Gen 2:12 "There are" versus "are there" #1151

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opened 2022-10-27 14:13:46 +00:00 by SusanQuigley · 0 comments

SusanQuigley commented

2022-10-27 14:13:46 +00:00

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ULB
\v 12 The gold of that land is good. There are also bdellium and the onyx stone.

TN has this note. It doesn't make sense until one looks at a Hebrew text.
Genesis 2:12
There are also bdellium and the onyx stone
The word "there" is placed first in the sentence for emphasis. Alternate translation: "This is also where people can find bdellium and onyx stones"

The only reason we have that note in TN is because of the ambiguity of the English structure in the ULB. None of the ordinary English versions has this ambiguity. (The only one that does is the Aramaic Bible in Plain English.)

People could easily understand the English sentence as simply an existential: Bdellium and onxy stone also exist. But in Hebrew the word שָׁ֥ם "there" refers to a location. That's why we have the note.

Suggestion: Change the ULB to something like one of these:

\v 12 The gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are also there.
or
\v 12 The gold of that land is good. In that place are also bdellium and the onyx stone.
or
\v 12 The gold of that land is good. There are also bdellium and the onyx stone there.

ULB \v 12 The gold of that land is good. **There are also bdellium and the onyx stone.** TN has this note. It doesn't make sense until one looks at a Hebrew text. Genesis 2:12 **There are also bdellium and the onyx stone** The word "there" is placed first in the sentence for emphasis. Alternate translation: "This is also where people can find bdellium and onyx stones" The only reason we have that note in TN is because of the ambiguity of the **English structure** in the ULB. None of the ordinary English versions has this ambiguity. (The only one that does is the Aramaic Bible in Plain English.) People could easily understand the English sentence as simply an existential: Bdellium and onxy stone also exist. But in Hebrew the word שָׁ֥ם "there" refers to a location. That's why we have the note. Suggestion: Change the ULB to something like one of these: \v 12 The gold of that land is good. **Bdellium and the onyx stone are also there.** or \v 12 The gold of that land is good. **In that place are also bdellium and the onyx stone.** or \v 12 The gold of that land is good. **There are also bdellium and the onyx stone there.**