasts, such as the Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, and Dinoth- erium, preceded the advent of cattle.
Moses: "And God made the beast of the earth after his kind."
XIII. Science: Cattle, such as oxen and deer, appeared before man; some of them in the Post-Pliocene period.
Moses: "And cattle after their kind.""

However, the word that he translates "beasts" includes all nondomesticated animals, including deer (and I think carnivorous animals such as dogs as well), and the word he translates "cattle" is domesticated animals only (and I think only herbivores), so they should not be mentioned in XIII.

[vonbach]

"Beast" actually best translates to "creature of the earth" as I recall. Its a very general term.
Note this also includes the non adamite peoples of the earth. Who do you think Cain built a city with?

[Yitzi]

"Beast" actually best translates to "creature of the earth" as I recall. Its a very general term.

It actually literally translates to "living thing" (the "of the earth" is next in the translation you gave), but elsewhere it is clear that it does include deer and does not include cows, sheep, and goats.

Note this also includes the non adamite peoples of the earth. Who do you think Cain built a city with?

Could've been other children of Adam; could've been a small city for just himself and his family.  Much about those passages is not clear, but there's really no basis there for "non-Adamite peoples".

[vonbach]

Much about those passages is not clear, but there's really no basis there for "non-Adamite peoples".

Of course their is. They are part of the beasts of the earth. Its not politically correct but thats what the bible says.

[Buster's Uncle]

Its not politically correct

In fact, it's racist, and the last straw.  24 hours.

[Yitzi]

Much about those passages is not clear, but there's really no basis there for "non-Adamite peoples".

Of course their is. They are part of the beasts of the earth. Its not politically correct but thats what the bible says.

No it isn't; it never mentions "non-Adamite peoples".