Freethought & Rationalism Archive

BigJim · 04-09-2007, 11:30 AM

It's interesting how the different English translations interpret the passage where Noah is instructed to make an Arc.

Genesis 6:14 (Young's Literal Translation)
14`Make for thyself an ark of gopher-wood; rooms dost thou make with the ark, and thou hast covered it within and without with cypress;

Genesis 6:14 (New International Version)
14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.

Genesis 6:14 (New American Standard Bible)
14"Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.

Genesis 6:14-16 (King James Version)
14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

Genesis 6:14-16 (New Living Translation)
14 “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior.

Genesis 6:14 (New King James Version)
14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.

So which is it? And why the variations on gopher wood (with or without a space or hypen)? Where does cypress come from? In the various translations it's used to replace either gopher or pitch.

Toto · 04-09-2007, 11:37 AM

Gopher_wood

Quote:

Several guesses as to the nature of gopher wood have been made, the most common of which is the cypress. Adam Clarke, a Methodist theologian famous for his commentary on the Bible, cited the Greek word for cypress, kuparisson, and the resemblance of this word's base, kupar, to the Hebrew word gophar.

. . .

Others suggest mere scribal error, noting the physical similarity between the Hebrew letters g and k, that the word may actually be kopher. In Hebrew, kopher means pitch; thus kopher wood would be pitched wood. In full, Genesis 6:14 would then read: "Make yourself an ark of pitched [wood], put various compartments in it, and cover it inside and outside with pitch." Whether this is redundant, or refers to the wood being pitched both before and after construction is an open question.

Or it might refer to reeds.

But nobody knows for sure. Since the event is mythological, there's no way to find out.

Steven Carr · 04-09-2007, 12:45 PM

Were pitch and tar not first created in the flood?

nogods4me · 04-09-2007, 12:47 PM

It is a mistranslation. What god said was : It's gonna be a big boat, you better go fer wood.

Steven Carr · 04-09-2007, 12:51 PM

Apparently millions of Americans believe in the literal truth of this story, and a surprisingly large percentage of them belive Joan of Arc played some role in the story.

The only conclusion is that many Americans believe a book to be true, that they have never really read.

BigJim · 04-09-2007, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Carr

Apparently millions of Americans believe in the literal truth of this story, and a surprisingly large percentage of them belive Joan of Arc played some role in the story.

Source?

Steven Carr · 04-09-2007, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigJim

Source?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030102073.html

Toto · 04-09-2007, 01:09 PM

It's only 12% who think that Joan of Arc was married to Noah.

source

Steven Carr · 04-09-2007, 01:15 PM

How much over 10 percent of Christians do you need before you are surprised by the percentage?

EarlOfLade · 04-09-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

It's only 12% who think that Joan of Arc was married to Noah.

source

Whoa!

Only 12%... That would amount to 36 million Americans. Not that many, really!

04-09-2007, 11:30 AM	#1
BigJim Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Stepford, CT Posts: 4,296	gopher wood It's interesting how the different English translations interpret the passage where Noah is instructed to make an Arc. Genesis 6:14 (Young's Literal Translation) 14`Make for thyself an ark of gopher-wood; rooms dost thou make with the ark, and thou hast covered it within and without with cypress; Genesis 6:14 (New International Version) 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. Genesis 6:14 (New American Standard Bible) 14"Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. Genesis 6:14-16 (King James Version) 14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. Genesis 6:14-16 (New Living Translation) 14 “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. Genesis 6:14 (New King James Version) 14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. So which is it? And why the variations on gopher wood (with or without a space or hypen)? Where does cypress come from? In the various translations it's used to replace either gopher or pitch.

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04-09-2007, 12:45 PM	#3
Steven Carr Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: England Posts: 5,629	Were pitch and tar not first created in the flood?

04-09-2007, 12:47 PM	#4
nogods4me Contributor Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 17,432	It is a mistranslation. What god said was : It's gonna be a big boat, you better go fer wood.

04-09-2007, 12:51 PM	#5
Steven Carr Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: England Posts: 5,629	Apparently millions of Americans believe in the literal truth of this story, and a surprisingly large percentage of them belive Joan of Arc played some role in the story. The only conclusion is that many Americans believe a book to be true, that they have never really read.

04-09-2007, 01:09 PM	#8
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	It's only 12% who think that Joan of Arc was married to Noah. source

04-09-2007, 01:15 PM	#9
Steven Carr Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: England Posts: 5,629	How much over 10 percent of Christians do you need before you are surprised by the percentage?

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