In Form Man Red Ground Dust the Hebrew words Yatsar ’Adam ’Adom ’Adamah ’Aphar were examined.
7 Then the LORD God formed3335 man120 of dust6083 from the ground127, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 NASB
In this post I want to explore the connections, in the Hebrew language, between Man/ Red/ Ground and how these words relate to Blood and Life.
Man Red Ground: ’Adam ’Adom ’Adamah
A quick recap of Man, Red, and Ground:
Man: ’Adam
’Adam120 is the Hebrew word for man, mankind, humanity, and the name of the first man – Adam.
From the Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible NASB (p1707) entry for ’Adam120 includes
There is probably some original connection to the ruddiness of men’s complexion; see ’adam (119).
Red/ Ruddy: ’Adom/ ’Adam
The Hebrew language correlates the ruddiness119 of human skin (as perceived by the people of the TaNaK – the Old Testament) with the word man120 itself.
The word for ruddy is ’adom119 (also transliterated as ’adam). Therefore, ’adom/ ’adam (red) is related to ’adam120 (man, mankind, Adam
Ground: ’Adamah
Adam was formed from the ground.
And the ground of the Holy Land does tend to be reddish.
’adamah127
Ground, land … land [as property], earth [dirt] as material substance; of which man is made; ground as earth’s visible surface; land [as opposed to sea/ ocean], inhabited earth …
As a result, ’adom119/ ’adam (red) and ’adam120 are both are considered to be related to the redness of the ’adamah127 of the area where the Hebrews lived.
The soil (ground) of Israel, as seen across the Sea of Galilee.
Sea of Galilee
https://pixabay.com/photos/lake-meadow-sea-of-galilee-bank-6185635/
Red Blood Life: ’Adom Dam Nephesh
A connection between blood (dam1818) and ground (’adamah127) is shown in the story of Cain and Abel.
10 He [YeHoVaH] said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood1818 is crying to Me from the ground127. Genesis 4:10 NASB
So as to say: The voice of your brother’s dam is crying to Me from the ’adamah.
I see a further connection from the redness (’adom119 – ruddiness) of a living2416 man120 to the redness of life5315-giving blood1818.
Blood: Dam
The Hebrew word for blood is dam1818.
Dam is used to represent both blood and blood-like things, such as wine or grape juice.
dam1818 blood
bloody, bloodshed
(compare ‘adam119 [red]); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. Drops of blood) — blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), + innocent.
From damam[1826 become] silent or still … cease [silenced, as in death (the absence of life)]
The Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible NASB (pp1719-1720) differentiates between two usages of the word “blood.”
dam1818
blood, bloodshed, slaughter, the guilt of murder … [grape juice,] red wine …
There are two main categories:
(1) a violent shedding of blood usually resulting in death … war or in a murder;
(2) shedding of blood while making a sacrifice to God, which always results in a death.
… Blood is the source of life; without it we die. To remove blood is to terminate life.
… The life blood of the animal sacrifice was a substitute for the worshipper’s own life, an atonement for his sins.
In the New Testament, the book of Acts records the response of the Council at Jerusalem regarding the teachings of some men from Judea requiring the Gentiles in Antioch to be circumcised (Acts 15:1-35):
28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood129 and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.” Acts 15:28-29 NASB
In Greek, the word “blood” is haima129.
haima129
blood (especially as shed),
blood, literally (of men or animals), figuratively (the juice of grapes) or specially (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication, bloodshed, also kindred — blood.
As an example, the English word hemoglobin was coined from the Greek combining form of haima, “blood,” and the Latin globus “ball, sphere.”
Life: Nephesh and Chay
One Hebrew word for “life” is nephesh5315, n. – a person, and another is chay2416, adj. – alive, living.
From Leviticus, there is nephesh, related bring refreshed, as from breathing:
11 ‘For the life5315of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls5315; for it is the blood by reason of the life5315 that makes atonement.’ Leviticus 17:11 NASB
nephesh5315 life, n.
a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion …
From naphash5314; be refreshed; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. Animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
From Genesis, there is chay2416, as creatures who are alive, living:
7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life2416; and man became a living2416 being5315. Genesis 2:7 NASB
chay2416 alive, living, adj.
physical life, [condition of life] as consisting of earthly felicity combined (often) with spiritual blessedness
And speaking of Life …
Let’s Not Forget Eve!
Havvah – Mother of Life
For a related thought, but not quite a rabbit hole, check this out about Chavvah or Havvah, the first woman, Eve.
Chavvah2332
“life,” the first woman
From chavah[2331] life-giver; Chavvah [also transcribed as Havvah] (or Eve), the first woman – Eve.
I wrote about the relationship between Havvah/ Chavvah2332 (life) and chay2416 (living) and chayah2421 (to live) in (Almost) All About Eve.
The relationship of Mankind and Blood is a major theme in the story of the Bible.
How does the Hebrew language yield a new understanding?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Blessings,
TLThomas
See also
Create Make Form: Bara’ ’Asah Yatsar
Form Man Red Ground Dust: Yatsar ’Adam ’Adom ’Adamah ’Aphar
© TLThomas 2021
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