PS: Yes. The New Revised Standard Version translates it [Gen 1:21] "So God created the great sea monsters and every
living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind.
DF: Probably a mistranslation of the Hebrew oph which means "flying creature" and could mean insects rather than birds (or fowls) in this sequence.
PS: It is true that the Hebrew oph means "flying creature" rather than "bird" as we use the word, and when anthropologists say BIRD is a basic category they realize that it is broader than our word "bird". Bats are often included just as in the Bible (Lev 11:13, 19). The Bible also includes some flying insects and other proto-scientific people may also. BUT, the primary reference of the BIRD category and of Hebrew oph is birds as we use the word. In the context of Genesis 1, whish is creation drawn with broad strokes, flying insects may be included in 1:21, but they are far less obvious in creation than the birds and hence could scarcely be the subject of 1:21 "rather than birds." Also, it is common in ANE literature to pair fish and birds. Let's not let a concern for concord with the fossil record compel us to interpret the Bible out of context.
Paul
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Received on Sat Oct 14 23:02:03 2006
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