1 起初神创造天地。
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
注意,这第一节“造”的是“天地”,英文是“heavens and the earth”。再看看上面引用过的“出埃及记”经文的中英文对照:
出埃及记 20:11 因为六日之内,耶和华造天,地,海,和其中的万物,第七日便安息,所以耶和华赐福与安息日,定为圣日。
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
出埃及记 31:17 这是我和以色列人永远的证据,因为六日之内耶和华造天地,第七日便安息舒畅。
It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.'"
显然,上面的经文明确地说了,“六日之内”,耶和华创造了 “天,地,海,和其中的万物”,而这里的“天地”正是“heavens and the earth”,也就是第一节经文“起初神创造天地”里说的“天地”。所以,“创世纪”第一节经文说的“神创造天地”就是包括在“六日创世”之内。也就是说,“第一节经文和第二节经文中间有很长很长的一段时间”的说法是不符合“圣经”的。
创世记1:1 起初神创造天地。
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
出埃及记20:11 因为六日之内,耶和华造天,地,海,和其中的万物,第七日便安息,所以耶和华赐福与安息日,定为圣日。
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
创世纪第一节里的“造天地”的“天地”是指 “heavens and the earth”,出埃及记里的“天地”也是指“heavens and the earth”,而这两段经文一处用“create”,一处用的是“made”,由此可见,“圣经”里面有关“创世”的部分,“create”和 “made”是通用的。
再看下面这一段:
创世记2:3 神赐福给第七日,定为圣日,因为在这日神歇了他一切创造的工,就安息了。
And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.