Sabbath study, xxi: a magnifying re-look at χ:A.i-iii of the Genesis Flood

Cf. this for the previous version:

אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדֹרֹתָיו אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹחַ (ëLeh Tôl'dot noªch noªch iysh tzaDiyq Tämiym häyäh B'dorotäyw et-häélohiym hit'haLekh'-noªch)

• אֵלֶּה (ëLeh: 428): these [plural pronoun]

• [are] {implied verb}

• [the] {implied definite article}

• תּוֹלְדֹת (Tôl’dot: 8435): genealogies [plural feminine noun]

• [of] {implied preposition}

• נֹחַ (noªch: 5146): Noah [name; masculine noun]

• נֹחַ (noªch: 5146): Noah [name; masculine noun]

• [a] {implied indefinite article}

• אִישׁ (iysh: 376): husband [singular masculine noun]

• צַדִּיק (tzaDiyq: 6662): vindicated [adjective]

• תָּמִים (Tämiym: 8549): perfect [adjective]

• הָיָה (häyäh: 1961): comes to exist! [emphatic verb: root]

• בְּ (B’: 9004): in [prefixed preposition]

• [the] {implied definite article}

• דֹרֹתָי (dorotäy: 1755): generations [plural masculine noun]

• [of] {implied preposition}

• ו (w): his [suffixed pronoun—third-person singular masculine?]

• אֶת (et: 854): with [preposition]

• הָ (hä: 9005): the [prefixed definite article]

• אֱלֹהִים (élohiym: 430): God [deity]

• הִתְהַלֶּךְ (hit’haLekh’: 1980, z8694): about-enwalked [verb: Hithpael stem, perfect mood]

• נֹחַ (noªch: 5146): Noah [name; masculine noun]

These [are] [the] genealogies [of] Noah: Noah—[a] husband vindicated perfect—comes to exist! in [the] generations [of] his. With the God about-enwalked Noah.

If this is indeed the proper rendition (or at least far more precise than my previous translation), then the implications are ever-astounding to behold and consider. First off, a note on the text itself: although the MT-KJV interlinear on QBible marks אִישׁ (iysh) as a variant of אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh: H-582), the displayed word here in the Genesis text appears to be patently literally the word אִישׁ (iysh) listed in the concordance numbering as H-376—while the Bible Hub interlinear displays what might be a diacritic mark disparity, the text as it plainly reads conspicuously signifies the root word iysh that means “husband,” rather than a variant of the word enowsh that means something along the lines of “mortal.”

So for the first sentence: the implication of תָּמִים (tamiym) meaning “perfect”—if this is indeed a more robustly fitting translation choice than “entirely”—is that it conveys Noah’s standing before his Creator: not only was he vindicated (צַדִּיק: tzadiyq), but his vindication reached the threshold of perfection in the sight of Aᴅᴏɴᴀɪ Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ of Hosts, covered by the imputed righteousness of God through faith.

In this properly evaluation, the natural Biblical Hebraic placement of the word הָיָה (hayah) also can be accounted for sensibly through a consideration of the sentence flow: because this in the ancient Semitic context was understood as one single verb, there is no need to append another word i.e. “was,” or “is,” rather just grammatically emphasize how the sentence needs to be read:

• “…Noah [was/is] [a] husband vindicated perfect, come to exist! in [the] generations [of] his” (additionally appended “was”/“is” verb) ❌

• “…Noah—[a] husband vindicated perfect—comes to exist! in [the] generations [of] his” (minimalist appending) ✔️

And for the second sentence, translating הִתְהַלֶּךְ (hit’haLekh’: 1980, z8694) is an interesting consideration. The QBible interlinear lists this word’s grammar under “z8694,” asserting its stem to be Hithpael and the mood as perfect. (long story short, when a Biblical Hebrew verb is “perfect,” it either means an action that has met completion, or one that is in the “present tense”) For the imperative-mood counterpart of this same Hithpael-stemmed variant, Scholar’s Gateway lists one of its definitions as “walking about (participle)”—this is a clue for translating the Hithpael-stemmed variant of the root word הָלַךְ (halak). If the Hithpael stem appends “walk” into “walking about,” then the perfect mood in a context of perfected vindication signifies a theme of completion, and so a potentially valid translation choice for הִתְהַלֶּךְ (hit’haLekh’) could therefore be “about-enwalked,” the “past tense” tense here used nominally in light of the larger context of a completed action (whereas if the perfect mood applies to a context of an ongoing action, it would be present tense).

It is also worth noting that the original Biblical Hebrew text, for the second sentence here, doesn’t simply read “God,” but literally “the God.” For whatever reason, none of the English translations I come across ever preserve this, even though the text as it originally stands contains a prefixed הָ (hä) that represents the definite article.

(yes, seriously: the vast majority of “standard” translations brazenly omit words that appear in the original Hebrew/Greek text, and insert them where there are none—you would be shocked just how atrocious it is!)

וַיּוֹלֶד נֹחַ שְׁלֹשָׁה בָנִים אֶת־שֵׁם אֶת־חָם וְאֶת־יָפֶת (waYôled noªch sh'loshäh väniym et-shëm et-chäm w'et-yäfet)

• וַ (wa: 9007): and [prefixed conjunction]

• יּוֹלֶד (Yôled: 3205, z8686): begat [verb: Hiphil stem, imperfect mood]

• נֹחַ (noªch: 5146): Noah [name; masculine noun]

• שְׁלֹשָׁה (sh’loshäh: 7969): three [number]

• בָנִים (väniym: 1121): sons [plural masculine noun]

• אֶת (et: 853): selfsame [particle]

• שֵׁם (shëm: 8035): Shem [name]

• אֶת (et: 853): selfsame [particle]

• חָם (chäm: 2526): Ham [name]

• וְ (w’: 9007): and [prefixed conjunction]

• אֶת (et: 853): selfsame [particle]

• יָפֶת (yäfet: 3315): Japheth [name]

And begat Noah three sons: selfsame Shem, selfsame Ham, and selfsame Japheth.

וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים (waTiSHächët hääretz lif'nëy häélohiym)

• וַ (wa: 9007): and [prefixed conjunction]

• תִּשָּׁחֵת (TiSHächët: 7843, z8735): corruptified [verb: Niphal, imperfect]

• הָ (hä: 9005): the [prefixed definite article]

• אָרֶץ (äretz: 776): land [singular feminine noun]

• לִ (li: 9009): toward [prefixed preposition]

• [the] {implied definite article}

• פְנֵי (f’nëy: 6440): face [noun, singular implication]

• [of] {implied preposition}

• הָ (hä: 9005): the [prefixed definite article]

• אֱלֹהִים (élohiym: 430): God [deity]

And corruptified the land toward [the] face [of] the God,

וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חָמָס (waTiMälë hääretz chämäš)

• וַ (wa: 9007): and [prefixed conjunction]

• תִּמָּלֵא (TiMälë: 4390, z8735): upfilled [verb: Niphal, imperfect]

• הָ (hä: 9005): the [prefixed definite article]

• אָרֶץ (äretz: 776): land [singular feminine noun]

• חָמָס (chämäš: 2555): violence [masculine noun]

and upfilled the land violence.

וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁחָתָה (waYar' élohiym et-hääretz w'hiNëh nish'chätäh)

• וַ (wa: 9007): and [prefixed conjunction]

• יַּרְא (Yar’: 7200, z8799): saw [verb: Qal, imperfect]

• אֱלֹהִים (élohiym: 430): God [deity]

• אֶת (et: 853): selfsame [particle]

• הָ (hä: 9005): the [prefixed definite article]

• אָרֶץ (äretz: 776): land [singular feminine noun]

• וְ (w’: 9007): and [prefixed conjunction]

• הִנֵּה (hiNëh: 2009): behold! [emphatic interjection]

• נִשְׁחָתָה (nish’chätäh: 7843, z8738): corruptified [verb: Niphal, perfect]

And saw God selfsame the land, and behold! corruptified.

כִּי־הִשְׁחִית כָּל־בָּשָׂר אֶת־דַּרְכּוֹ עַל־הָאָרֶץ (Kiy-hish'chiyt Käl-Bäsär et-Dar'Kô al-hääretz)

• כִּי (Kiy: 3588): yea! [emphatic causal conjunction]

• הִשְׁחִית (hish’chiyt: 7843, z8689): corruptified [verb: Hiphil, perfect]

• כָּל (Käl: 3605): all [masculine noun]

• בָּשָׂר (Bäsär: 1320): flesh [masculine noun]

• אֶת (et: 853): selfsame [particle]

• [the] {implied definite article}

• דַּרְכּ (Dar’K: 1870): way(s) [noun]

• [of] {implied preposition}

• וֹ (ô): his [suffixed pronoun—third-person singular masculine?]

• עַל (al: 5921): upon [preposition]

• הָ (hä: 9005): the [prefixed definite article]

• אָרֶץ (äretz: 776): land [singular feminine noun]

Yea! corruptified all flesh selfsame [the] way(s) [of] his upon the land.

For דַּרְכּ (Dar’K), translations render this noun as plural, though looking at the similarity to its root singular form, I don’t know for certain whether this variant is definitively singular or plural, and therefore—in the meantime—determine not.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים לְנֹחַ קֵץ כָּל־בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי (waYomer élohiym l'noªch qëtz Käl-Bäsär Bä l'fänay)

• וַ (wa: 9007): and [prefixed conjunction]

• יֹּאמֶר (Yomer: 559, z8799): said [verb: Qal, imperfect]

• אֱלֹהִים (élohiym: 4380): God [deity]

• לְ (l’: 9009): toward [prefixed preposition]

• נֹחַ (noªch: 5146): Noah [name; masculine noun]

• [the] {implied definite article}

• קֵץ (qëtz: 7093): end [masculine noun]

• [of] {implied preposition}

• כָּל (Käl: 3605): all [masculine noun]

• בָּשָׂר (Bäsär: 1320): flesh [masculine noun]

• בָּא (Bä: 935, z8804): entered [verb: Qal, perfect]

• לְ (l’: 9009): toward [prefixed preposition]

• פָנַי (fänay: 6440): face [noun, singular implication]

And said God toward Noah, ‘[The] end [of] all flesh entered toward face!

כִּי־מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ חָמָס מִפְּנֵיהֶם (Kiy-mäl'äh hääretz chämäš miP'nëyhem)

• כִּי (Kiy: 3588): yea! [emphatic causal conjunction]

• מָלְאָה (mäl’äh: 4390, z8804): upfilled [verb: Qal, perfect]

• הָ (hä: 9005): the [prefixed definite article]

• אָרֶץ (äretz: 776): land [singular feminine noun]

• חָמָס (chämäš: 2555): violence [masculine noun]

• מִ (mi: 4480): from [prefixed preposition]

• [the] {implied definite article}

• פְּנֵי (P’nëy: 6440): face [noun, singular implication]

• [of] {implied preposition}

• הֶם (hem): them [suffixed pronoun—third-person plural?]

Yea! upfilled the land violence from [the] face [of] them,

וְהִנְנִי מַשְׁחִיתָם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ (w'hin'niy mash'chiytäm et-hääretz)

• וְ (w’: 9007): and [prefixed conjunction]

• הִנְ (hin’: 2005): lo! [emphatic interjection]

• נִי (niy): I [suffixed first-person pronoun]

• מַשְׁחִיתָ (mash’chiytä: 7843, z8688): am corruptifying [verb: Hiphil, participle]

• ם (m): them [suffixed pronoun—third-person plural?]

• אֶת (et: 853): with [preposition]

• הָ (hä: 9005): the [prefixed definite article]

• אָרֶץ (äretz: 776): land [singular feminine noun]

and lo! I am corruptifying them with the land.’

The key notable word here is מַשְׁחִיתָ (mash’chiytä): the concordance lists this verb as of the Hiphil stem and participle mood. This is what a dictionary states:

#8813 Participle
 1) The participle represents an action or condition in its unbroken
    continuity, and corresponds to the English verb, “to be” with the
    present participle. It may be used of present, past or future time.
    1a) present time
        what are you doing
    1b) past time
        “he was still speaking” when another came
    1c) future time
        we are destroying - e.g. are about to destroy

In a nutshell, this particular verb mood signifies a continuous action that is still essentially “in the process [of doing],” and therefore the word here is not simply a future-tense “shall corruptify” or “will destroy” (as many translations imprecisely render it), but literally “am destroying/corruptifying.” This means that when Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ spoke this to Noah, He wasn’t simply saying that He will eventually in the future suddenly start destroying the wicked, but that He already was—at that time—in the process of actively destroying them.

(the four main “literalist” Protestant translations (LSV, BLB, YLT, SLT) mostly got this right, while many of the mainstream commonly-used translations did not!)

What does it mean then that Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ was already destroying the reprobate mass majority of humanity, some century before He poured out the Great Flood? The only plausible answer is judicial hardening: that was the core precedent of God overhanding/upgiving (yes, handing over, or giving up) the obstinate unrepentant human beings to their own ungodly passions, maximally spinning up the windup key to allow themselves to propel their depravity accelerating full-speed to perdition.1

And just as in the days of Noah, so too it shall be in the days of the Son of Man,2 when the Word of God—the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—will draw near at the end of time to punish the inhabitants of this planet when the latters’ transgressions against the Most High God reaches their ripened fullness.3

…there shall come in the latter end of the days scoffers, according to their own desires going on, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his presence? For since the fathers did fall asleep, all things so remain from the beginning of the creation!’ For this is unobserved by them willingly, that the heavens were of old, and the earth out of water and through water standing together by the word of God, through which the then world, by water having been deluged, was destroyed; and the present heavens and the earth, by the same word are treasured, for fire being kept to a day of judgment and destruction of the impious men. —II Peter 3:3-7